Unraveling of digital-like signal transduction systems in cell plasma membranes

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14477
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Functional biochemistry
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: SUZUKI KENICHI 京都大学, 物質－細胞統合システム拠点, 特定拠点准教授 (50423059)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: シグナル伝達 / 1分子観察 / ラフト / Src family kinase / Phospholipase C gamma

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We inspected a hypothesis that long analog-like signals by receptors in cell plasma membranes can be generated by summation of short digital-like signals. We performed single-molecule imaging of recruitment of signaling molecules to EGF receptors upon ligation, and found that the recruitment occurred for very short periods (less than 0.5 sec), but the frequency of the recruitment was increased as the bulk signal intensity was increased. These results strongly support the hypothesis.

Free Research Field

細胞生物物理学