Structure of a Molluscan Neuropeptide Hormone Receptor

使用无脊椎动物的模型系统为阐明哺乳动物更复杂的神经事件提供了有见地和创新的新信息。纳格尔博士通过控制海洋软体动物的产卵行为来了解神经内分泌功能的细胞和分子基础。神经分泌袋细胞合成并释放一种新型神经肽产蛋激素（ELH），是一种模型神经内分泌细胞，已被广泛用于阐明神经细胞的功能。他的研究项目旨在分离和表征一种膜受体蛋白，这种蛋白在完整的动物体内与ELH结合，并引发一系列复杂的细胞和行为事件，最终导致产卵和生殖功能。编码这种行为上重要的受体蛋白的基因将被克隆并测序。有了这些知识，关于激素信号如何被神经细胞和非神经细胞转导的功能问题就可以得到检验。因此，了解肽受体在这一简单行为系统中的表达，将增强我们对受体在神经内分泌功能中的表达的理解，并得出结论。

Model systems using invertebrates have provided insightful and innovative new information towards elucidating more complex neural events in mammals. Dr. Nagle is using the control of egg- laying behavior in the marine mollusc Aplysia to understand the cellular and molecular bases of neuroendocrine function. The neurosecretory bag cells that synthesize and release a novel neuropeptide egg-laying hormone (ELH) are model neuroendocrine cells that have been used extensively to elucidate how neural cells function. His research program is aimed at isolating and characterizing a membrane receptor protein which, in the intact animal, binds the ELH and initiates a complex series of cellular and behavioral events that culminate in egg laying and reproductive functions. The gene that encodes this behaviorally important receptor protein will be cloned and sequenced. With this knowledge, functional questions about how a hormonal signal may be transduced by neural and non-neural cells can be examined. Thus, understanding the expression of the peptide receptor in this simple behavioral system should enhance our understanding and lead to generalities about receptor expression in neuroendocrine functions.