 |
Alexey G. Ryazanov
Professor
UMDNJ - RWJMS
Dept. of Pharmacology. Room 443
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Piscataway. NJ 08854
(732) 235-5526
FAX - 4073
ryazanag@umdnj.edu
|
Novel protein kinases and signal
transduction
We have recently discovered a new class of protein kinases -- alpha-kinases.
Alpha-kinases play an important role in the control of protein synthesis. cell
growth and differentiation. One of the alpha-kinases. elongation factor-2
kinase (eEF2 kinase) can regulate the global rate of protein synthesis and is
implicated in cancer and aging. Two other alpha-kinases that we recently
identified represent a novel type of signaling molecule that consists of a
protein kinase fused to an ion channel (channel-kinases). Why would a kinase and
an ion channel be contained in one molecule? Is the channel activity controlled
by the kinase. or is the kinase controlled by ion flow through the channel? What
is the physiological role of channel-kinases and other alpha-kinases? We are
using molecular biological. cell biological. and bioinformatic approaches as
well as transgenic animals to investigate the structure and function of these
fascinating molecules.
|
