Understanding how pore-forming proteins punch holes in membranes

了解成孔蛋白如何在膜上打孔

• 批准号: DP160101874
• 负责人: Prof Michael Parker
• 金额: $ 43.68万
• 依托单位: The University of Melbourne
• 依托单位国家: 澳大利亚
• 项目类别: Discovery Projects
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 澳大利亚
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://dataportal.arc.gov.au/RGS/Web/Grants/DP160101874
• 关键词: Understanding; how; pore; forming; proteins

This project aims to unravel missing molecular details of how a major superfamily of proteins is able to drill holes in cell membranes. Animals, plants, fungi and bacteria all use pore-forming proteins as cell-killing weapons of mass destruction. Despite their lethal nature and their roles in infection and immunity, how these proteins work remains enigmatic. Project outcomes could reveal novel mechanisms general to these essential proteins and provide fundamental insights in understanding vital physiological processes across all kingdoms of life. Ultimately, the knowledge gained may prove useful in the engineering of membrane pores as highly specific sensors for a variety of molecules with nanotechnology and biotechnology applications.

该项目旨在解开主要蛋白质超家族如何能够在细胞膜上钻孔的缺失分子细节。动物、植物、真菌和细菌都使用成孔蛋白作为大规模杀伤性细胞杀伤武器。尽管它们具有致命性以及在感染和免疫中的作用，但这些蛋白质的工作原理仍然是个谜。项目成果可以揭示这些必需蛋白质的新机制，并为理解所有生命领域的重要生理过程提供基本见解。最终，所获得的知识可能在膜孔工程中有用，作为具有纳米技术和生物技术应用的各种分子的高度特异性传感器。