Relationship between anaerobic metabolisms and organelle evolution of Entamoeba histolytica

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26860275
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Parasitology (including sanitary zoology)
• Research Institution: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (2016); University of Tsukuba (2014-2015)
• Principal Investigator: CHIBA Yoko 国立研究開発法人海洋研究開発機構, 深海・地殻内生物圏研究分野, ポストドクトラル研究員 (70638981)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: オルガネラ / 進化 / 寄生虫

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Mitochondria, which function as the powerhouse of aerobic eukaryotic organisms, have undergone significant functional reduction and modifications under oxygen-reduced conditions, such as loss of oxygen-dependent ATP generation. Mitosomes are a highly degenerate form of mitochondria that lack the canonical functions of aerobic mitochondria. In the intestinal parasite Entamoeba, mitosomes exclusively contain enzymes for sulfate activation, which is not a typical function of mitochondria, and it remains a conundrum why Entamoeba has compartmentalized this pathway.
In this project, I proposed a hypothesis that a characteristic energy metabolism of Entamoeba was a key driving force for mitosome compartmentalization, and got data to support the hypothesis.

Free Research Field

代謝生化学