MECHANISM OF A PROTEIN TRANSLOCATION CHANNEL

真核细胞是高度有组织的，含有细胞器 有效地分配它的许多任务。细胞器被膜隔开。 彼此分离，在独特的化学环境中维持彼此。 此外，膜中还存在蛋白质通道， 识别和转移某些分子在细胞质和 特定的细胞器。在这些渠道中，人们最不了解的是 那些进口特定细胞器的蛋白质。建议数 这项研究将结合生物化学和电生理学 为了鉴定和表征组成蛋白质的机制 模型细胞器的外膜通道，即叶绿体。这个 这项研究的长期目标有两个：第一，了解 分子水平这些通道是如何形成半透水屏障的 在细胞器之间，第二，以确定有多具体 信号序列的识别打开了一条通道。

The eukaryotic cell is highly organized, containing organelles that efficiently divide its many tasks. Membranes separate the organelles from one another, sustaining each in a unique chemical environment. In addition, proteinaceous channels exist in the membranes that recognize and transfer certain molecules between the cytosol and a specific organelle. Among the least understood of these channels are those that import proteins bound for certain organelles. The proposed research will use a combination of biochemistry and electrophysiology to identify and characterize the mechanism of proteins composing the outer membrane channel of a model organelle, the chloroplast. The long term objectives of the research are twofold: first, to understand on a molecular level how these channels form a semipermeable barrier between the organelle, and second, to determine how specific recognition of a signal sequence opens a channel.