Johns Hopkins University

Sojin Shikano

Min Li

Haiyan Sun

Membrane proteins represent &#x2dc;30% of the proteome of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Unique to cell surface receptors is their biogenesis pathway, which involves vesicular trafficking from the endoplasmic reticulum through the Golgi apparatus and to the cell surface. Increasing evidence suggests specific regulation of biogenesis for different membrane receptors, hence affecting their surface expression. A pulse-chase assay can be used to monitor function recovery after chemobleaching (FRAC) to probe the transit time of the cell surface receptors to reach the cell surface. This method distinguishes molecular density from functional density. The ability of the reported method to access the biogenesis pathways in a high-throughput manner facilitates the identification and evaluation of molecules affecting receptor trafficking.

Method to assay test substances

The invention provides amino acid sequence motifs (e.g., biomolecule partition motifs) that can direct targeting of intracellular polypeptides to and through membranes, including cell surface membranes.

Growing community of inventors

College Park, MD, United States of America

Sojin Shikano