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Using RNAi to determine the role of individual members of the arginine kinase family in Paramecium tetraurelia
Author(s) -
Magida Leslie,
Fraga Dean
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a299-a
Subject(s) - arginine kinase , rna interference , kinase , paramecium , biology , gene silencing , exocytosis , arginine , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , gene , rna , amino acid , membrane
Arginine kinases (AK) are members of the phosphagen kinase family and like other phosphagen kinases, they help in regulating energy metabolism in the cell. AKs are found primarily in invertebrates and protozoa but their physiological role has been less well studied than has the related phosphagen kinase, creatine kinase. The completion of the Paramecium genome project has identified four AKs in this species and opens up the possibility of using genetics and gene knock down technologies, such as RNA interference (RNAi), to investigate the physiological role of AKs in a protozoa. This study will attempt to determine whether these four proteins are redundant or are responsible for different functions in the cell. Using RNAi, target genes will be temporarily silenced and a series of assays including measuring mitochondrial number, swimming speed, exocytosis efficiency, and swimming behavior will be conducted. Preliminary results indicate that silencing one member of the arginine kinase family does not significantly affect some behavioral responses and swimming speed. However, silencing this one AK does result in significantly more exocytosis (trichocyst) discharge than the controls. This research was supported by NSF grant #0344432 and Henry J. Copeland Fund for Independent Study.