Grant: Project Grant
University of Toronto
$856,800.00
Uncovering how the female germline eliminates deleterious mitochondrial DNA mutations
FY 2017-18
Summary
We inherit a small number of essential genes, called mitochondrial genes, only from our mothers. Given their fundamental importance, mothers have evolved mechanisms to ensure they pass good, mutant free copies of these genes to their children. Without such mechanisms, we would not exist. Exactly, how mothers do this remains unknown. In this proposal, we seek to understand how these selection mechanisms work.
Even though mothers do their best to make sure we start with good mitochondrial genes, mutations inevitably arise in them as we age. This causes disease in people, most often neurological, affecting on the order of 1 in 4,300. By understanding how mothers prevent bad mitochondrial genes from being inherited, we aim to develop strategies to eliminate these bad mutations and the diseases they cause as we age.
Department
Program
Project Grant
Recipient
Location
Ontario, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
CIHR Funding Decisions Database
As published
Id
381900
Name
Hurd Thomas R
Region
Ontario
Country
Canada
Orgtype
Institution Paid; Research Institution
Instname2
Genetics
Theme2
Biomedical
Prcname2
Developmental Biology
Projecttitle
Uncovering how the female germline eliminates deleterious mitochondrial DNA mutations
Programtype2
Operating Grants
Orgnameinp2
University of Toronto
Cihramount2
$856,800
Cihrequipment2
$0
Programname2
Project Grant
Keyworddelim
Developmental Biology; Drosophila; Germline; Microscopy; Mitochondria; Mitochondrial Dna; Mitofusin; Mitophagy; Proteomics; Purifying Selection
Abstract
We inherit a small number of essential genes, called mitochondrial genes, only from our mothers. Given their fundamental importance, mothers have evolved mechanisms to ensure they pass good, mutant free copies of these genes to their children. Without such mechanisms, we would not exist. Exactly, how mothers do this remains unknown. In this proposal, we seek to understand how these selection mechanisms work.
Even though mothers do their best to make sure we start with good mitochondrial genes, mutations inevitably arise in them as we age. This causes disease in people, most often neurological, affecting on the order of 1 in 4,300. By understanding how mothers prevent bad mitochondrial genes from being inherited, we aim to develop strategies to eliminate these bad mutations and the diseases they cause as we age.
Competitiondate
201803
Approvedterm2
5 yrs 0 mth
Pinamesdelim
Hurd, Thomas R
Approvedterm
5 ans 0 mois
Cihrcontribution2
~ $856,800~ $0~
