GDF-8 (MYOSTATIN) AND GDF-11

描述（改编自研究者摘要）：本提案 与TGF-b超家族的两个成员有关， GDF-8和GDF-11。 GDF-8几乎只在 发育和成年骨骼肌和无效突变小鼠显示出巨大的， 骨骼肌生长的广泛增加。 有六个目标， 研究GDF-8和GDF-11的生物学功能。 第一个目标是 在RNA和蛋白质水平上表征 GDF-8和GDF-11。 GDF-8成绩单已经做到了这一点。 第二个目的是表征GDF-8和GDF-11的表型 无效小鼠。 第三个具体目标是从哺乳动物中纯化蛋白质 细胞，并确定各种处理形式之间的相互作用。 第四个目标是确定GDF-8和GDF-11的分布 受体。 第五个目的是测试GDF-8和GDF-11的功能 在培养的细胞上检测GDF-8蛋白，以检验GDF-8作为一种 成肌细胞增殖抑制剂。 最终目的是克隆基因 GDF-8和GDF-11受体。

DESCRIPTION (adapted from investigator's abstract): This proposal is concerned with two members of the TGF-b superfamily isolated by the investigator, GDF-8 and GDF-11. GDF-8 is expressed almost exclusively in developing and adult skeletal muscle and null mutant mice show a massive and widespread increase in skeletal muscle growth. There are six aims to investigate the biological functions of GDF-8 and GDF-11. The first aim is to characterize the expression patterns at the RNA and protein level of GDF-8 and GDF-11. This has already been achieved for GDF-8 transcripts. The second aim is to characterize the phenotypes of the GDF-8 and GDF-11 null mice. The third specific aim is to purify the proteins from mammalian cells and determine the interaction between the various processed forms. The fourth aim is to determine the distribution of the GDF-8 and GDF-11 receptors. The fifth aim is to test the function of GDF-8 and GDF-11 protein on cultured cells to test the hypothesis that GDF-8 acts as an inhibitor of myoblast proliferation. The final aim is to clone the genes for the GDF-8 and GDF-11 receptors.