Klaudia Poplawski

Abstract:

Retrotransposons are mobile DNA elements that copy themselves more frequently with age in multiple species including yeast, mice and humans. In aging yeast cells, retrotransposition rates are higher in mother cells than daughter cells. We are studying the reason for the increased retrotransposition in aging mother cells and prior research has shown an early, prominent difference in cytosolic pH between mother and daughter cells. Pma1p, a proton pump found in the cellular membrane, and Vma2p, a subunit of a proton pump found in the vacuolar membrane, are responsible for the movement of protons across membranes resulting in changes in pH in the cytosol and vacuole. We have found pH regulation through Pma1p and Vma2p activity does contribute to Ty1 retrotransposition.