本研究では,内耳の感覚細胞に発現するタンパク質モーター“プレスチン(prestin)”に着目し,その構造と機能を自在に制御する技術とこれを捉える計測技術の開発に取り組み,音受容メカニズムの解明と新規バイオデバイスの創生を目指した.タグと呼ばれる目印を付加したプレスチンを安定に発現する培養細胞株を構築した.同細胞株よりプレスチン分子を一つずつ引き抜き力-進展曲線を取得することで,プレスチンの膜内構造を解析することに成功した.
In the present study, we focused on the motor protein “prestin” expressed in the sensory cells in the inner ear. A method to handle its structure and function and a measurement technique to detect them were investigated to elucidate the mechanisms of sound perception and to develop new biodevices. Mammalian cell lines which stably express prestin with a marker peptide tag were constructed and a prestin molecule was pulled out from the plasma membrane of these cells. The force-extension curves obtained demonstrated the membrane structure of prestin.