Poster abstracts
Poster number 105 submitted by Hailey Mulvihill
Examining tRNA Quality Control in Yeast Cells Under Oxidative Stress Conditions
Hailey Mulvihill (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Wittenberg University), Kunal Chatterjee (Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Wittenberg University)
Abstract:
This study explores the response of transfer RNA (tRNA) in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to oxidative stress. In protein translation, tRNA attaches amino acids to a growing polypeptide chain at the ribosome. Extra nucleotide sequences present on the 3' end of tRNA, where amino acids attach, interfere with the ability of the tRNA to transport amino acids. Such aberrant tRNA is useless to the cell. Previous work has identified the presence of this end-extended, aberrant tRNA under standard growth conditions in yeast cells. However, there is little research into the quantity of yeast aberrant tRNA under atypical growth conditions. We were interested in exploring the effect of various 𝐇𝟐O𝟐 concentrations on yeast tRNA quality and aberrant tRNA quantity. We first investigated yeast growth in liquid media under 𝐇𝟐O𝟐 stress and determined that culture viability decreased after stress application. Through experimental methods, we then observed that under 𝐇𝟐O𝟐 stress, the aberrant tRNA quantity decreased. Whether aberrant tRNAs are being destroyed or repaired is still under investigation, however, it appears that at high 𝐇𝟐O𝟐 concentrations, transcription of tRNAs is hindered.
Keywords: tRNA , Oxidative Stress, Yeast