Douglas, Colin J.
Colin is a first year trainee and is in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. His research mentor is Dr. Carla Koehler. He received a B.S. degree in 2006 from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro.
Mentor: Dr. Carla Koehler
Whereas the mitochondrion is essential for energy production, it also plays an important role in intermediary metabolism and signaling. Specifically, new roles have been identified for the proteolytic system that functions to maintain the quality of mitochondrial proteins. Principal members include the AAA proteases that face the intermembrane space (Yme1) and the matrix (Yta10 and Yta12), as well as a metalloendopeptidase (PreP), which is also localized to the matrix. These proteins are important for mitochondrial biogenesis, and by studying them we can further elucidate the role proteolysis plays in mitochondrial regulation and control. Our goal with this project is to develop small molecule effectors that can modulate protease activity in vitro and in vivo, with the long-term goal of developing new modulators to characterize mitochondrial proteolysis in a variety of systems from fungi to plants and animals.
