Dynein ATPase in Intracellular Motility

几种形式的细胞内运输或运动对正常细胞生长和功能至关重要，它们依赖于称为微管的线状细胞内元件。一个例子是细胞分裂过程中的染色体运动；另一种是含有神经递质的囊泡从神经细胞的一端到另一端的运输。两种分子被描述为“分子马达”，也就是说，它们能够将ATP的化学能转化为与微管相关的机械力。一种叫做动力蛋白，另一种叫做动力蛋白。这项提议的目的是测试在海胆卵中发现的一种不寻常形式的动力蛋白是该系统中微管相关运动的马达。该项目的具体目标是：首先，获得针对海胆卵动力蛋白的特异性抗体，并利用这些抗体在胚胎发育过程中定位和定量动力蛋白；然后，利用重组DNA技术获得海胆动力蛋白的DNA克隆，并将该克隆作为探针来确定是否存在多个，甚至可能存在组织和阶段特异性动力蛋白基因。预期的结果将为微管运动的分子基础增加新的和重要的信息。

Several forms of intracellular transport, or movement, which are essential for normal cell growth and function depend on linear intracellular elements called microtubules. One example is chromosome movement during cell division; another is the transporrt of neurotransmitter-containing vesicles from one end of a nerve cell to the other. Two molecules have been described which serve as "molecular motors;" i.e., which are able to convert the chemical energy of ATP into mechanical force associated with the microtubules. One is called kinesin, and the other is called dynein. The objective of this proposal is to test the idea that an unusual form of dynein found in sea urchin eggs is the motor for microtubule-associated motility in this system. The specific goals of the project are: first, to obtain specific antibodies against the sea urchin egg dynein and use these to localize and quantitate dynein during embryonic development; then, to obtain a DNA clone for the sea urchin dynein using recombinant DNA techniques, and to use this clone as a probe to determine whether there are multiple, and possibly even tissue and stage-specific dynein genes. The anticipated results will add new and important information regarding the molecular basis of microtubule-based motility.