触觉的压力以及听觉的声音振动，均需转化为电信号才能被中枢神经系统感知。因此机械力转导, 即机械力转化为电信号的过程，是触觉和听觉的生理基础。此过程是通过感受机械力的离子通道开放而达成的。因此，本项目拟解决的关键科学问题,即机械力敏感离子通道被机械力激活的机制，是机械力转导的核心问题。申请人利用果蝇作为模式生物已鉴定出动物界中首个介导触觉的机械力敏感离子通道NompC (Nature, 2013, 第一作者)，为研究此核心问题提供了宝贵的切入点。文章发表后, Current Biology撰文评价此发现 “是机械力转导分子机制的重大突破”。团队将围绕机械力敏感离子通道如何被机械力激活这个核心问题展开研究。具体研究内容为：1)鉴定NompC离子通道复合物蛋白组分，研究转导复合体间组分的相互作用。2）研究NompC离子通道复合物在触觉转导和触觉行为中的功能和机制。

To be sensed by the central nervous system, the mechanical stimuli of touch and sound needed to be transduced into electrical signal. Thus, mechanotransduction, the process in which mechanical force is converted into electrical signal, underlies the touch and sound sensation. Mechanosensory ion channels, the key molecular transducer in this process, is the subject of our study. The research goal of this project is to study how mechanosensory ion channels are gated by physical force. The applicant has identified the first bona fide primary channel mediating gentle touch and this work was published in Nature in 2013. This work was viewed as a major breakthrough as reviewed in Current Biology “constitute a major advance in our molecular understanding of how mechanical stimuli are transducer.” In my proposed research, we will study how NompC works with its associated proteins to transduce the touch stimulation in Drosophila larvae. First, we will identify the protein complex of NompC. Second, we will study how these proteins work together to transduce the mechanical force and the roles of these genes in the touch sensation of Drosophila larvae.