RUI: Elucidation of Maspardin Function and its Role in the Endocytic Pathway

知识价值。动物需要及时地与环境进行互动和反应，它们通过神经元的活动来做到这一点。神经元是高度特化的细胞，它整合多种刺激并以快速电脉冲的形式传递信息。这些信息通常要经过很长的距离，比如沿着脊髓的长度。神经元功能的维持需要高度协调的蛋白质合成和随后的运动到适当的细胞内位置。一种新发现的蛋白，maspardin，被认为在这种细胞内运输过程中部分发挥关键作用。本项目的研究目标是研究马斯帕丁对BMP信号传导、转化生长因子超家族配体、生长因子受体信号传导和/或运输的贡献；研究马斯帕丁耗损后信号事件的中断是否会改变细胞内机械功能，如Rab7（一种广泛表达的GTPase，对内吞囊泡的运输、发育和融合很重要），并鉴定新的马斯帕丁相互作用蛋白。更广泛的影响。与该项目相关的活动将通过吸引来自农村地区大学的学生对广泛的分子和细胞技术进行有意义的研究，提高学生对科学的兴趣和成功。研究活动包括基因克隆、细菌蛋白表达和纯化、哺乳动物培养技术、siRNA诱导基因敲低、SDS-PAGE和western blot分析、蛋白相互作用鉴定、显微镜和2D差示凝胶电泳。学术活动包括技术研究、批判性思维、有效的演讲和提高写作技巧。研究的推进和建立一个结构良好的指导计划将进一步增加学生的参与。参与整个系内的研究，提高全体教员的参与度，并使所有相关人员受益。通过参与应用研究，现在和未来的学生将为科学探究的职业生涯做好更好的准备。目标学生包括女性、西班牙裔、非裔美国人以及其他在STEM领域代表性不足的群体。

Intellectual merit. Animals need to interact and respond to their environment in a timely fashion and they do so by the activity of neurons. Neurons are highly specialized cells that integrate multiple stimuli and conduct information in the form of fast electrical impulses. This information often must travel great distances, such as down the length of the spinal cord. Maintenance of neuronal function requires highly coordinated protein synthesis and subsequent movement to their proper intracellular location. A newly identified protein, maspardin, is thought to in part play a critical role in this intracellular trafficking process. The research goal of this project is to examine maspardin's contribution to BMP signaling, ligands belonging to the transforming growth factor superfamily, as well as growth factor receptor signaling and/or trafficking; to investigate whether disruption of signaling events following maspardin depletion alters intracellular machinery function such as Rab7 a widely expressed GTPase, important for trafficking, development and fusion of endocytic vesicles, and to identify novel maspardin interacting proteins. Broader impacts. The activities associated with this project will increase student interest and success in science by engaging students from a rural regional university in meaningful research on a wide range of molecular and cellular techniques. Research activities include gene cloning, bacterial protein expression and purification, mammalian culturing techniques, siRNA induced gene knockdown, SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis, protein-protein interaction identification, microscopy and 2D Differential Gel Electrophoresis. Scholarly activities include technical research, critical thinking, and effective presentation and improved writing skills. Advancement of the research and developing a well-structured mentoring program will increase further participation of student?s involvement in research throughout the department, improve faculty involvement and benefit all involved. Current and future students will be better prepared for careers in scientific inquiry by participation in applied research. Targeted students include women, Hispanic, African-Americans, and other groups underrepresented in STEM fields.