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Content archived on 2024-06-18

Dynamic control of membrane curvature and its role in membrane protein assembly

Objective

Changes in the curvature of the cell membrane play an important role in many important biological processes, including cell division, vesicle trafficking, and neurotransmission. These changes in morphology are not just a passive consequence of other events in the cell, but can also drive the action of other proteins. For example, changes in curvature are thought to affect protein binding, the gating kinetics of ion channels, and to direct the localisation of proteins in vivo.

Although current methods can measure the presence of such interactions, they cannot directly measure real-time changes in membrane curvature or correlate individual protein binding events with changes in curvature. Dr Junhong Lu has a proven track record in Biological Atomic Force Microscopy. We propose to combine his expertise with new synthetic mimics of the cell membrane recently produced in the laboratory of Dr Mark Wallace at Oxford University. This combination of methods will enable us to manipulate and characterize the curvature of the cell membrane, and study its effects on protein function using single-molecule methods.

Call for proposal

FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IIF
See other projects for this call

Coordinator

THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
EU contribution
€ 278 807,40
Address
WELLINGTON SQUARE UNIVERSITY OFFICES
OX1 2JD Oxford
United Kingdom

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Region
South East (England) Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Oxfordshire
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Gill Wells (Mr.)
Links
Total cost
No data