User:Lynmarie K Thompson/Sandbox 1
From Proteopedia
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Molecules under study by members of the [http://www.umass.edu/cbi/ University of Massachusetts Amherst Chemistry-Biology Interface Program]. | Molecules under study by members of the [http://www.umass.edu/cbi/ University of Massachusetts Amherst Chemistry-Biology Interface Program]. | ||
Revision as of 13:53, 14 April 2010
CBI Molecules
Molecules under study by members of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Chemistry-Biology Interface Program.
Bacterial chemotaxis receptors, Thompson & Weis laboratories: Seena Koshy
Many bacteria can direct their swimming towards favorable environments. They detect molecules such as amino acids or sugars using receptors that bind these molecules and transmit a signal into the cell. This signal controls several proteins which ultimately control the motors that rotate the flagella to cause the cell to either continue swimming or to tumble. When an attractant molecule binds, it signals: "Things look good, keep swimming!" The opposite signal occurs when bacteria sense decreasing concentrations of attractant molecules: "Time to tumble and try a new swimming direction."
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Bacteria can sense their environment, when small molecules such as the amino acid aspartate, bind to receptor proteins like this one.
