Through a genetic analysis of our iron intoxication model, we find evidence of iron-dependent DNA damage which we are exploring further. We have also discovered that excess iron uptake causes cell cycle arrest in yeast, and this occurs through a novel regulatory pathway that involves inhibition of translation of mRNAs that are required for cell cycle progression. This is an active area of research for the lab. There are other areas of interest for our group. Yeast are very well-suited for these types of investigations because of the ease with which they can be manipulated genetically, and these genetic alterations allow us to analyze protein function with tremendous precision.
Yeast are also well-suited for biochemical analysis.
Modification of a free Fe-S cluster cysteine residue in the active iron responsive element binding protein prevents RNA binding.