A Day in the Life of a Protein: The Green-Fluorescent Protein as a Laboratory Teaching Aid

蛋白质生命中的一天：绿色荧光蛋白质作为实验室教具

• 批准号: 9950312
• 负责人: Diane Stearns
• 金额: $ 9.17万
• 依托单位: Northern Arizona University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1999
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1999-08-01 至 2003-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9950312&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Day; Life; Protein; Green; Fluorescent

In order to help undergraduate students grasp the basic concepts underlying the role and function of proteins in living systems we take the students on a journey, from gene through mRNA to functional protein - showing them a "day in the life of a protein." The vehicle for this journey is the visually appealing Green-Fluorescent Protein (GFP). Discovered in bioluminescent jellyfish and sea pansies in the 1960s and characterized in the 1970s, GFP has recently become one of the most exciting and useful molecules in the field of biotechnology. When expressed in either eukaryotic or prokaryotic cells and illuminated by UV light, GFP emits an eerie green glow. This light fascinates students, allowing them to see where the protein is located, and by the intensity of the glow, how much protein is present, giving the students a very direct interaction with the protein. Using both wild-type GFP and a blue colored variant as tools the students explore the concepts behind gene transfer, gene expression and regulation, as well as the relationship between protein structure and function. Because the students use GFP throughout all their explorations in the laboratory course, they experience a continuity of purpose seldom achieved in the biochemistry teaching laboratory. During this journey the students obtain direct hands-on-experience in the basic techniques used in modem biotechnological research. This experience helps prepare the students to enter a society in which issues involving genetic and protein engineering are becoming ever more common.The implemention of these changes to the Biochemistry laboratory course is based on information in the literature from both basic and applied research on GFP. Adapted NSF funded research information comes GFP work in basic biophysical properties (9632342), bioimaging (9816947 & 9513065), ecophysiology (9604528), cell physiology (9604342 & 9603730), genetics (9505535 & 9874491) and environmental research (9701018). Other adapted material from NSF funded education work is from cellular physiology (9875939) and glycopeptide biochemistry (9874744). Furthermore, gains from a NSF-ATE work in biotechnology are adapted (9602356).

为了帮助本科生掌握蛋白质在生命系统中的作用和功能的基本概念，我们带领学生进行了一次旅程，从基因到mRNA到功能蛋白质-向他们展示“蛋白质生命中的一天”。“这段旅程的载体是视觉上吸引人的绿色荧光蛋白（GFP）。GFP于20世纪60年代在生物发光水母和海紫罗兰中发现，并于20世纪70年代被表征，最近已成为生物技术领域最令人兴奋和有用的分子之一。当在真核或原核细胞中表达并被紫外线照射时，GFP发出诡异的绿色光。这种光让学生着迷，让他们看到蛋白质的位置，并通过发光的强度，有多少蛋白质存在，让学生与蛋白质进行非常直接的互动。使用野生型GFP和蓝色变体作为工具，学生探索基因转移，基因表达和调控背后的概念，以及蛋白质结构和功能之间的关系。由于学生在实验室课程的所有探索中都使用GFP，他们体验到了在生物化学教学实验室中很少达到的目的的连续性。在这个旅程中，学生获得直接的实践经验，在现代生物技术研究中使用的基本技术。这种经验有助于学生准备进入一个社会，其中涉及遗传和蛋白质工程的问题变得越来越普遍。这些变化的生物化学实验室课程的实施是基于从基础和应用研究GFP的文献信息。适应NSF资助的研究信息来自GFP工作在基本生物物理特性（9632342），生物成像（9816947 9513065），生态生理学（9604528），细胞生理学（9604342 9603730），遗传学（9505535 9874491）和环境研究（9701018）。其他改编自NSF资助教育工作的材料来自细胞生理学（9875939）和糖肽生物化学（9874744）。此外，从生物技术的NSF-ATE工作的收益进行了调整（9602356）。