Date of Award
Spring 2024
Thesis Type
Rollins Access Only
Degree Name
Honors Bachelor of Arts
Department
Biology
Sponsor
Jay Pieczynski
Committee Member
Pamela Brannock
Committee Member
Brendaliz-Santiago-Narvaez
Abstract
Motor proteins constitute a specialized category of cellular proteins that play a vital role in helping to maintain the proper functioning of a cell. Of particular significance is their role in facilitating the transport of various intracellular cargoes to different areas in the cell. Among the array of motor proteins involved in intracellular transport, kinesins are among the most diverse class, utilizing microtubules as directional roadways. To travel along these microtubules, kinesins employ a distinct "walking" mechanism to transport cargoes to their intended destinations. Although the structure of kinesins as well as the mechanism by which they travel to different parts of the cell have been extensively studied, their specific roles, particularly within in-vivo systems, still remains a mystery. As a result, to determine the role of KLP-4, a specific kinesin motor protein found in the neurons of C.elegans, a worm strain containing a C-terminal KLP-4 3X-FlagmNeonGreen tag was UV-crosslinked in mixed-stage C. elegans, immunoprecipitated, and a RT-PCR was performed. Based on the results of this experiment, this study provides compelling evidence that KLP-4 traffics ribosomes to synaptic sites within neurons. These findings have improved our comprehension of the specific cargoes transported by kinesins and their role in a process known as local protein synthesis, uncovering a previously undiscovered aspect of this field of research. Further research will be conducted to uncover additional KLP-4 cargoes.
Recommended Citation
Tang, Jasmine, "The Role of the Kinesin, KLP-4, in Local Protein Synthesis" (2024). Honors Program Theses. 238.
https://scholarship.rollins.edu/honors/238
Rights Holder
Jasmine Tang