Mechanism of nutritional regulation of protein metabolism in skeletal muscle

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Skeletal muscle is an important tissue in all animals, because of its significant roles in substrate utilization and body homeostasis. Proteins are critical components of muscle (about 65% of muscle weight is protein). Therefore to control muscle growth one has to control protein metabolism in this tissue. However, we do not know the mechanisms by which food regulates protein metabolism in muscle. An understanding of these mechanisms will help to better appreciate how metabolism and growth of an animal are regulated. My research will shed more light on this. An important player in protein synthesis in muscle is a protein called S6K1. Using nutritional manipulation, muscle and cell incubation, I seek to identify how S6K1 regulates protein synthesis when amino acids, an important class of nutrients in muscle, are supplied. I will also examine how this regulation is modified in insulin resistant states. The fundamental understanding gained in this research will help to better understand how nutrients regulate metabolism and growth. Our results may also help future studies examining questions relating to nutrition and human conditions such as obesity and metabolic syndrome .