Structure and Function of FMRFamide-like Neuropeptides

阿瑟S.爱迪生提案# 9875258佛罗里达大学人脑有超过100亿个神经元，这些神经元相互连接形成了极其复杂的解剖结构。使这种复杂性大大增加的是大量小而强效的化学物质。神经化学物质的分布和总数尚不清楚，主要化学物质的功能现在才被发现。最大的神经系统信号分子群之一是多肽。这些肽中最大的一组——在所有动物中都有几百种不同的序列——被称为类fmrfamily肽或FLPs。“FMRFamide”这个名字来自于构成这种肽的氨基酸。FLPs具有广泛的功能，包括在哺乳动物中调节阿片类药物的作用，对软体动物和哺乳动物的各种心血管作用，以及蛔虫肌肉的收缩和松弛。核磁共振（NMR）光谱学、分子生物学、蛋白质化学和计算技术将用于研究各种条件下FLPs的结构。这些研究与研究相同肽功能的同事同时进行。通过共同努力，更多的人将了解大量这些神经系统肽的结构和功能基础，包括它们如何与受体相互作用，它们如何在细胞中产生，以及相关肽群如何产生不同的信号。教育计划是利用国家强磁场实验室作为教育资源。这将增加对这种专门仪器的使用，并对科学家进行使用方面的培训。一个关于生物核磁共振的短期课程和创建了一个网站，并计划扩展这门课程和网站。

Arthur S. EdisonProposal # 9875258University of FloridaThe human brain has over 10 billion neurons, which are connected to produce an extremely complex anatomy. Adding greatly to this complexity are a large number of small and very potent chemicals. The distribution and total number of the neurochemicals is not yet known, and the functions of the major chemicals are only now being discovered. One of the largest groups of nervous system signaling molecules are peptides. The largest group of these peptides-with several hundred different sequences that are found in all animals-are called FMRFamide-like peptides or FLPs. The name "FMRFamide" is from the amino acids that make up the peptide. FLPs have a wide range of functions, including such things as modulation of the actions of opiates in mammals, various cardiovascular effects in mollusks and mammals, and both contraction and relaxation of muscle in roundworms.Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, molecular biology, protein chemistry, and computational techniques will be used to study the structures of FLPs under a variety of conditions. These studies are in parallel with colleagues studying the functions of the same peptides. Through the combined efforts more will learned about the structural and functional basis of the large numbers of these nervous system peptides, including how they interact with receptors, how they are produced in the cell, and how groups of related peptides create different signals.The educational plan is to utilize the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory as an educational resource. This will increase the use of this specialized instrumentation and training of scientists in its use. A short course on biological NMR and created a website is available and expansion of this course and website is planned.