Relaxation Kinetics of Ion Transport Across Biomembranes

离子在生物膜上的传输是一个基本的过程，对各种生理现象都是必不可少的。除了对大多数细胞的基本新陈代谢和生物能量学至关重要外，它对许多其他更具体的过程也是关键。神经传递、肌肉活动和视觉只是由离子传输调节的生物事件的几个例子。加深对离子传输的了解可能会对生物化学的几个领域产生深远的影响。杜威博士正在研究两种特性较好的转运蛋白--细菌视紫红质和钙ATPase的跨膜离子转运动力学。要对离子传输过程进行详细的分子描述，需要了解各个基本反应步骤的速率。将使用他实验室开发的调制松弛动力学技术。该方法将为反应机理的评价提供新的信息。

The transport of ions across biological membranes is a fundamental process which is essential to a variety of physiological phenomena. In addition to being critical to the basic metabolism and bioenergetics of most cells, it is key to many other more specific processes. Neurotransmission, muscle action and vision are just a few examples of biological events that are mediated by the transport of ions. A deeper understanding of ion transport could have far reaching consequences in several areas of biochemistry. Dr. Dewey is investigating the transmembrane ion transport kinetics for two of the better characterized transport proteins, bacteriorhodopsin and calcium ATPase. Knowledge of the rates of the individual, elementary reaction steps is required for a detailed, molecular description of an ion transport process. A modulation relaxation kinetic technique developed in his laboratory will be used. This method will provide new information for evaluating reaction mechanisms.