Prenylation Mechanisms and Developmental Function

Mark Paul RunningNSF提案号IOS-0744895标题：异戊烯化机制和发育功能摘要高等动物和植物是由大量的细胞组成的，所有这些细胞都专门执行特定的功能。每个细胞都必须被正确地组织起来;例如，蛋白质必须位于细胞的正确部位。蛋白质在细胞中的错误定位可能会产生无数后果，包括癌症和其他疾病的发展。动物和植物用来将蛋白质引导到细胞中特定位置的一种方法是附着脂肪（脂质）分子，这会改变蛋白质的化学性质，并通常导致这种蛋白质与细胞的外围（外缘）相关联。 该项目旨在增加我们对蛋白质被脂质修饰的过程的理解，以及这种修饰如何影响这些蛋白质的功能和定位。这些研究对治疗癌症、Hutchinson-Gilford早衰症、Hermansky-Pudlak综合征和人类无脉络膜症以及赋予植物耐旱性和抗病性具有潜在意义。植物被用作这些研究的模型，由于植物的生存能力与脂质修饰的主要缺陷和它们在实验室中的易用性。 该项目包括在科学领域代表性不足的团体成员的参与和培训，他们在全国各地的外联工作中被成功招募。该项目还构成了当地高中科学课程的课程编制基础，并将纳入圣刘易斯科学中心的教育推广展览。

Dr. Mark Paul RunningNSF Proposal Number IOS-0744895Title: Prenylation Mechanisms and Developmental FunctionAbstract Higher animals and plants are made up of a multitude of cells, all of which are specialized to carry out particular functions. Each cell must be organized properly; for instance, proteins must be located in the correct part of the cell. Mislocalization of proteins in cells can have myriad consequences, including development of cancer and other diseases. One method animals and plants use to direct proteins to specific places in the cell is the attachment of a fat (lipid) molecule, which changes the chemical properties of the protein and often leads to the association of this protein to the periphery (outer rim) of the cell. This project aims to increase our understanding of the processes by which proteins become modified by lipids, and how this modification affects the function and localization of these proteins. These studies have potential implications for treatment of cancer, Hutchinson-Gilford progeria, Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, and choroideremia in humans, and conferring drought tolerance and disease resistance in plants. Plants are used as a model for these studies, due to the survivability of plants with major defects in lipid modifications and their ease of use in the laboratory. This project includes participation by, and training for, members of groups that are underrepresented in science, who were successfully recruited in outreach efforts across the country. This project also forms the basis of curriculum development for local high school science courses and will be integrated into a display at the Saint Louis Science Center for educational outreach.