The long-term goal of this project is to further basic knowledge in the area of lipid metabolism and transport, as well as regulation of these processes. This information should aid in the understanding, prevention and treatment of arteriosclerosis. In particular, studies will be performed on the multi-functional protein originally called squalene and sterol carrier protein (SCP).
One specific aim i s to complete the amino acid sequence of rat liver SCP. During this work the areas of amino acid sequence essential to the functions of SCP (e.g. lipid binding, activation of membrane-bound enzymes) will be defined. The second specific aim is to determine effects on the level and functional activities of SCP during physiological events and manipulations known to alter lipid metabolism, in vivo. Next, rates of SCP synthesis in response to the physiological events and manipulations will be measured. Then, in order to gain insights into the molecular basis for changes in the synthetic rate of SCP, the mRNA for SCP will be isolated and quantitated. The technique to be used for quantitation of mRNA for SCP involves isolation of total and cellular poly (A) - containing RNA, followed by translation in vitro and immunoprecipitation of the translated SCP.
