More than the background: the role of lipids in ion channel function. The movement of solutes in and out of cells underlies nerve impulses and our ability to sense the environment. It is controlled b

Description

More than the background: the role of lipids in ion channel function. The movement of solutes in and out of cells underlies nerve impulses and our ability to sense the environment. It is controlled by ion channels, proteins located in cell membranes that open and close in response to different stimuli. But, we have only just begun to appreciate that the membrane and its lipid components actively contribute to regulating these proteins. We aim to explain how lipids regulate two important families of ion channel responsible for sensing touch and sending nerve signals, using a combination of cutting edge experimental and computational methods. These findings will address uncertainties in molecular biology and neuroscience, and provide a basis for predicting lipid regulation in a wide range of proteins.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology. Lead: Prof Ben Corry