Mutational Analysis of Potassium Currents in Drosophila

钾离子通道对于编码电子信息很重要 在神经系统中。 这个研究项目的目标是 识别基因突变，遗传密码的改变， 影响果蝇中的钾电流。 超过 在行为学的基础上，已经确定了40种突变。 这些缺陷富集了破坏功能的突变 离子通道。 这些突变将成为 项目的材料。 记录的膜电流 突变体将与正常电流进行比较， 生理特性 突变表现出改变， 果蝇四种已知钾电流中的一种或多种 将进行基因鉴定和研究， 受影响的特定钾电流和效应的性质。 由于离子通道之间的强烈相似性， 不同物种，果蝇钾通道信息 将有助于研究其他生物体中的钾通道， 包括人类 钾离子通道的分析将有助于 钾离子通道功能的认识， 细胞过程包括学习和记忆、心脏 起搏器活动，重复放电和调解 治疗作用药物。

Potassium channels are important for encoding electrical messages in the nervous system. The goal of this research project is to identify genetic mutations, alterations in the genetic code, that affect potassium currents in the fruit fly Drosophila. More than forty mutations have been identified on the basis of behavioral defects which enrich for mutations that disrupt the functioning of ion channels. These mutations will serve as the resource material for the project. Membrane currents recorded from the mutants will be compared with those from normal currents for physiological properties. Mutations that exhibit alterations in one or more of the four known potassium currents in Drosophila will be characterized genetically and studied to determine the specific potassium current affected and the nature of the effect. Because of strong similarities between ion channels from different species, information on Drosophila potassium channels will aid in studying potassium channels in other organisms, including humans. Analysis of potassium channels will help in the understanding of potassium channel function in several cellular processes including learning and memory, cardiac pacemaker activity, repetitive firing and mediation of therapeutic action drugs.