The broad, long term goals of the proposed research include an understanding of the way in which visual signal transduction occurs on a molecular level, particularly the functional role(s) of hydrophobic posttranslational modifications (via isoprenylation) of key proteins involved in visual signal transduction. Proteolytic processing of isoprenylated proteins represents a key step in the isoprenylation pathway. A novel endoprotease with specific activity toward isoprenylated proteins has been identified, but has yet to be isolated and characterized. The goals for the period of requested support are to purify this novel isoprenylated protein endoprotease in order to determine its mechanistic class, to determine the nature of active site residues through photoaffinity labeling studies, and to begin to clone and sequence the enzyme in an effort to determine the nature of possible isoforms of the enzyme. These experiments will allow for the further definition of the physiological role(s) of this enzyme and allow for the design of potent mechanism-based inhibitors,

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
1F32EY006634-01
Application #
2160671
Study Section
Visual Sciences C Study Section (VISC)
Project Start
1995-08-15
Project End
Budget Start
1995-07-01
Budget End
1996-06-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1995
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Harvard University
Department
Pharmacology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
082359691
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02115