Stress of any kind generally leads to an increased rate of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in the cell. ROS can react with and damage cellular components such as proteins. Under stress, ROS-degrading enzymes may be overwhelmed and ROS accumulates leading to increased damage. To prevent this scenario, a yet unknown signal transduction mechanism triggers a programme of gene expression that is aimed at maintenance of homeostasis through antioxidant activity and metabolic adjustments

During his studies, Jesper F. Havelund investigated the hypothesis that oxidized peptides deriving from oxidatively damaged proteins act as specific ROS messengers from mitochondria to the nucleus. He used plant mitochondria as the model organism and mass spectrometry as the main analytical tool to characterize the mitochondrial proteins and thereby identified peptides which are released due to oxidative stress. Moreover he developed a method for the analysis of oxidative damaged proteins leading to the identification of many different damaged products.

Jesper F. Havelund’s results contribute to our understanding of how oxidative stress causes protein damage and how protein degradation products may be used as signaling molecules of oxidative stress.

The PhD degree was completed at Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Science and Technology, Aarhus University.

This résumé is prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Thursday 5 March 2015 at 13.00
Place: The Auditorium, Aarhus University Flakkebjerg, Forsøgsvej 1, 4200 Slagelse
Title of dissertation: The plant mitochondrial proteome and its oxidative stress response
Contact information: Jesper F. Havelund, e-mail: jesper.havelund@mbg.au.dk, tel.: +45 6133 6032
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor, David Macherel, IRHS, Université d’Angers, France
Associate Professor, Per Hägglund, Department of Systems Biology, Technical University of Denmark
Associate Professor, Søren Borg (chair), Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Main supervisor:
Associate Professor Ian Max Møller, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Co-supervisor:
Professor Ole N. Jensen, Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark
Project coordinator:
PhD Adelina Rogowska-Wrzesinska, Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English.

The defence is public.
The dissertation is available for reading at the Graduate School of Science and Technology/GSST, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, room 112, 8000 Aarhus C.