Probing the Mechanics of the Axoneme in Genetically-Modified Flagella

转基因鞭毛轴丝力学的探讨

• 批准号: 1265447
• 负责人: Philip Bayly
• 金额: $ 39.5万
• 依托单位: Washington University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-08-01 至 2017-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1265447&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Probing; Mechanics; Axoneme; Genetically; Modified

The research objective of this award is to measure the mechanical properties and active processes that produce propulsive motion in cilia and flagella. Cilia and flagella are tiny subcellular structures (about 200 nanometers in diameter and 5-30 micrometers long) that beat regularly to propel cells or to move fluid. Cilia line the airways of the human respiratory system and beat in coordination to eliminate bacteria and particles. In this project, elastic stiffness and ability to produce force will be measured in algae flagella, which have structure and behavior very similar to human cilia. Mechanical properties will be tested in flagella with specific genetic mutations, under varying experimental conditions, to learn how the underlying structural features produce the coordinated oscillations required for effective propulsion. The novel combination of mechanics and genetics is uniquely suited to make progress on this problem. If successful, these studies will advance our scientific understanding of cilia and flagella, and provide insight into how these systems fail in injury or disease. This improved understanding could lead to new methods for diagnosis and therapy, or ways to harvest energy from biological oscillators. More generally, these studies will clarify the coordination mechanisms which allow many independent microscopic oscillators to work together to produce macroscopic motion. The project will achieve broad impact through a partnership between Washington University (WU; a research-intensive private university) and the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO; a public institution focused on undergraduate education). Through this partnership, undergraduate students from both institutions will participate in research, enhancing the availability of such experiences to a diverse population. This award will also support educational projects in which high school and undergraduate students design large-scale, physical models of cilia and flagella. These models will illuminate the behavior of cilia and flagella while providing practical experience in electromechanical design and control.

该奖项的研究目标是测量纤毛和鞭毛中产生推进运动的机械特性和活动过程。纤毛和鞭毛是微小的亚细胞结构(直径约200纳米，长5-30微米)，它们有规律地跳动以推动细胞或移动液体。纤毛排列在人类呼吸系统的呼吸道上，协调跳动以清除细菌和颗粒。在这个项目中，将测量藻类鞭毛的弹性刚度和产力能力，这些鞭毛的结构和行为与人类纤毛非常相似。将在不同的实验条件下，对具有特定基因突变的鞭毛进行机械性能测试，以了解潜在的结构特征如何产生有效推进所需的协调振荡。力学和遗传学的新组合非常适合在这个问题上取得进展。如果成功，这些研究将促进我们对纤毛和鞭毛的科学理解，并为这些系统如何在受伤或疾病中失败提供洞察力。这种更好的理解可能会带来新的诊断和治疗方法，或者从生物振荡器中获取能量的方法。更广泛地说，这些研究将阐明协调机制，这些机制允许许多独立的微观振荡器共同工作，产生宏观运动。该项目将通过华盛顿大学(吴，一所研究密集型私立大学)和中俄克拉荷马大学(UCO，一所专注于本科教育的公立机构)之间的合作，产生广泛的影响。通过这一合作伙伴关系，两所大学的本科生将参与研究，增加不同人群获得此类体验的机会。该奖项还将支持高中生和本科生设计大规模纤毛和鞭毛物理模型的教育项目。这些模型将阐明纤毛和鞭毛的行为，同时提供机电设计和控制的实际经验。