Degree
Master of Science
Program
Pathology
Supervisor
Duennwald, Martin L.
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, affecting roughly 1% of the population over the age of sixty years. Alpha-synuclein (aSyn) is a protein implicated in both familial and idiopathic forms of PD, yet despite the wealth of data implicating aSyn as a causative agent in PD, the mechanisms underlying its toxicity remain mostly unknown. Mitochondrial dysfunction is a major hallmark of PD, yet there is only limited evidence linking aSyn toxicity to mitochondrial dysfunction. My study establishes a novel aSyn model in respiring yeast cells, which allows me to explore how aSyn affects mitochondrial homeostasis and function. My data shows that mitochondrial fission and fusion, ER-mitochondria communication, and sphingolipid metabolism, interact genetically with aSyn toxicity. My work, therefore, indicates that aSyn impairs mitochondrial homeostasis, which might be a key contributor to neurodegeneration in PD.
Recommended Citation
Tauro, Michael G., "Alpha-Synuclein Toxicity is Caused by Mitochondrial Dysfunction" (2019). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 6019.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/6019
