JEOL 100S FOR MEMBRANE CYTOSKELETAL STUDIES

This grant will provide a "user-friendly" electron microscope for research in cell biology by a core group of cell biologists and other users. Some of the questions being asked in the research involved include: 1) function and assembly of specific intramembrane particle arrays during secretion using freeze fracture electron microscopy and mutant analysis; 2) structure and function of cilia, including the transmission electron microscopy of sliding microtubules and dynein arm morphology; 3) actin filament interaction with the cell membrane and the localization in the cell of two actin binding proteins using IgG-gold immunocytochemistry at the electron microscope level; 4) electron microscope analysis of H. Halobium strains genetically altered in photoenergy conversion and photosensory signaling by the rhodopsin-like molecules in their membranes. 5) Studies to probe the differential compartmentalization and sorting of two polypeptides somatostatin, a secretory protein and vesicular stomatitis virus, a membrane protein to determine where in the secretory pathway the two separate using IgG-gold immunocytochemistry at the electron microscope level.