1. Mariam Elmalh
Dr. Phang-Lang Chen Lab
A Reporter System to Study the Nuclear Localization
of yeast SUV3 Helicase

2. -The SUV3 protein-
• Evolutionary conserved nuclear encoded mitochondrial
DNA/RNA helicase
• hSUV3 contains both putative mitochondrial targeting
sequence and a nuclear localization
• There is no identifiable nuclear localization sequence in
ySUV3
• ySUV3 associates with many nuclear proteins
• Insufficiency in SUV3 causes impaired ATP production and
mitochondrial aberration

3. Hypothesis
ySUV3 is a dual-localized mitochondrial protein

4. Approach and Methods
Engineer a sensitive reporter system to monitor the
nuclear localization of SUV3.
Wild type
LacZ
LacZ
∆M15 allele
α fragment
Amp
ySUV3α
TRP
A
B C

5. Plasmid: ESC-TRP-ySNCα
Amp
ySUV3α
TRP
BamHI
α fragment
PCR
ySUV3
ySNC
BglII
PvuIIBglIIPvuII
BglII
A
B
B A B A B A
Site directed mutagenesis

6. Future Directions
To verify the use of SUV3α reporter in SUV3 localization study
Dinur-Mills et al
PLoS One, 2008
ωΝ
ωc
ωΜ
SUV3α
A B

7. Acknowledgements
• Grateful acknowledgements are made to the
Cancer Research Institute for this wonderful
opportuinty, and to Dr. Chen for her support
and guidance.