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2002 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Studies on receptor structure-function relationship using molecular biological techniques and GFP molecular visualization

Research Project

Project/Area Number 13672319
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field Biological pharmacy
Research InstitutionNational Institute of Health Sciences

Principal Investigator

NAKAZAWA Kenichi  National Institute of Health Sciences Division of Pharmacology Section Leader Research Officer, 薬理部・第二室室長 (00198061)

Project Period (FY) 2001 – 2002
KeywordsATP / purinoceptor / ion channel / molecular biology / GFP visularization / mutagenesis / structure-function relationship / Xenopus oocyte
Research Abstract

To clarify the relationship between the structure and the function of ATP-activated receptor/channel (P2X receptor), mutations (amino acid substitutions) were introduced by molecular biological techniques. GFP molecular visualization was combined to verify the expression of the mutants. Previous studies had shown that the activity of P2X2 receptor is lost when Gly247 was replaced with alanine. This region is assumed to be topologically similar to the ATP-binding domain of tRNA amino acyl synthetases. In these enzymes, aromatic amino acid residues are believed to contribute to the recognition of the adenine moiety of ATP molecules. Thus, two highly conserved aromatic amino acid residues (Phe240 and Trp256) were replaced with non-aromatic residues. The electrophysiological data obtained with these replacements showed that Trp256 is indispensable for the channel activity. Tyrosine partly compensated for Trp256, but other amino acids including phenylalanine failed. The expression of the non-functional mutants on cell surface was confirmed by the fluorescent images of GFP-connected receptors and the immunoblotting analysis of membrane fractions. The results suggested that the replacement of Trp256 does not affect protein translation or trafficking processes, but affects the structure of the receptor protein in cell membrane. Through these studies, the combination of molecular biological techniques and GFP molecular visualization is valuable for the clarification of the receptor structure and function relationship. In addition, the study with neutral amino acid introduction has shown that the amino acid at the position 333 sterically prevents calcium ion approach to the channel pore. It has been also shown that an intracellular disulfide bond affects the responsiveness to ATP.

  • Research Products

    (6 results)

All Other

All Publications (6 results)

  • [Publications] Nakazawa, K., Ojima, H., Ohno, Y.: "A highly conserved tryptophane residue indispensable for cloned rat neuronal P2X receptor activation"Neuroscience Letters. 324. 141-144 (2002)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Nakazawa, K., Sawa, H., Ojima, H., Ishii-Nozawa, R., Takeuchi, K., Ohno, Y.: "Size of side-chain at channel pore mouth affects Ca^<2+> block of P2X_2 receptor"European Journal of Pharmacology. 449. 207-211 (2002)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Nakazawa, K.: "Encyclopedia of Molecular Medicine (T.Creighton ed.)"John Willey & Sons. 6 (2001)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Nakazawa, K., Ojima, H., Ohno, Y.: "A highly conserved tryptophane residue indispensable for cloned rat neuronal P2X receptor activation"Neuroscience Letters. 324. 141-144 (2002)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Nakazawa, K., Sawa,H., Ojima, H., Ishii-Nozawa,R., Takeuchi, K., Ohno, Y.: "Size of side-chain at channel pore mouth affects Ca^<2+> block of P2X_2 receptor"European Journal of Pharmacology. 449. 207-211 (2002)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Nakazawa, K., T. Creighton ed: "Encyclopedia of Molecular Medicine"Neuroscience Letters, 324, 141-144, 2002. 6 (2001)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より

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Published: 2004-04-14  

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