Characterization of Signal-transduction Mechanisms Controlling the Yeast Cell Polarity Pathway

该项目的长期目标是了解在真核细胞周期中控制细胞形态发生的信号转导机制。这项研究的目的是破译酿酒酵母中控制细胞极性的信号通路。在酵母细胞周期中，响应正常或异常信号的极化生长可以导致几种不同的形态结构。我们之前已经鉴定了两种蛋白质，它们是酵母细胞极性途径的组成部分：CDC42P GTP酶和CDC24P，它的鸟嘌呤核苷酸交换因子。这两种信号转导机制在其他真核生物中都有类似的结果，表明共同的信号转导机制控制着不同细胞类型中的细胞极性。本研究的具体目的是了解cdc42p与其上游调控因子(包括cdc24p)和几个下游效应子的分子相互作用。还需要解决的是这些蛋白质的亚细胞定位是如何被调节的。为了研究这些相互作用及其在细胞极性控制中的作用，建议结合几种遗传、细胞生物学和生化方法进行研究。

MCB-9728218 Johnson, Douglas The long-term objective of this project is to understand the signal transduction mechanisms that control cell morphogenesis during the eukaryotic cell cycle. The goal of this study is to decipher the signaling pathways that control cell polarity in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Polarized growth in response to normal or aberrant signals during the yeast cell cycle can result in several different morphological structures. We have previously characterized two proteins that are integral components of the cell polarity pathway in yeast: a Cdc42p GTPase and a Cdc24p, its guanine nucleotide exchange factor. The observation that both have counterparts in other eukaryotes suggests that common signal transduction mechanisms control cell polarity in different cell types. The specific aims of this study are to understand the molecular interactions of Cdc42p with its upstream regulators, including Cdc24p, and several downstream effectors. Also to be addressed is how the subcellular localization of these proteins is regulated. To study these interactions and their role in control of cell polarity, studies are proposed that combine several genetic, cell biological and biochemical approaches.