Date of Award
1-23-2012
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Neuroscience
Abstract
Troyer syndrome is a hereditary spastic paraplegia caused by a mutation that leads to a complete loss of expression of spartin protein. The plant-related senescence domain in spartin is highly conserved and present in over 150 proteins, but its function is unknown. Our results indicate that spartin associates with phospholipids via its senescence domain.
Phospholipids are important components of intracellular membranes and play roles in many cellular processes. Knock-down of spartin results in impaired cell division. The phospholipid phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI3P) is present at midbodies, where it recruits proteins for cytokinesis. Our findings demonstrate that spartin colocalizes with PI3P at midbodies, and knock-down of spartin results in fewer cells with PI3P at midbodies.
Lipid transfer proteins shuttle lipids between intracellular membranes. Our data suggest that spartin functions as a novel lipid transfer protein. The pathophysiology of Troyer syndrome may be due to defective maintenance and transport of phospholipids between membranes.
Recommended Citation
Shaw, Maureen Ashlee, "Spartin Protein Associates with Phospholipids Via Its Plant-Related Senescence Domain and Functions as a Lipid Transfer Protein" (2012). Theses (1 year embargo). 1.
https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_theses_1yr/1
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2012 Maureen Ashlee Shaw
