Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 11, 2025

Rapid Isolation of the Mitoribosome from HEK Cells
09:33

Rapid Isolation of the Mitoribosome from HEK Cells

Published on: October 4, 2018

11.1K

Do mitochondria use efflux pumps to protect their ribosomes from antibiotics?

Md Deen Islam1, Brian D Harrison1, Judy J-Y Li1

  • 1Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada.

Microbiology (Reading, England)
|February 7, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Fungi may possess mitochondrial efflux pumps to combat antimicrobial drugs, similar to bacterial mechanisms. Researchers found preliminary evidence of ethidium bromide efflux and identified potential pump candidates in fungal mitochondria.

Area of Science:

  • Mitochondrial biology
  • Antimicrobial resistance
  • Fungal genetics

Background:

  • Fungal environments contain numerous antimicrobials.
  • Fungal genomes encode abundant transporter proteins.
  • Mitochondrial and bacterial ribosomes share antibiotic susceptibility.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence of antimicrobial efflux pumps in fungal mitochondria.
  • To explore fungal protective mechanisms against antimicrobials.
  • To hypothesize mitochondrial efflux pump function based on ribosomal similarities.

Main Methods:

  • Review of fungal protective mechanisms against antimicrobials.
  • Analysis of fungal mitochondrial proteomes for candidate efflux pumps.
  • Preliminary experiments measuring ethidium bromide efflux.

Main Results:

  • Identified several candidate efflux pump proteins in fungal mitochondrial proteomes.
  • Presented preliminary evidence supporting ethidium bromide efflux from mitochondria.
  • Established a hypothesis for mitochondrial efflux pumps in fungi.

Conclusions:

  • Fungal mitochondria are potential sites for antimicrobial efflux.
  • Candidate efflux pumps identified warrant further investigation.
  • Mitochondrial efflux pumps may represent a novel fungal defense strategy.
Keywords:
ABC transportersMFS transportersNeurospora crassaSaccharomyces cerevisiaemitochondria drug effluxmitochondrial ribosomes

More Related Videos

Isolation of mRNAs Associated with Yeast Mitochondria to Study Mechanisms of Localized Translation14:44

Isolation of mRNAs Associated with Yeast Mitochondria to Study Mechanisms of Localized Translation

Published on: March 14, 2014

13.0K
Isolation of Translating Ribosomes Containing Peptidyl-tRNAs for Functional and Structural Analyses11:19

Isolation of Translating Ribosomes Containing Peptidyl-tRNAs for Functional and Structural Analyses

Published on: February 25, 2011

20.0K

Related Concept Videos

The Electron Transport Chain01:30

The Electron Transport Chain

The electron transport chain or oxidative phosphorylation is an exothermic process in which free energy released during electron transfer reactions is coupled to ATP synthesis. This process is a significant source of energy in aerobic cells, and therefore inhibitors of the electron transport chain can be detrimental to the cell's metabolic processes.
Inhibitors of the electron transport chain
Rotenone, a widely used pesticide, prevents electron transfer from Fe-S cluster to ubiquinone or Q...
17.1K
Translocation of Proteins into the Mitochondria01:19

Translocation of Proteins into the Mitochondria

Mitochondrial precursors are translocated to the internal subcompartments via independent mechanisms involving distinct protein machineries called translocases.
Sorting of outer membrane proteins:
Mitochondrial outer membrane proteins are of two types: the transmembrane, beta-barrel porins, and the membrane-anchored, alpha-helical proteins. Beta-barrel porin precursors are translocated by the TOM complex and inserted into the outer mitochondrial membrane by the SAM complex. In contrast,...
3.2K
Carrier-Mediated Transport01:06

Carrier-Mediated Transport

Carrier-mediated transport is a pivotal process in drug absorption, particularly for lipid-insoluble drugs, and encompasses facilitated diffusion and active transport. Facilitated diffusion allows drugs to move along their concentration gradient without energy expenditure, while active transport utilizes ATP to drive drug movement against this gradient.
Active transport involves two types of membrane-spanning transporters: uptake and efflux. Uptake transporters are expressed in the small...
489
Mitochondria01:37

Mitochondria

Mitochondria are eukaryotic cellular organelles that are known to produce energy through a process called oxidative phosphorylation. Besides their primary function, mitochondria are involved in various cellular processes, including cell growth, differentiation, signaling, metabolism, and senescence. Age-related changes cause a decline in mitochondrial quality and integrity due to increased mitochondrial mutations and oxidative damage. Thus, aging can severely impact mitochondrial functions,...
14.1K
Peroxisomes and Mitochondria01:30

Peroxisomes and Mitochondria

Peroxisomes and mitochondria are two important oxygen-utilizing organelles in eukaryotic cells. Mitochondria carry out cellular respiration—the process that converts energy from food into ATP. Peroxisomes carry out a variety of functions, primarily breaking down different substances, such as fatty acids.
The peroxisome is a single membrane-bound cellular organelle that can perform several different functions, including lipid metabolism and chemical detoxification. The enzymes within...
87.6K
Development of Antibiotic Resistance01:30

Development of Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that arises when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the effects of antibiotic treatments. This resistance can be intrinsic, acquired through genetic mutations, or transferred between bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. The development of antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges in treating bacterial infections and necessitates ongoing research to develop new therapeutic strategies.Intrinsic resistance occurs when bacterial...
65