U.S.-France Cooperative Research: Peptides of the Somatostatin and Urotensin II Families from Frog Brain

这个为期三年的奖项支持美国和法国克雷顿大学的J. Michael Conlon和鲁昂大学分子内分泌实验室的Hubert Vaudry在内分泌学方面的合作研究。他们的研究目标是继续研究蛙脑中新型调节肽的分离和表征，并确定其他两栖动物胰腺多肽和速激肽相关肽的结构和功能。研究包括组织收集，纯化和表征，以及肽的合成。随后，研究人员将进行受体结合研究，最终目标是表征尽可能多的新型生物活性肽。该项目利用了美国和法国互补的专业知识。美国研究者提供了分离纯青蛙肽和确定其完整一级结构的经验和设备。这是补充了法国研究者的能力表征肽的功能。他利用青蛙组织开发了专门的生物测定方法。他们共同努力的结果将引起内分泌学家的兴趣，并将提高我们对肽激素及其受体进化的理解。

This three-year award supports U.S.-France cooperative research in endocrinology between J. Michael Conlon of Creighton University and Hubert Vaudry of the Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, University of Rouen. The objectives of their research are to continue investigations on the isolation and characterization of novel regulatory peptides in frog brain and to identify the structure and function of other amphibian pancreatic polypeptides and tachykinin-related peptides. The investigations involve tissue collection, purification and characterization, and synthesis of the peptides. Subsequently, the researchers will conduct receptor binding studies with the ultimate goal of characterizing as many novel biologically active peptides as possible. The project takes advantage of complementary expertise in the U.S. and France. The U.S. investigator provides the experience and facilities for isolating the pure frog peptides and for determining their complete primary structures. This is complemented by the French investigator's ability to characterize peptides functionally. He has developed specialized bioassays utilizing frog tissues. The results of their joint efforts will be of interest to endocrinologist and will improve our understanding of the evolution of peptide hormones and their receptors.