Regensburg 2010 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 7: Posters: Biological Machines, Motor Proteins

BP 7.4: Poster

Montag, 22. März 2010, 17:15–20:00, Poster B1

An in vivo approach to probing mechanotransduction apparatus function — •Björn Nadrowski, Thomas Effertz, and Martin Göpfert — Abt. Zelluläre Neurobiologie, Universität Göttingen, MPI für Experimentelle Medizin, Hermann-Rein-Str. 3, 37075 Göttingen

The opening and closing of ion channels are mechanical events. These gating movements can be monitored in mechanosensitive ion channels provided that these channels are directly gated by force via macroscopic structures that thereby reflect the movements of the channels' gates. When coupled to molecular adaptation motors, these mechanosensitive ion channels form a transduction machinery that allows for active amplification while translating mechanical into electrical stimuli. Profiting from this experimental advantage, we have probed ion channel mechanics inside an intact Drosophila mechanosensory system. A physical model of this system is presented that quantitatively links ion channel mechanics, movements of molecular adaptation motors, and macroscopic mechanical events. Using this model, molecular parameters such as the gating energy required to open a single ion channel can be deduced. These energies have been determined for two force-gated ion channels. We also present evidence that these two channels are arranged in parallel in the transduction apparatus and may serve the detection of different stimuli amplitudes.