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研究セミナー Multifunction of GJA1-20k for organelle regulation and cellular protection – The story of C-terminal isoform of Connexin 43 (Cx43)

講演
日時 2022年12月23日(金)16:00-17:00
場所 生命システム棟2F セミナー室
世話人

岡本 浩二(生命機能研究科・ミトコンドリア動態学研究室)
Tel: 06-6879-7970
E-mail: okamoto.koji.fbs[at]osaka-u.ac.jp

To maintain proper cardiac electrical function, gap junctions are needed for the rapid spread of electrical excitation between heart cells. Connexin 43 (Cx43) is the primary component of gap junctions in cardiac ventricles and is encoded by a single exon of gene named “Gja1”. Interestingly, Gja1 mRNA has six internal start codons (Methionine) and produces N-terminal truncated isoforms from each internal methionine, in addition to full-length Cx43 protein. In this seminar, I will focus on most abundant isoform of Cx43, called GJA1-20k, and introduce its functions. GJA1-20k was originally identified as a trafficking subunit for full-length Cx43. Since then, we recently found that GJA1-20k interacts with actin cytoskeleton and co-localizes with mitochondrial outer membrane. Importantly, this small isoform has powerful cellular protection and cardioprotective effects against ischemic stress. I will present the mechanistic basis of GJA1-20k as a trafficking subunit, actin organizer, and mitochondrial stabilizer, and propose the possibility that GJA1-20k can be used as a therapy against ischemic injury.

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