Tissue culture equipment

我们的器官和组织的正常运作与组成它们的细胞有着内在的联系。这些细胞的顺利运作部分依赖于正确的细胞区室内蛋白质的正确分配。例如，参与我们基因表达的蛋白质是在细胞核内靶向的，因为我们的染色体是在细胞核中发现的。这种核靶向通常是通过排列在核膜上的孔来实现的，这些孔专门进口含有独特邮政编码的蛋白质，即给定的氨基酸序列。对于可溶性蛋白质，这一过程已经被很好地理解了。然而，一些蛋白质通过一种尚不清楚的机制被整合到细胞核的内脂质膜中。虽然有些人认为这类蛋白质有不同的邮政编码，但目前尚不清楚情况是否普遍如此。由于病毒是强制性的寄生虫，因此依靠细胞功能繁殖，而且它们是比我们简单得多的生物体，因此它们构成了研究细胞的优秀和“更容易”的模型。使用一种叫做1型单纯疱疹病毒的病毒，我们最近展示了一种病毒蛋白靶向核膜。令人惊讶的是，与已知的细胞蛋白相比，这种病毒蛋白不仅针对核膜，而且还可以在细胞的其他地方以及细胞外释放的成熟病毒上发现，这表明情况比最初预期的要复杂得多。这种蛋白质给我们提供了一个非常独特的机会来探索核靶向。这个目前得到资助的研究项目旨在阐明这种非常复杂的生物机制，并从长远来看，确定核靶向机制是否具有普遍性，它是如何被调节的，以及病毒是否可以调节甚至垄断它。同样重要的是，它也有助于培养许多高素质的人才，这些人才将参与我国以知识为基础的就业市场。不幸的是，如果目前的设备补助金得不到资助，这一切都可能结束，因为我们的一些旧仪器不再正常工作，必须更换。

The proper functioning of our organs and tissues is intrinsically linked to the cells that compose them. The smooth operation of these cells is in part dependent on the correct partitioning of proteins within the right cellular compartments. For example, proteins involved in the expression of our genes are targeted within the nucleus, since this is where our chromosomes are found. This nuclear targeting is typically achieved through pores that line the nuclear envelope and which specifically import proteins containing a unique postal code, i.e. a given sequence of amino acids. This process is fairly well understood for soluble proteins. However, some proteins are incorporated in the inner lipid envelope of the nucleus by a mechanism that is poorly understood. While some believe a different postal code exists for such proteins, it is not clear whether this is generally the case. Since viruses are obligatory parasites and thus rely on cellular functions to multiply and since they are much simpler organisms than we are, they constitute excellent and "easier" models to study cells. Using a virus called herpes simplex virus type 1, we have recently shown the targeting of one of the viral proteins to the nuclear envelope. Surprisingly, in contrast to known cellular proteins, this viral protein is not uniquely targeted to the nuclear membrane but can also be found elsewhere in the cells as well as onto mature viruses released outside the cells, suggesting a much more complex scenario than initially anticipated. This protein gives us a very unique opportunity to probe nuclear targeting. This presently funded research program aims to elucidate this very complex biological machinery and, in the long run, to define whether the nuclear targeting machinery is universal, how it is regulated and whether viruses can modulate or perhaps even monopolize it. Equally important, it also contributes to the training of numerous highly qualified personal that will partake in the knowledge based job market of our country. Unfortunately, this may all come to an end if the present equipment grant is not funded, since several of our old instruments no longer work properly and must be replaced.