Research
Origin of mitosomes and hydrogenosomes and FeS cluster assembly machinery
Origin of mitosomes and hydrogenosomes and FeS cluster assembly machinery
Our laboratory significantly contributed to discovery of mitosomes in Giardia intestinalis and understanding of evolution and function of mitochondria-derived organelles in anaerobic protists. In 2001, Tachezy et al., discovered genes for components of FeS cluster assembly machinery (ISC) in Giardia intestinalis and Trichomonas vaginalis that were both considered to represent ancient amitochondrial organisms. This discovery was surprizing as ISC is a typical and probably the only essential mitochondrial pathway. Following studies led to discovery of tiny double membrane bound organelles named mitosomes, the mitochondrial remnants in giardia that possess ISC as the only metabolic pathways. Next we showed that ISC pathway localizes and operates in hydrogen producing hydrogenosome of T. vaginalis. The finding of ISC in mitosomes and hydrogenosomes provide a strong evidence for their mitochondrial origin and genes for ISC become a widely used tool for tracing of mitochondrial derived organelles in various eukaryotic lineages.
Our laboratory significantly contributed to discovery of mitosomes in Giardia intestinalis and understanding of evolution and function of mitochondria-derived organelles in anaerobic protists. In 2001, Tachezy et al., discovered genes for components of FeS cluster assembly machinery (ISC) in Giardia intestinalis and Trichomonas vaginalis that were both considered to represent ancient amitochondrial organisms. This discovery was surprizing as ISC is a typical and probably the only essential mitochondrial pathway. Following studies led to discovery of tiny double membrane bound organelles named mitosomes, the mitochondrial remnants in giardia that possess ISC as the only metabolic pathways. Next we showed that ISC pathway localizes and operates in hydrogen producing hydrogenosome of T. vaginalis. The finding of ISC in mitosomes and hydrogenosomes provide a strong evidence for their mitochondrial origin and genes for ISC become a widely used tool for tracing of mitochondrial derived organelles in various eukaryotic lineages.
Key Publications:
- Tachezy et al., 2001 MBE
- Tovar et al., 2003, Nature
- Hrdý et al., 2004 Nature
- Šuťák et al., 2004, PNAS
- Doležal et al., 2007, Euk. Cell
- Smutná et al., 2009. Euk. Cell
- Rada et al., 2009, Euk Cell
- Rada et al., 2011, PLoS One
- Pyrih et al., 2016, Mol. Microbiol.
- Hydrogenosomes and Mitosomes: Mitochondria of Anaerobic Eukaryotes, Tachezy ed., Springer, 2019
