In: Biology
Why do we use Saccharomyces Cerevisiae instead of Escherichia coli in a lab study conducted to determine COX activity (cytochrome oxidase), what is the advantage in doing so?
Because yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an excellent model system for gaining insights into the molecular basis of human mitochondrial disorders, particularly those resulting from impaired mitochondrial metabolism. Yeast is a very well-characterized system and most of our current knowledge about mitochondrial biogenesis in humans derives from yeast genetics and biochemistry. Systematic yeast genome-wide approaches have allowed for the identification of human disease genes. In addition, the functional characterization of a large number of yeast gene products residents in mitochondria has been instrumental for the later identification and characterization of their human orthologs.in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae which, like mammalian systems, relies entirely on CcO for aerobic respiration. CcO receives electrons from cytochrome c that resides in the intermembrane space. In both mammalian and yeast mitochondria the cytochrome c is reduced by complex III, the cytochrome bc1 complex. However, in yeast mitochondria, cytochrome c can also be reduced by lactate via L(+)lactate–cytochrome c oxidoreductase (flavocytochrome b2), a soluble flavin (FMN)- and haem B-containing enzyme that is co-localised in the intermembrane space.