Development of the essential trypanosoma mitochondrial oxidoreductase Erv1 as a novel anti-parasite drug target

Mitochondria are essential organelles that are present in all eukaryotes and perform diverse functions. Erv1 is a highly conserved mitochondrial protein that is critical for mitochondrial function being a key component in mitochondrial oxidative folding. In almost all eykaryotes Erv1 function is linked to its partner protein Mia40. However, parasites like T brucei are among the very rare eukaryotes that lack Mia40. T brucei Erv1 represents an attractive novel anti-parasite drug target due to the fact that it is essential for parasite growth and different from its human homologue. We aim to purify and characterise biochemically, enzymatically and structurally the T. brucei Erv1 as the basis for future anti-parasite drug development