プレスティンは,頭外毛細胞のモータータンパク質です

J Zheng¹, W Shen, D Z He

¹The Hugh Knowles Center, Department of Neurobiology and Physiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.

Nature

|May 23, 2000

まとめ

研究者らは,内外毛細胞のモータータンパク質であるプレスティンを特定した. このタンパク質は,電圧によって引き起こされる形状の変化に責任があり,聴覚増幅に不可欠です.

科学分野:

聴覚神経科学とは
分子生物学は分子生物学である.
細胞生理学細胞生理学

背景:

哺乳類の頭毛細胞は,聴覚において明確な役割を果たしています.
外部毛細胞 (OHCs) は,機械的な変化を通じて頭振動を放大すると仮定されています.
OHCの機械的反応を駆動する分子機構は,依然としてほとんど不明である.

研究の目的:

外部毛細胞の機械的性質に起因する分子モーターを特定する.
新しく特定された遺伝子"プレスティン"の機能を,外側の毛細胞で調べるためでした.

主な方法:

外部毛細胞に特異的に発現する遺伝子を特定するための補完的なDNAスクリーニング.
ヒトの腎臓細胞培養における識別された遺伝子 (プレスティン) の発現.
電子生理学的記録と,トランスフェクト細胞の機械的な測定.
既知のタンパク質との配列類似性の分析.

主要な成果:

識別されたプレスティン (Prestin) は,外側の毛細胞に特異的に発現する遺伝子である.
プレスティンを発現する腎臓細胞は,電圧による形状の変化を示した.
外部毛細胞は,非線形電容量に伴う電圧誘発の機械的反応を示した.
プレスティンはアニオン輸送タンパク質と配列の類似性を共有しています.

結論:

プレスティンは,頭外毛細胞の分子モータータンパク質として識別されます.
プレスティンは,頭増幅に不可欠な電圧依存の機械的変化を媒介する.
この発見は,コクリアの活性メカニカル特性の分子基礎を提供する.

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