Molecular mechanisms of cell quiescence are poorly understood. The majority of cells in adult animals can remain healthy in the quiescent G0 phase of the cell cycle for a long time until they are induced to proliferate by appropriate extracellular signals. Under environmental stress, cells can survive by undergoing growth arrest, then re-enter the cell cycle when that stress no longer exists. It is important to understand the molecular mechanisms for maintaining this quiescent state in order to fill a serious gap in the current knowledge of mechanisms pertaining to developmental biology, cell survivability under stress, and animal hibernation. The PI's preliminary data suggest that a novel quiescence-induced kinase, QIK, is involved in modulating cell quiescence in response to various forms of stress. The objective of this project is to determine the peptide sequence of QIK by biochemical methods. QIK will be isolated from quiescent cells for biochemical analysis to determine its peptide sequences. Once the peptide sequence of QIK is known, then the gene coding for QIK will be identified and the function of QIK will be studied as the ultimate goal. Because very few studies address the molecular mechanisms of cell quiescence, the broad impact of this research is to advance current knowledge of new kinases involved in regulating quiescence. New knowledge of molecular mechanisms for homeostasis, tissue repair and cell dormancy in humans, hibernation in animals and dormancy in plants is expected to provide benefits to society as a whole. In addition, selected veterinary students as well as minority high school students will participate in this research either through regular, summer, or special programs provided by the University of Tennessee.
