RUI: Assembly and Interactions of Intermediate Filaments

的结构、功能和细胞相互作用 正在研究中间丝（IF）。 项目 集中在两个特定领域：神经丝组装， 涉及三种不同的神经丝蛋白， 与线粒体的相互作用。 IF组装将由 在体外检查可溶性组装中间体，使用 电泳、分析超离心和电子 显微镜 与线粒体的相互作用将在 使用纯化的IF和线粒体进行体外培养。 中间纤维可以说是最复杂的， 活细胞的细胞骨架元素。 这些 实验将追求生物化学的重要方面， 如果，并将阐明一个似是而非的，但无可否认高度 关于生物学功能的推测性假说。

The structure, function, and cellular interactions of intermediate filaments (IFs) are being investigated. The project focusses on two specific areas: neurofilament assembly, which involves three different neurofilament proteins, and IF interactions with mitochondria. IF assembly will be addressed by examining soluble assembly intermediates in vitro, using electrophoresis, analytical ultracentrifugation, and electron microscopy. Interactions with mitochondria will assessed in vitro using purified IFs and mitochondria. Intermediate filaments are arguably the most complex, and least understood, of the cytoskeletal elements of living cells. These experiments will pursue important aspects of the biochemistry of IFs, and will shed light on a plausible, though admittedly highly speculative, hypothesis concerning biological function.