Biochemistry of Dyneins

动力蛋白结构的确定对于理解微管介导的运动是非常重要的。这个项目将确定动力蛋白之间的结构关系，这些动力蛋白表达在单一动物物种海胆的配子和早期胚胎中，这是一个独特的、非常适合的模型系统。通过聚焦于在不同发育环境中表达多种动力蛋白的单个动物，将获得与功能和发育直接相关的信息。其具体目的是：测定从胚胎纤毛高盐提取获得的约21S纤毛动力蛋白的多肽组成；研制针对纤毛动力蛋白多肽的新抗体；用电子显微镜确定纤毛动力蛋白的结构。这些研究的结果将增加我们对动力蛋白结构异质性的理解，以及它可能如何影响动力蛋白功能。

The determination of the structure of the dyneins is of fundamental importance to the understanding of microtubule- mediated motility. This project will identify the structural relationships among the dyneins which are expressed in the gametes and early embryo of a single animal species, the sea urchin, a uniquely well-suited model system. By focussing on a single animal which expresses multiple dyneins in different developmental contexts, information related directly to function and to development will be obtained. Specific aims are to: determine the polypeptide composition of the ca. 21S ciliary dynein which is obtained by the high salt extraction of embryonic cilia; raise new antibodies to ciliary dynein polypeptides; and to determine the structure of the ciliary 12S and 21S dyneins by electron microscopy. The results of these studies will add to our understanding of dynein structual heterogeneity and how it might affect dynein function.