The Role of Mitochondrial Transcription Factor A (TFAM)in the Mitochondrial DNA Protection Against Oxidative Damage.

• Grant number: 11/16188-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: July 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal Investigator: Nadja Cristhina de Souza Pinto
• Grantee: Paulo Newton Tonolli
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) is a member of the high-mobility group proteins, playing important roles for replication, transcription and structure/organization of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The mtDNA is arranged in a nucleoproteic complex known as nucleoid, where TFAM is a main protein component, packaging the DNA as a histone. TFAM has little sequence specificity for DNA binding, except for the transcription promoters and the replication initiation site at the D-loop. The packaging of mtDNA by TFAM is suggested to play an important role in protecting the mtDNA against oxidative damage by reactive oxidative species. However, this packaging seems to limit the access of base excision repair proteins in in vitro assays. Thus, the role of TFAM in maintaining mtDNA stability is still unclear. In this project, we intend to clarify if TFAM actually protects the mtDNA against the oxidative damage, and how it interacts with the oxidative damage repair on DNA, especially BER.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

TONOLLI, Paulo Newton. The Role of mitochondrial transcription factor a (TFAM)in the mitochondrial DNA protection against oxidative damage. 2014. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Conjunto das Químicas (IQ e FCF) (CQ/DBDCQ) São Paulo.