Mitochondria functions beyond energy production: mitochondrial genome variation altering immune responses

Mitochondria are cell organelles that are responsible for converting dietary energy into chemical energy that can be used for multiple cellular functions. However, mitochondria are not just the powerhouses of the cell, but changes in the mitochondrial functions have been recently linked with regulation of immune responses. There are two different genomes existing in animal cells; nuclear and a much smaller mitochondrial genome (mtDNA). However, it is currently unknown whether mtDNA variation can alter the organism's response to infection. Here, I will use fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a model for studies where different mtDNA variants have been introduced into the same controlled nuclear background. I will infect these flies with different bacterial and viral pathogens and follow their immune responses. In addition, I will use human cell lines derived from patient data to see if mitochondrial dysfunctions affect the infection outcome.