mitochondria DNA tagged posts

Ovarian cancer cells under nano-focus (2 micron scale), showing FY26, zinc and calcium.
Credit: University of Warwick

Researchers have witnessed – for the first time – cancer cells being targeted and destroyed from the inside, by an organo-metal compound discovered by the University of Warwick. Professor Peter J. Sadler, and his group in the Department of Chemistry, have demonstrated that Organo-Osmium FY26 kills cancer cells by locating and attacking their weakest part. This is the first time that an Osmium-based compound – which is 50X more active than the current cancer drug cisplatin – has been seen to target the disease...

Using Drosophila (the fruit fly) as a model organism, the research team had identified a single nucleotide mutation in the mitochondrial DNA sequence which encodes one of the core energy producing genes.

“This mutation made males sterile but remarkably the ill effects were observed only in males; females who harbour this mutation maintain their fertility. This very same mutation that causes male infertility results in them living longer than flies that don’t have this mutation. However, while remaining fertile, females that carry this mutation have shorter lives,” Ms Camus said.
Co-author Dr Ted Morrow, University of Sussex, said that this mutation is not the only one located within the mitochondria to affect longevity.

Human mitochondrial DNA.

Dr Damian Dowling suggested the study repres...