Zinc is a major micronutrient in the human body, binding to 10% of all human proteins,and is used for signaling and structure in cells. Zinc deficiency may increase the risk of miscarriages in women and has been linked to diseases such as Alzheimers. This study investigates a zinc transporter from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in the CDF protein family known as crMTP1. These proteins are the primary form of regulation in cells and cellular compartments. We place the crMTP1 gene into the expression vector pGPD2 with a FLAG-tag attached to the C-terminus to heterologously (in a different organism) express the protein in yeast. By isolating and investigating its cellular location and function we hope to better understand how this protein family works and regulates zinc metabolism in humans.
Past Projects
