The proposed work will help answer a fundamental question: Are differences in structural organization of the cytoplasm sufficient to produce the different modes of cytoplasmic movement observed in living cells or are different types of force transducing systems employed to generate different movements? In the proposed research two different types of cytoplasmic movement will be studied: Bulk cytoplasmic streaming and polarized particle transport. In order to answer the question, the effect of structural organization and the mechanism of force transduction on mode of movement must be determined. Components important in the regulation of formation of structure and movement must be identified. In order to accomplish these objectives, lysed cell models of polarized particle transport and cytoplasmic streaming that are capable of life like movement will be prepared by detergent treatment. These models will be extracted to determine the identity of the components required for the generation of structure and movement. This approach will permit observation of previously undescribed novel components that might play significant role in the generation and control of movement. Second, the two different types of models will be studied by comparison to identify differences in arrangement of function of the molecular components. Third, reconstitution experiments will be used to alter the geometry of structure or molecular composition of the reconstituted motile model to determine the requirements for the different modes of movement.
NIH ExPorter
NIH ExPorter