This recombinant protein retains enzymatic activity, with EC number 1.6.5.3 .
Role in Complex I: ND4L contributes to proton translocation across the mitochondrial membrane during NADH oxidation .
Evolutionary divergence: The atypical gene order in P. lividus mtDNA provides insights into mitochondrial genome plasticity. Comparative studies show distinct transcription termination mechanisms compared to Drosophila .
| Species | ND4L Adjacency | Ribosomal RNA Separation |
|---|---|---|
| P. lividus | tRNAArg-CoII | 12S and 16S rRNA separated by ND1/ND2 |
| Vertebrates | ND4L-ND4 | 12S and 16S rRNA contiguous |
ELISA and antibody development: Commercial kits (e.g., Anagnostics CSB-CF015080ERM-GB) utilize recombinant ND4L for quantitative assays .
Mitochondrial transcription studies: Used to investigate transcription termination factors like mtDBP in sea urchins .
Evolutionary biology: Serves as a model for studying gene rearrangements in deuterostome mitochondria .