CEA Grenoble iRTSV/LTS, U873,
17 rue des Martyrs, CEA Grenoble, 38054 Grenoble cedex 09
The aim of my thesis is to understand the functions of ATAD3A, a mitochondrial protein in both Human cell line and in Drosophila models.
Far from being isolated oval-shaped organelles as classically represented, mitochondrion can undergo fusion and fission to either form elaborate network or isolated mitochondria moving around the cell. This enables the mitochondria to provide the energy necessary for cell growth and biological activities where it is most needed (synapse, myofibril…). The mitochondria’s purpose is not only to be the main source of energy, but also to be part of various signalling pathway, including apoptosis.
Although previous studies have mainly focused on, first, the biochemistry of the mitochondria and later the organelle’s role in apoptosis, new topics are emerging as for example, the role played in neurodegenarative disease such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. With the transformation of energy comes the production of by-products such as ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species), highly reactive molecules or ions which can damage DNA and accelerate cellular aging.
There is an important structural and functional diversity to the mitochondria, and even though, thanks to yeast models, a few ubiquitous mitochondria-shaping proteins have been extensively described, there remains a lot to discover concerning dynamic-regulating proteins, especially those specific to multicellular organisms. Among those proteins is ATAD3A a vital protein required for the embryonic development of all multicellular organisms. Member of the AAA-ATPase family, it has been located to the mitochondria.
One of the first studies of the team and my PhD is the topology of the protein, which we have determined to be in the inner membrane with a domain in the matrix and another located in the intermembrane space. Thanks to the use of dominant negative mutations of the ATPase domain in human cell lines, we have also showed that specific mutants can cause Drp1-dependent fission of the mitochondria. Other results obtained by our team with Drosophila models, reveal that specific cells with diminished levels of ATAD3A, have, in growth, differentiation and survival, difficulties whereas the surrounding normal tissue is left untouched. Our goal is to pursue both molecular and in vivo studies of ATAD3A in order to get a finer picture of the mitochondrial functions of this essential protein.
TOEFL iBt
GRE (Graduate Record Examination, 117 sur 120 partie analytique)
Baccalauréat Scientifique (Mention AB)
Cambridge Advanced Proficiency
GSCE English Grammar and Litterature (équivalent du Brevet en Angleterre)
Président de l'association des anciens élèves de la cité scolaire Internationale Europole (à Grenoble).
Thu, May 31st at 6:00 pm
