Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2005

Mentor: Paul Blount
Department: Physiology
Room number: L4.134
Mail Code: 9040
Phone number: 214 648-8445
E-mail: Paul.Blount@UTSouthwestern.edu
Project title: Mechanosensitive Channels

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):

Project Type: Basic Research

Brief Description of Project:

Our laboratory is primarily interested in how an organism detects mechanical forces (like touch or osmotic pressures). We primarily study bacterial mechanosensitive channels because of their simplicity and the advantage of microbial genetics. However, recently we have been exploring the possibility of using microbial genetics to study eukaryotic channels. We are now utilizing random mutagenesis and microbial screens to identify interesting mutations in human mechanosensitive channels. The mutants are then further characterized by whole-cell physiology and electrophysiology to support and suggest hypotheses of how, on a molecular level, these channels sense and respond to membrane stretch. Although still preliminary, thus far the results have been promising.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

In the summer of 2000, Gabriel Rendon utilized microbial genetics to study a suppressor mutation. He found this "second-site" mutation to suppress many gain-of-function (GOF) mutations in MscL, a bacterial mechanosensitive channel.

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