Molecular Genetics of Paramecium Chemoreceptors

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Paramecia have been likened to swimming neurons and they serve as examples of receptor cells that are sensitive to exogenous chemical stimuli. The PI has laid the ground work in the study of chemoreception in Paramecium to the point where there are putative chemoreceptor proteins identified for the stimuli folate and cAMP. A genetic approach has been used from the very beginning of these studies of chemosensory transduction. Mutants figured heavily from the theses studies to quantify the behavioral responses to stimuli, to describe the swimming mechanisms that led to attraction and repulsion, to identify and characterize the membrane electrical responses that follow ligand-receptor binding and to describe the binding proteins including the chemoreceptors for two attractant stimuli. The stage is now set for the PI to apply the techniques of molecular genetics to the study of chemoreception. The PI proposes to train herself in molecular genetics during a sabbatical year at USC. The goal will be to clone the genes for the cAMP and possibly folate binding proteins that are candidates for chemoreceptors and to bring the technique of molecular genetics back to her laboratory at UVM. The end result will be to apply powerful techniques to a problem ripe for them, to provide training in state-of-the-art techniques for the PI, and in general, to improve the future directions and productivity of the PI's laboratory.