Elucidating ANTs in worms using genomic and bioinformatic tools - Biotechnological prospects?

Abstract

Adenine nucleotide translocators (ANTs) belong to the mitochondrial carrier family (MCF) of proteins. ATP production and consumption are tightly linked to ANTs, the kinetics of which have been proposed to play a key regulatory role in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. ANTs are also recognized as a central component of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore associated with apoptosis. Although ANTs have been investigated in a range of vertebrates, including human, mouse and cattle, and invertebrates, such as Drosophila melanogaster (vinegar fly), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) and Caenorhabditis elegans (free-living nematode), there has been a void of information on these mole..