Regulation of opsin expression in the retina of salmonid fishes

鲑鱼视网膜视蛋白表达的调节

• 批准号: 238886-2010
• 负责人: NovalesFlamarique, Inigo
• 金额: $ 2.55万
• 依托单位: Simon Fraser University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2013-01-01 至 2014-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=524482
• 关键词: Regulation; opsin; expression; retina; salmonid

The research proposed examines transcriptional mechanisms of visual pigment protein (opsin) expression in the vertebrate retina using cell cultures, and salmonid fishes as model organisms. These animals undergo natural switches in opsin expression that can be artificially induced by exogenous exposure to thyroid hormone, a crucial molecule during vertebrate development. The proposed research focuses on unraveling the mechanisms of action of thyroid hormone, retinoic acid and their respective nuclear receptors in controlling opsin expression during development and in the mature (differentiated) retina. Because nuclear hormone receptors and their ligands (e.g. thyroid hormone, retinoic acid) are involved in many fundamental processes of development, the research proposed here has wide applicability to many areas of developmental biology. As well, because opsin expression dictates the visual capabilities of an animal, this research is of fundamental importance to understand photoreceptor plasticity and the functional reasons behind the chromatic organization of cone mosaics in the vertebrate retina.

本研究拟以鲑科鱼类为模式生物，通过细胞培养的方法，研究脊椎动物视网膜中视色素蛋白（opsin）表达的转录机制。这些动物经历了视蛋白表达的自然转换，这种转换可以通过外源性暴露于甲状腺激素（脊椎动物发育过程中的一种关键分子）而人工诱导。拟议的研究重点是阐明甲状腺激素，视黄酸及其各自的核受体在发育过程中和成熟（分化）视网膜中控制视蛋白表达的作用机制。由于核激素受体及其配体（例如甲状腺激素、视黄酸）参与发育的许多基本过程，因此本文提出的研究对发育生物学的许多领域具有广泛的适用性。同时，由于视蛋白的表达决定了动物的视觉能力，这项研究对于理解脊椎动物视网膜中视锥嵌合体的色彩组织背后的感光体可塑性和功能原因具有根本的重要性。