Copper is an essential element required for aerobic life. This project addresses the fundamental eukaryotic cellular process of copper trafficking to mitochondria. Copper is required in mitochondria as part of an enzyme complex that is intrinsically linked to the production of energy for cells. However the mechanism of transport of copper to mitochondria and the trafficking within the organelle are not well understood. The identity of proteins and/or molecules involved in the delivery and distribution of copper is crucial to understanding the larger picture of regulation and coordinated assembly pathways. Baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is used as a simple system to perform genetic and biochemical experiments to identify and understand the proteins and molecules involved in the homeostasis of copper in mitochondria. This project will define the mechanism of the copper transporter that facilitates movement across the otherwise impermeable inner membrane of mitochondria, identify alternative or complementary pathways of transport and characterize the molecule that binds copper to make it biologically available to mitochondria.
BROADER IMPACTS The ease and safety of yeast experiments allows novice researchers to begin to address complex problems. Encompassed in this project is a teaching enhancement program for Alabama high schools. High school students spend two weeks in the laboratory learning experimental strategies that can be translated into their high school classroom. After working in the laboratory for two weeks the student demonstrates their proficiency by teaching their science teacher the experimental design and strategy they have learned. The design is then implemented into their high school science curriculum. This project also provides training for graduate and undergraduate students at Auburn University and will lead to a more complete understanding of an essential pathway for the larger scientific community.
