Photoreceptor Synaptic Ribbon Associated Proteins

光感受器突触带相关蛋白

• 批准号: 9983297
• 负责人: Grant Balkema
• 金额: $ 10.73万
• 依托单位: Boston College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2000
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2000-03-01 至 2003-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9983297&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Photoreceptor; Synaptic; Ribbon; Associated; Proteins

This research examines molecules in the retina that participate in sight.The retina is a thin sheet of nerve cells at the back of the eye that is fivelayers thick. It processes information about light and sends it to the brain.The molecules studied in this research are special proteins in the retinainvolved in signaling the presence or absence of light at the first point atwhich light is detected in the photoreceptor cell. The proteins make up amicroscopic structure in the photoreceptor called the synaptic ribbon.Signals about the presence or absence of light are transmitted to the nextlayer of cells by using the synaptic ribbon in an unknown way. The proposedwork will investigate this mechanism.We have made special markers for this family of proteins. Each markerattaches to proteins with specific weights, which is one of the properties weuse to tell the proteins apart. One of these markers, called the B16antibody, recognizes a rare protein found only in the retina that weighs 54kD.We have recently succeeded in separating the 54kD protein from the rest of theretina. We will now sequence its amino acids as a way of identifying it andunderstanding the function of this protein. The second group of experiments will examine other proteins are related tothe one recognized by our B16 marker. One of these, called a focal adhesionprotein, may be involved in keeping the synaptic ribbon attached to thepresynaptic membrane. This is the place where information is transmitted tothe next group of cells in the retina.In the third group of experiments we will use the electron microscope to lookat the position of these proteins within the synaptic ribbon. It is criticalthat we demonstrate that the proteins are part of the synaptic ribbon withinthe presynaptic terminal not postsynaptic to the photoreceptor or in theextracellular space. In addition, we will examine the other proteinsassociated with the synaptic ribbon with other biochemical methods. When all the experiments are finished, we expect to have: 1) identified theprotein that our B16 marker recognizes, 2) learned the identity of the other,related proteins in this family, and 3) shown that the B16 marker attaches toa protein that is integral to the synaptic ribbon. This will advance ourfundamental knowledge about what the synaptic ribbon is made of and how itworks.

这项研究检查了视网膜中参与视觉的分子。视网膜是一层薄薄的神经细胞，位于眼睛后部，有五层厚。它处理有关光的信息并将其发送到大脑。在这项研究中研究的分子是视网膜中的特殊蛋白质，参与在感光细胞检测到光的第一点发出光存在或不存在的信号。 这些蛋白质组成了光感受器中的一种显微结构，称为突触带，通过突触带以一种未知的方式将光存在或不存在的信号传递到下一层细胞。我们已经对这一家族的蛋白质进行了特殊标记，并对这一家族的蛋白质进行了初步的研究。 每一个标记都以特定的重量附着在蛋白质上，这是我们用来区分蛋白质的特性之一。 其中一种标记物称为B16抗体，它能识别一种仅在视网膜中发现的54 kD的罕见蛋白质。 我们现在将测序它的氨基酸作为鉴定它和了解这种蛋白质功能的一种方法。第二组实验将检查与我们的B16标记识别的蛋白质相关的其他蛋白质。 其中一种叫做粘着斑蛋白，可能与保持突触带附着在突触前膜上有关。 在第三组实验中，我们将用电子显微镜观察这些蛋白质在突触带中的位置。 关键的是我们证明了这些蛋白质是突触前末梢内突触带的一部分，而不是突触后的感光器或细胞外空间. 此外，我们还将用其他生物化学方法研究与突触带相关的其他蛋白质。当所有的实验完成后，我们希望：1）确定我们的B16标记识别的蛋白质，2）了解这个家族中其他相关蛋白质的身份，3）显示B16标记附着在突触带中不可或缺的蛋白质上。 这将推进我们关于突触带是由什么组成以及它是如何工作的基础知识。