PRIN 2017 - 2017PAB8EM_005: Membrane transporters, the doors of cellular metabolism. Investigation of biochemical features structure/function relationships, metabolic regulation and physio-pathological aspects by in vitro an - Resp. Dott.ssa PARADIES (DSB.AD008.531)

Area tematica

Scienze biomediche

Area progettuale

Struttura responsabile del progetto di ricerca

Istituto di Biomembrane, Bioenergetica e Biotecnologie Molecolari (IBIOM)

Responsabile di progetto

ELEONORA PARADIES
Telefono: 0805442792
E-mail: e.paradies@ibiom.cnr.it

Abstract

Transporters are essential cell constituents which play a key role in nutrient and metabolite traffic across cell membranes. Furthermore, transporters, by shuttling metabolites across membranes of cell organelles, tightly control the more sophisticated compartmentalized metabolic networks of eukaryotic cells. To date, more than 400 genes encoding membrane transporters have been identified in the human genome. Despite their vital role in controlling the correct import and export of the molecules of life across membranes and the involvement of more than a quarter of them in human diseases, many aspects of their function, structure, regulation, structure/function relationships are still poorly known.
The present proposal aims at adding an important missing piece at this intricate and fascinating puzzle by functionally identifying the transporters involved in the branched chain amino amino acids (BCAA) and glutamine (Gln) metabolism. In humans, BCAA and Gln are essential and conditionally essential amino acids, respectively. They are involved in many physiological and pathological pathways such as nucleotide and protein synthesis, mitochondrial energy production.

Obiettivi

The present research program will pursue the objective of performing a comprehensive study of transporters involved in BCAA and Gln metabolism. This experimental approach will provide useful information on the correlation between the phylogenetic distances and the function similarity/diversity of a specific transporter/orthologue and on the comparative and functional genomics.
Achievement of goals will provide new tools for a better understanding of how cells work with respect to absorption and traffic of nutrients and their metabolites for energy production, biosynthetic needs and signaling. These data will have a significant impact in the field of human nutrition and pathology. The structure/function relationships results will provide new tools to shed light on the mechanism of function of these transporters as well as will increase the knowledge of the molecular basis of human pathologies caused by naturally occurring mutations.

Data inizio attività

19/08/2019

Parole chiave

transporter, branched chain aminoacid, glutamine

Ultimo aggiornamento: 20/05/2024