This (taken from the much more readable press release) makes the mitoribosome proteomics look very promising for discovering genetic (and maybe epigenetic) problems at the mitochondrial level.
"Published last week in the American Journal of Human Genetics, research co-led by Monash BDI researcher Dr David Stroud and MCRI PhD student Nicole Lake found a new cause of mitochondrial disease, which affects the ability of the mitochondria to operate as the body’s power plant, converting food into energy.
Ms Lake said the research identified mutations in a gene called MRPS34, in six patients with the most common form of childhood mitochondrial disease, Leigh Syndrome, from Australia, France and the USA.
“A key approach was using quantitative proteomics. This process involves sampling all the proteins in a cell at once to identify any problems with the cellular machinery,” said Ms Lake.
“Using this technique, you get a snapshot of what’s happening in cells.”
The MRPS34 gene is one of 80 components of the mitochondrial protein synthesis machinery, known as the ‘mitoribosome’.
Co-lead author, Dr David Stroud, carried out the quantitative proteomics technique, examining cellular proteins in the patient’s cultured skin cells, versus healthy skin cells at the Monash BDI.
“This showed one half of the mitoribosome fell apart, meaning cells could not make the key proteins encoded by mitochondrial DNA”, said Dr Stroud.
“At the same time we could also measure the resulting defects in two of the five major components of the power plants that fuel the body’s energy. This is an amazing level of detail for a single diagnostic technique,” he said.