Research Projects

The study aims to understand the in vivo significance of stop codon readthrough (sCR) of MTCH2 mRNA in metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes. The researchers have previously reported that MTCH2 is required to maintain normal mitochondrial membrane potential and cellular ATP levels. They plan to continue this study in a mouse model to investigate the physiological parameters influenced by mitochondrial dysfunction, such as blood glucose level, blood pressure, lipid profile, and liver function. They will also measure ATP production, reactive oxygen species, and mitochondrial mass levels between wild-type and RTnull-MTCH2 mice under normal and high-fat diets. The molecular mechanism by which sCR of MTCH2 affects mitochondrial function will be investigated using cells derived from RTnull-MTCH2 mice and genetically modified cell lines. The goal is to understand how sCR of MTCH2 contributes to or protects from metabolic diseases, providing new molecular targets for disease management.