STRUCTURE/FUNCTION STUDIES OF PORCINE NEUROPHYSIN II

在这段研究期间，我提议研究催产素结合 蛋白质neurophysin从猪来解决有关蛋白质折叠的问题 机制、自我关联和目标定位。 早期关于神经垂体后叶素性质的工作集中在牛神经垂体后叶素上。 到目前为止，猪催产素相关的neurophysin还没有被研究， 详细 我们有初步的核磁共振证据证明这种猪神经垂体素 以比牛垂体后叶素低得多的浓度形成二聚体， 它是一种更稳定的蛋白质。 特别令人感兴趣的是 最近的研究表明，猪催产素相关的neurophysin是 在没有激素的情况下能够折叠，这使得它成为一种有吸引力的 用于克隆和基因表达的候选物。更稳定的猪和 自我折叠的neurophysin提供了解决问题的机会， 关于蛋白质的相互作用，牛neurophysin不是很适合 回答这些研究还应该提供对机制的见解， 神经分泌蛋白通过其被加工和分类。

During this fellowship period I propose studies of the oxytocin-binding protein neurophysin from the pig to address questions about protein folding mechanisms, self-association and targeting. Earlier work on neurophysin properties have focused on bovine neurophysins. Up to now porcine oxytocin-associated neurophysin has not been studied in detail. We have preliminary NMR evidence that this porcine neurophysin forms a dimer at much lower concentrations than bovine neurophysin and that it is a much more stable protein. Of special interest is evidence from recent studies which shows that porcine oxytocin-associated neurophysin is able to fold in the absence of hormone, which makes it an attractive candidate for cloning and gene expression. The more stable porcine and self-folding neurophysin provides the opportunity to address questions about protein interactions which the bovine neurophysin is not well suited to answer. These studies should also provide insights into the mechanisms by which neurosecretory proteins are processed and sorted.