MECHANISMS OF FUNCTIONAL SPECIALIZATION OF MICROTUBULES

描述：本建议是研究后的意义， 四膜虫微管蛋白的翻译修饰 嗜热菌 该项目是基于最近的成就， 首席研究员，而他是一个博士后研究员，这允许 通过同源整合进行四膜虫的遗传转化。 两 宏观和微观核转变现在是可能的， 基因替换后表现型的研究。 四膜 有一个α和两个β微管蛋白基因 这项建议会 检查α微管蛋白等位基因的表型， 设计成阻断微管蛋白的每一个已知的翻译后 修改. 其他工作将寻求目前未知的职位- 翻译修饰（PTM），并再次，其表型 将研究消除。 待检验的假设是PTM 与微管蛋白的分化有关，并对微管蛋白的分化具有重要意义。 这 这个想法在四膜虫中当然是合理的， 微管蛋白用于细胞内的几种不同的微管系统。 细胞：纤毛、皮层微管、有丝分裂纺锤体等。 生物化学将在以下动物的纤毛α微管蛋白上进行： 四膜虫，以确定其他PTM，可能是重要的， 微管蛋白在这个细胞器中起作用。 建议这项分析 在四膜虫中的研究将阐明PTM在微管中的作用 分化为其他真核系统。

DESCRIPTION: This proposal is to study the significance of post- translational modifications of tubulin in the ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila. The project is based upon a recent achievement by the principal investigator, while he was a postdoctoral fellow, that permits genetic transformation of Tetrahymena by homologous integration. Both macro- and micro-nuclear transformation are now possible, allowing for the study of phenotype following gene replacement. Tetrahymena possesses a single alpha and two beta tubulin genes. This proposal will examine the phenotype of alleles of alpha tubulin that have been engineered to block each of tubulin's known post-translational modifications. Additional work will seek currently unknown post- translational modifications (PTMs), and again, the phenotype of their elimination will be studied. The hypothesis to be tested is that PTMs are associated with and significant for tubulin differentiation. This idea is certainly plausible in Tetrahymena, given that the same alpha tubulin is employed for several distinct microtubule systems within the cell: cilia, cortical microtubules, the mitotic spindle, etc. Biochemistry will be carried out on ciliary alpha tubulins of Tetrahymena to identify additional PTMs that may be important for tubulin function in this organelle. It is proposed that this analysis in Tetrahymena will elucidate the role of PTMs in microtubules differentiation for other eukaryotic systems.