Tissue culture equipment

我们的器官和组织的正常功能与组成它们的细胞内在地联系在一起。这些细胞的顺利运行在一定程度上依赖于正确的细胞隔间内蛋白质的正确划分。例如，参与我们基因表达的蛋白质被定位在细胞核内，因为这是我们的染色体被发现的地方。这种核靶向通常是通过排列在核膜上的小孔来实现的，这些小孔专门进口含有唯一邮政编码的蛋白质，即给定的氨基酸序列。对于可溶性蛋白质来说，这一过程是相当清楚的。然而，一些蛋白质通过一种鲜为人知的机制被结合到细胞核的内脂包膜中。虽然一些人认为这类蛋白质存在不同的邮政编码，但目前尚不清楚情况是否普遍如此。由于病毒是必须寄生的寄生虫，因此依赖于细胞功能来繁殖，而且它们是比我们简单得多的生物体，它们构成了研究细胞的极好且“更容易”的模型。使用一种名为1型单纯疱疹病毒的病毒，我们最近展示了一种针对核膜的病毒蛋白。令人惊讶的是，与已知的细胞蛋白相反，这种病毒蛋白并不是唯一针对核膜的，但也可以在细胞内的其他地方以及在细胞外释放的成熟病毒上发现，这表明情况比最初预期的复杂得多。这种蛋白质给了我们一个非常独特的机会来探索核靶向。这项目前得到资助的研究项目旨在阐明这一非常复杂的生物机制，并从长远来看，确定核靶向机制是否具有普遍性，它是如何受到监管的，以及病毒是否可以调节它，甚至可能垄断它。同样重要的是，它还有助于培训众多将参与我国知识型就业市场的高素质人才。不幸的是，如果目前的设备赠款得不到资金，这一切都可能结束，因为我们的几个旧工具不再正常工作，必须更换。

The proper functioning of our organs and tissues is intrinsically linked to the cells that compose them. The smooth operation of these cells is in part dependent on the correct partitioning of proteins within the right cellular compartments. For example, proteins involved in the expression of our genes are targeted within the nucleus, since this is where our chromosomes are found. This nuclear targeting is typically achieved through pores that line the nuclear envelope and which specifically import proteins containing a unique postal code, i.e. a given sequence of amino acids. This process is fairly well understood for soluble proteins. However, some proteins are incorporated in the inner lipid envelope of the nucleus by a mechanism that is poorly understood. While some believe a different postal code exists for such proteins, it is not clear whether this is generally the case. Since viruses are obligatory parasites and thus rely on cellular functions to multiply and since they are much simpler organisms than we are, they constitute excellent and "easier" models to study cells. Using a virus called herpes simplex virus type 1, we have recently shown the targeting of one of the viral proteins to the nuclear envelope. Surprisingly, in contrast to known cellular proteins, this viral protein is not uniquely targeted to the nuclear membrane but can also be found elsewhere in the cells as well as onto mature viruses released outside the cells, suggesting a much more complex scenario than initially anticipated. This protein gives us a very unique opportunity to probe nuclear targeting. This presently funded research program aims to elucidate this very complex biological machinery and, in the long run, to define whether the nuclear targeting machinery is universal, how it is regulated and whether viruses can modulate or perhaps even monopolize it. Equally important, it also contributes to the training of numerous highly qualified personal that will partake in the knowledge based job market of our country. Unfortunately, this may all come to an end if the present equipment grant is not funded, since several of our old instruments no longer work properly and must be replaced.