Becky Natha-Amadi

• BSc (Hons) Biochemistry
• Does mitochondrial telomerase protect from effects of truncated tau protein?

Tau protein is a component of Alzheimer’s’ disease (AD) which forms aggregates (tangles) in the brain. Oxidative stress can play a role for this aggregation and AD development.

We recently showed that the protein part TERT of telomerase can be expressed outside the nucleus in nerve cells independent from its function on telomeres in dividing cells. We published previously that TERT can reside in the cellular energy factories (mitochondria) that also produce oxidative stress. In this project we want to demonstrate on cultivated cells that mitochondrial localisation of TERT protein protects from tau related pathologies and oxidative stress.

Funding source: Newcastle University