Gururaja Rao 2019 Cells

Gururaja Rao S, Bednarczyk P, Towheed A, Shah K, Karekar P, Ponnalagu D, Jensen HN, Addya S, Reyes BAS, Van Bockstaele EJ, Szewczyk A, Wallace DC, Singh H (2019) BKCa (Slo) Channel regulates mitochondrial function and lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster. Cells 8:E945.

» PMID: 31438578 Open Access

Gururaja Rao S, Bednarczyk P, Towheed A, Shah K, Karekar P, Ponnalagu D, Jensen HN, Addya S, Reyes BAS, Van Bockstaele EJ, Szewczyk A, Wallace DC, Singh H (2019) Cells

Abstract: BK_Ca channels, originally discovered in Drosophila melanogaster as slowpoke (slo), are recognized for their roles in cellular and organ physiology. Pharmacological approaches implicated BK_Ca channels in cellular and organ protection possibly for their ability to modulate mitochondrial function. However, the direct role of BK_Ca channels in regulating mitochondrial structure and function is not deciphered. Here, we demonstrate that BK_Ca channels are present in fly mitochondria, and slo mutants show structural and functional defects in mitochondria. slo mutants display an increase in reactive oxygen species and the modulation of ROS affected their survival. We also found that the absence of BK_Ca channels reduced the lifespan of Drosophila, and overexpression of human BK_Ca channels in flies extends life span in males. Our study establishes the presence of BK_Ca channels in mitochondria of Drosophila and ascertains its novel physiological role in regulating mitochondrial structural and functional integrity, and lifespan. • Keywords: BK_Ca channels, Aging, Antioxidants, Life span, Mitochondria, Potassium channel, Reactive oxygen species • Bioblast editor: Plangger M • O2k-Network Lab: PL Warsaw Bednarczyk P, US PA Philadelphia Wallace DC, PL Warsaw Szewczyk A

Labels: MiParea: Respiration 

HRR: Oxygraph-2k 

Labels, 2019-08