PROTEIN INTERACTIONS REGULATING MECHANOSENSATION

这项工作的长期目标是阐明 线虫机械感觉的基础C.优雅 识别 在C.优雅触摸 细胞也将用于定义神经变性所需的元素 因为特定的触摸相关突变可以诱导神经元溶解。 蛋白质内推定功能结构域的直接缺失分析 参与变性将进行，并将促进随后的 研究旨在分离编码蛋白质的基因， 这些结构域来调节神经元的反应。 各种途径 涉及机械感觉调节剂的基因筛选， 检测蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用在体内，使用酵母双- 提出了杂交系统来鉴定新调控基因， 描述现有基因之间的相互作用。 的影响 这项工作在于这些线虫基因将提供 对人类神经细胞死亡机制的深入了解。 此外，基于 在与哺乳动物对应物的同源性上，这些基因中的一些似乎 编码离子通道的成分。 因此，这些研究也是相关的。 对我们理解与离子运输有关的疾病有很大帮助。

The long-term objectives of this work are to elucidate the molecular basis of mechanosensation in the nematode C. elegans. The identification of genes which regulate the mechanosensory apparatus in C. elegans touch cells will also serve to define elements required for neurodegeneration since specific touch-related mutations can induce neuronal lysis. Deletion analysis of putative functional domains within proteins directly involved in degeneration will be performed and will facilitate subsequent studies designed to isolate genes encoding proteins that interact with these domains to regulate neuronal responses. Alternative approaches involving genetic screens for modulators of mechanosensation and detection of protein-protein interactions in vivo, using the yeast two- hybrid system are proposed to identify novel regulatory genes and characterize interactions between existing genes. The implications of this work lie in the possibility that these nematode genes will provide insights into mechanisms of human nerve cell death. Additionally, based on homology to mammalian counterparts, several of these genes appear to encode components of ion channels. Thus, these studies are also relevant to our understanding of disorders related to ion transport.