Exploring a new paradigm for endocytic trafficking and K+ channel function in cells

探索细胞内吞运输和 K 通道功能的新范例

• 批准号: BB/V007467/1
• 负责人: John Barr
• 金额: $ 67.89万
• 依托单位: University of Leeds
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=BB%2FV007467%2F1
• 关键词: Exploring; new; paradigm; endocytic; trafficking

All viruses must infect cells in order to make copies of themselves and infect new cells. To achieve this, viruses use the machinery of host cells to create an environment that favours their own survival. Through understanding how viruses interact with the cells they infect, we can gain important knowledge as to how cells themselves work. We have discovered that during infection, certain viruses need access to potassium, which is present inside cells. The potassium changes the structure (shape) of the viruses into more infectious forms. This potassium is delivered by proteins in the cells that are called potassium channels, of which there are approximately 80 different types in the human body.Our proposed research aims to find out which potassium channels are exploited by viruses to infect human cells, and if blocking them with drugs prevents infection. Once we have identified the potassium channels that are needed by the virus, we then want to understand why the cells have these channels, and if the potassium is also changing the structures of cellular proteins to alter their function, just like that observed for viruses. By completing these experiments, we may reveal new fundamentally important roles of potassium in cells that will increase our understanding of how our cells work. We may also reveal potassium channels as a new and exciting class of anti-viral targets that can be used to treat diseases caused by viruses.

所有病毒都必须感染细胞才能复制自身并感染新细胞。为了达到这个目的，病毒利用宿主细胞的机制来创造一个有利于自身生存的环境。通过了解病毒如何与它们感染的细胞相互作用，我们可以获得关于细胞本身如何工作的重要知识。我们发现，在感染过程中，某些病毒需要接触到存在于细胞内的钾。钾改变了病毒的结构（形状），使其更具传染性。这种钾是由细胞中的蛋白质传递的，这种蛋白质被称为钾通道，人体内大约有80种不同的钾通道。我们提出的研究旨在找出哪些钾通道被病毒利用来感染人类细胞，以及是否用药物阻断它们可以防止感染。一旦我们确定了病毒所需的钾离子通道，我们就想知道为什么细胞有这些通道，钾离子是否也在改变细胞蛋白质的结构，从而改变它们的功能，就像在病毒中观察到的那样。通过完成这些实验，我们可能会揭示钾在细胞中的新的重要作用，这将增加我们对细胞如何工作的理解。我们还可能揭示钾通道作为一类新的令人兴奋的抗病毒靶点，可用于治疗由病毒引起的疾病。