Analysis of the Drosophila Gene Rhomboid

0094634 bierdr。Bier打算研究一种被称为Rhomboid （Rho）的多通道积分膜蛋白在果蝇中通过表皮生长因子受体（EGF-R）促进信号传导的作用。EGF-R是广泛使用的受体酪氨酸激酶（RTK）家族的成员，它激活RAS/ map -激酶途径。Rhomboid与单通跨膜蛋白（Star）一起作用，通过一种机制激活EGF-R信号，该机制涉及产生扩散性细胞外信号。该项目的具体目标是：1)分析预测位于细胞内外的Rho结构域的功能，2)检查Rho和Star之间在促进EGF-R信号传导方面密切相互作用的基础，3)确定Rho和Star是否直接或间接参与产生可扩散的egf -样信号。Bier博士预计，这项研究将导致Rho和Star如何激活egf配体的特定机制模型的形成。更一般地说，这个项目应该扩大我们对RTK配体在发育过程中调节产生和作用范围的基本机制的理解。由于RTK信号通路在脊椎动物和无脊椎动物的细胞增殖的发育和调节中起着核心作用，这些见解应该对理解细胞-细胞通讯具有一般意义，这也是高度重要的

0094634BierDr. Bier intends to study the role of a multi-pass integral membrane protein known as Rhomboid (Rho) in promoting signaling via the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGF-R) in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. The EGF-R is a member of the widely used receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family, which activates the RAS/MAP-Kinase pathway. Rhomboid functions in conjunction with a single pass transmembrane protein (Star) to activate EGF-R signaling by a mechanism involving the production of a diffusible extracellular signal. The specific goals of this project are to: 1) analyze the function of domains of Rho that are predicted to lie inside or outside of the cell, 2) examine the basis for the intimate interaction between Rho and Star in promoting EGF-R signaling, and 3) determine whether Rho and Star participate directly or indirectly in producing a diffusible EGF-like signal. Dr. Bier anticipates that this study will lead to the formulation of specific mechanistic models for how Rho and Star activate EGF-ligands. More generally, this project should broaden our understanding of fundamental mechanisms for regulating the production and range of action of RTK ligands during development. Since RTK signaling pathways play a central role in development and regulation of cellular proliferation in vertebrates and invertebrates alike, these insights should have general implications for understanding cell-cell communication, which is also highly