Single Cell Architecture of Mitochondrial DNA Mutations in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Mutations in many genes interact to make kidney tumors malignant and aggressive. In this project, we examine how a set of common but understudied mutations to genes in the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) affect kidney tumor cells. These genes are highly critical to the cell s energy-making capabilities, but they are hard to study. Because many copies of mtDNA exist within each cell, it is possible only a subset of mtDNA, inside of a subset of cells, are mutated. To study these mutations, we use a technology that sequences mitochondrial RNA (a byproduct of mtDNA) from individual cells, allowing us to trace which cells have which mutation. This gives us unprecedented resolution and enables us to ask how cells with mtDNA mutations are different from those without them. The results from this work will inform us about the vulnerabilities present specifically in mtDNA-mutant kidney tumor cells and, in turn, will advance the research toward future therapeutic opportunities for American citizens with kidney cancer.

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Oct 29, 2018
Source ID
W81XWH1810318

Entities

People

  • Eduard Reznik

Organizations

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
  • United States Army

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Distributed Systems and Data Platform Development
  • Molecular and Cellular Biology
  • Molecular and genetic basis of cancer.