Mitonuclear Interaction Lab
Principal Investigator - Dr. Andrea Pozzi
Mitochondria are ubiquitous organelles whose best-known function is the production of energy through ATP synthesis. These organelles have their own genome, and by studying these genomes genetic variation across natural populations, it has been discovered that mitochondrial mutations can affect organismal fitness. Unfortunately, the mechanism underlying this effect is currently unknown.
The group aim at understanding the mechanism used by the mitochondria to affect organismal fitness, whether is in yeast or humans, applying an holistic approach that includes both computational and experimental techniques. We are interested in both the molecular and macroscopic aspect of mitonuclear interactions. Thus, while we research the mechanisms used by mitochondria to influence the phenotype of an organism, we investigate the consequence of these changes as well, further deepening our understanding of concepts such as adaptation and speciation. |
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The current focus of the lab (2023) is understanding the function of small RNAs encoded in the mitochondrial genome, using S. pombe as a model organism to test if these RNAs are involved in RNA interference and can create reproductive barriers across diverse populations of the fission yeast.
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been used to study molecular ecology and phylogeography for 25 years. Much important information has been gained in this way, but it is time to reflect on the biology of the mitochondrion itself and consider opportunities for evolutionary studies of the organelle itself and its ecology, biochemistry and physiology
— The incomplete natural history of mitochondria. 2004. J. William O. Ballard
— The incomplete natural history of mitochondria. 2004. J. William O. Ballard
A thanks to the institutions (below) that are funding or have funded this research.