Comprehensive analysis and prediction of diffusional mobility of membrane proteins in living cells

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14509
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cell biology
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: UEDA Masahiro 大阪大学, 生命機能研究科, 教授 (40444517)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: １分子イメージング / 膜たんぱく質 / 拡散 / １分子トラッキング / 脂質ラフト / 細胞性粘菌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we developed a method to analyze comprehensively diffusional mobility of many membrane proteins in living cells by using single-molecule imaging analysis. In order to realize the method, we carried out (1) development of an automated single-molecule imaging microscope, (2) preparation of cells expressing fluorescently-labelled target proteins stably, (3) development of software for statistical analysis of diffusion based on the data obtained by single-molecule tracking. Through such comprehensive analysis, we found a relatively simple relationship between the structure of the membrane protein (the protein radius estimated from the number of transmembrane alpha helices) and the diffusion coefficient, suggesting that the Saffman and Delbruck model can describe well the relationship even in living cells.

Free Research Field

生物物理学