A fungus, which is capable of existing at very high temperatures can be helpful in understanding human cell structures.
Researchers at Heidelberg University and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) made efforts to sequence and examine the genome of a fungus that is heat-loving. They used the information obtained from the analysis to identify three-dimensional structures located in the innermost ring of a nuclear pore, a channel that controls the entrance and exit of substances inside a cell’s nucleus.
Chaetomium thermophilum is a fungal species that is found in compost heaps, dung, and soil and can withstand a temperature of about 60°C. This shows that its proteins, some of which are just like human proteins are highly stable. This stability was considered as an advantage by Heidelberg researchers.
The fungal proteome and genome were compared by researchers with other organisms such as eukaryotes whose cells consist of a nucleus, and found that they had the same proteins that form the nuclear pore’s inner ring. By identifying the appropriate building blocks, researchers for the first time understood the three- dimensional structure of that specific innermost ring.
The researchers enabled the proteome and genome of C. thermophilum to be available publicly. They are also confident that the research will aid in studying other kinds of eukaryotic organisms and their interactions. This will pave the way for latest biotechnology applications.
Source: http://www.embl.org/