Regulation of membrane fusion

细胞被一层薄膜包围，该薄膜必须动态变化，以允许细胞移动、分裂或向邻近细胞释放生物活性信号，以实现大脑功能和荷尔蒙控制。我的研究项目专注于确定细胞如何控制被称为囊泡的小膜包与细胞内膜的融合。NSF是一种负责控制融合过程中关键步骤的酶，但控制该酶的机制尚不清楚。在这笔赠款的前一期中，我们展示了NSF经历了一次改变其活动的修改。此外，我们还发现，这种修饰发生在不同细胞类型的不同位置，包括免疫细胞和大脑。我们目前的研究计划旨在确定是什么蛋白质导致了这种修饰，为什么不同的细胞类型使用不同的位点，以及这种调节如何影响NSF的活性和膜的融合。由于NSF控制的细胞功能范围广泛，这项工作的结果对广泛的生物学家来说将是重要的。

Cells are bounded by a thin membrane that must be dynamically changed to permit cells to move, divide, or release bioactive signals to neighboring cells for brain function and hormonal control. My research program focuses on determining how cells control the fusion of small membranous packets called vesicles with the membranes within the cell. NSF is an enzyme responsible for controlling a critical step in fusion yet the mechanisms that control this enzyme are not understood. During the previous term of this grant we showed that NSF undergoes a modification which changes its activity. In addition, we have found that this modification occurs on different places in different cell types including immune cells and the brain. Our current research plan aims to determine what proteins cause this modification, why different sites are used in different cell types, and how this regulation affects the activity of NSF and the fusion of membranes. Due to the broad range of cellular functions controlled by NSF, the results of this work will be important to a wide range of biologists.