BLT Stages

Abstract bachelproef 2017-2018: The effect of vacuolar Ca2+-ATPase Pmc1 overexpression in yeast Parkinsons disease model

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder. Typical for PD is the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the Substantia Nigra pars compacta (SNpc). In this project, Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing α-synuclein (α-syn) is used as model organism to investigate PD. This protein is found in the form of aggregates, called Lewy bodies, in patients with PD. Calcium plays an important role in normal cellular processes which is why we investigated calcium homeostasis by means of cytosolic calcium concentration measurements. Expression of α-syn in wild-type yeast cells leads to an increase in cytosolic calcium which in turn results in cell death. Pmc1 is a vacuolar Ca2+-pump that can store cytosolic calcium in the vacuole. Which is why in this investigation the effects of Pmc1 overexpression are being investigated. This investigation shows that Pmc1 overexpression can partially rescue an α-syn toxicity in yeast cells. But this rescue is Vcx1 dependent. Calcium measurements show that there is an increase in calcium storage when Pmc1 is overexpressed. However these measurements imply that the increase is not located in the vacuole. This can indicate that Pmc1 is mislocalized in α-syn expressing cells. Further studies can investigate where Pmc1 is localized in α-syn expressing cells.

Abstract bachelorproef 2016-2017: Reduced vacuolar Ca2+ storage by α-synuclein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: analysis of the vacuolar Ca2+ transporters Pmc1 and Vcx1

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Abstract bachelorproef 2015-2016: Comparative analysis of Sec4- and pmr1-deletion strains: two important pathways in α-synuclein induced Ca2+ homeostasis deregulation

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