Structural analysis of a transducisome in photoreceptor rod cells by cryo-electron microscopy

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Christian M. T. Spahn
• Subject Area: Biophysics
• Term: from 2006 to 2009
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 25289896

The assembly of signaling molecules into macromolecular complexes is thought to provide specificity and sensitivity in intracellular signaling pathways. In retinal rod photoreceptors, a specific G-protein/effector assembly is expected to form during the activation/deactivation cycle of the effector, a cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase (PDE). The PDE in turn was hypothesized to communicate with the channel complex in the plasma membrane forming around the cyclic nucleotide gated channel. Using single particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) we want to obtain structural information about these macromolecular complexes. We also want to explore the formation of a potential transducisome that was proposed to form a bridging structure between the photoreceptor disc and the plasma membrane of the cell and is thought to be facilitated by an unusual set of glutamic-acid-rich proteins (GARPs).

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Persons: Dr. Martin Heck; Professor Dr. Klaus Peter Hofmann