Characterization of a Synaptic Protein in the Photoreceptor Terminal

这个研究项目将研究脊椎动物眼睛的功能。眼睛视网膜中的某些蛋白质在不同的环境条件下会发生浓度或构象的变化。在光感受器细胞外段发现的一组蛋白质在暴露于光后发生化学变化。人们对光感受器细胞末端所含的蛋白质知之甚少。这个结构很重要，因为终端与连接到高级大脑中心的神经细胞接触。在这些末端区域内有“带状”结构，其中含有一种独特的蛋白质（88kD），这可能是光感受器细胞与神经细胞交流所必需的。免疫学和超微结构技术，如单克隆抗体和电子显微镜将用于研究88kD蛋白在光感受器末端。一旦定位，88kD蛋白将被纯化和分离。该蛋白的基因将被克隆，88kD蛋白序列将与国家数据库中的其他类似蛋白进行比较。这些研究将为眼睛和大脑之间的细胞通讯机制提供洞见。它也可能导致视网膜疾病研究的进展。

This research project will study the function of the vertebrate eye. Certain proteins in the retina of the eye undergo changes in concentration or conformation when subjected to different environmental conditions. One group of proteins found in the outer segment of the photoreceptor cell are chemically altered after exposure to light. Much less is known about the proteins contained in the terminal end of the photoreceptor cell. This structure is important because the terminal makes contact with the nerve cells which connect to higher brain centers. Within these terminal regions are "ribbon-like" structures containing a unique protein (88kD), which may be necessary for photoreceptor cells to communicate with nerve cells. Immunological and ultrastructural techniques such as monoclonal antibodies and electron microscopy will be used to study the 88kD protein in the photoreceptor terminal. Once localized, the 88kD protein will be purified and isolated. The gene for this protein will be cloned and the 88kD protein sequence will be compared to other similar proteins in national databases. These studies will provide insight into the mechanisms of cellular communication between the eye and the brain. It may also lead to advances in the study of retinal diseases.