Molecular mechanism of mitophagy and its application to the laboratory medicine

• Project/Area Number: 24790556
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Laboratory medicine
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: AOKI Yoshimasa 九州大学, 大学病院, 主任臨床検査技師 (80419514)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,420,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,020,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
• Keywords: マイトファジー / ミトコンドリア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Mitophagy is a process that degrade mitochondria selectively. In this study, we investigated the signaling pathways that regulate mitophagy using yeast and human cell lines. We further try to establish the method to detect the mitophagy using clinical laboratory test. We found that, in human cells, MAP kinase Erk2 and p38 related signaling pathways are important for mitophagy. In addition, we found that mitophagy dispensable protein Atg32 is expressed under the regulation of TOR and the down Ume6-Sin3-Rpd3 complex.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Tor and the Sin3-Rpd3 complex regulate expression of the mitophagy receptor protein Atg32 in yeast. (2014)
  • Author(s): Aihara M, Jin X, Kurihara Y, Yoshida Y, Matsushima Y, Oku M, Hirota Y, Saigusa T, Aoki Y, Uchiumi T, Yamamoto T, Sakai Y, Kang D, Kanki T.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Cell Science Volume: 127 Pages: 3184-96
  • DOI: 10.1242/jcs.153254
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Casein kinase 2 is essential for mitophagy. (2013)
  • Author(s): Kanki T., Kurihara Y., Jin X., Goda T., Ono Y., Aihara M., Hirota Y., Saigusa T., Aoki Y., Uchiumi T., Kang D.
  • Journal Title: EMBO reports Volume: 14巻 Issue: 9 Pages: 788-794
  • DOI: 10.1038/embor.2013.114
  • Peer Reviewed