Organization and regulation of protein biogenesis at the mitoribosomal tunnel exit

The main goal of this project is to unravel how protein synthesis by mitochondrial ribosomes is connected to downstream processes including protein biogenesis and quality control.

Mitochondrial gene expression contributes a few key subunits to the oxidative phosphorylation system, a key machinery for cellular metabolism.

We will employ a combination of protein biochemistry, genetics and high-resolution single particle cryo-electron microscopy to reveal basic molecular mechanisms.

We will identify how auxiliary factors interact with the mitochondrial ribosome to mediate co-translational protein insertion, protein quality control and assembly. In a second project, we will extend our work to the study of mitochondrial protein synthesis in human cells.

Because the respiratory chain is crucial for cellular energy metabolism, defects of mitochondrial gene expression result in severe human diseases. Hence, the information emerging from this study will be relevant for basic as well as for medical sciences.