THESIS
2012
xiv, 94 p. : col. ill. ; 30 cm
Abstract
Mechanoperception is one of the fundamental physiological functions in many
cell types. The Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) Cation channels are one of the
major families of mechanically-gated ion channels in eukaryotes. However, the
research of TRP channels mechanosensitivity in multicellular organisms is usually
hindered by their complexity. It brings forwards to the needs of unicellular eukaryotic
models for mechanobiological research. Dinoflagellates are groups of mechanically
sensitive phytoplankton and were among the first unicellular model used for
mechanobiology research. They are notorious for being the major causative agents of
Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), which commonly occurs near the calm marine costal
region. Many other cellular processes, such as growth, cell s...[
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Mechanoperception is one of the fundamental physiological functions in many
cell types. The Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) Cation channels are one of the
major families of mechanically-gated ion channels in eukaryotes. However, the
research of TRP channels mechanosensitivity in multicellular organisms is usually
hindered by their complexity. It brings forwards to the needs of unicellular eukaryotic
models for mechanobiological research. Dinoflagellates are groups of mechanically
sensitive phytoplankton and were among the first unicellular model used for
mechanobiology research. They are notorious for being the major causative agents of
Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), which commonly occurs near the calm marine costal
region. Many other cellular processes, such as growth, cell size regulation, toxin
production and bioluminescence, of this group of unicellular organisms are also susceptible to turbulence and fluid-flow, which are associated with Ca
2+ signaling.
Pharmacologically, we demonstrated TRP channels activities are involved in
mechanically-induced [Ca
2+]
i elevation in dinoflagellate cells, which provides a handle
for dinoflagellates mechanobiological studies. AP18, a TRPA specific antagonist, can
alter the cell size of dinoflagellates after a period of incubation, similar to the effect of
mechanically-induced cell cycles arrest. We further reported the possible role of
dinoflagellates toxins in cell proliferation and cell size regulation. Furthermore, we
have identified the partial sequence of a putative dino-TRPM protein which may act as
the potential mechanically-gated ion channels in dinoflagellates.
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