Assembly and Stability of Microtubules from Antarctic Fish at Low Temperatures

细胞质微管是一种丝状、亚细胞细胞器，在真核生物中具有多种重要功能。它们在细胞分裂、神经生长和再生、细胞形状确定、细胞质运输过程以及蛋白质和激素分泌过程中发挥关键作用。因此，了解微管组装的机制和调节可能导致治疗癌症、中枢神经损伤和其他疾病的新的治疗方案。对南极鱼类组织中丰富的冷稳定微管的研究将有助于更好地理解冷血和温血生物中微管组装的机制和调控。德特里希研究的长期目标是确定负责组装冷稳定微管蛋白的稳定性和功能的适应性。本奖项的具体目标有四个：1)确定在低温下组装微管所必需的南极鱼类微管蛋白的结构域。2)鉴定微管蛋白和微管相关蛋白(MAPs)的结构域，它们参与MAP增强的冷稳定微管组装。3)对在低温下组装微管所必需的Alpha和Beta微管蛋白部分进行测序。4)南极鱼类微管蛋白基因的克隆和测序。将主要对南极的两种鳕鱼--长吻鳕鱼(Notothenia Gibberifrons)和忽略鳕鱼(N.corricepts Momecta)--以及一种冰鱼(Chaenocephalus Aceratus)进行研究。现场工作将在帕尔默车站进行。

Cytoplasmic microtubules are filamentous, sub-cellar organelles that participate in a variety of important functions in eukaryotic organisms. They play critical roles in cell division, in nerve growth and regeneration, in cell shape determination, in the processes of cytoplasmic transport, and in protein and hormone secretions. Thus, an understanding of the mechanism and regulation of microtubule assembly may lead to new theraputic regimens for the treatment of cancer, central nervous injury, and other diseases. Study of the abundant cold-stable microtubules present in the tissues of Antarctic fish should lead to a greater understanding of the mechanism and regulation of microtubule assembly in both cold-blooded and warm-blooded organisms. The long range goal of Detrich's research is defining the adaptations that are responsible for the assembly of stability and function of cold-stable microtubule proteins. The specific objectives of the present award are four-fold: 1) Determining the structural domains of antarctic fish tubulins that are necessary for microtubule assembly at low temperature. 2) Characterizing the structural domains of tubulins and microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) that are involved in the MAP - enhanced assembly of cold-stable microtubules. 3) Sequencing portions of the Alpha and Beta tubulins that are essential for microtubule assembly at low temperatures. 4) Cloning and sequencing tubulin genes from an antarctic fish. Research will be done mainly on two antarctic cods, Notothenia gibberifrons and N. corricepts neglecta, and an ice fish, Chaenocephalus aceratus. Field work will be done at Palmer Station.