UMaine Researcher Probes Both Development and Disease Using Proteins
Contact: Dorothy Croall (207) 581-2829; David Munson (207) 581-3777
ORONO, Maine — For more than two decades, UMaine Biochemistry professor Dorothy Croall has studied a critically important family of enzymes known as calpains. The enzymes are thought to be important contributors to basic cellular functions, as well as to the pathology of cancer and several neurodegenerative and muscle diseases. Calpains also play a critical role in the embryonic development of vertebrates, a discovery that Croall and her coauthors have further explored in a study recently published in “BioMedCentral Developmental Biology.” 6:3 (24 Jan 2006)
This new project aims to develop a specialized biosensor to detect when and where calpains are active in cells or embryos. It was funded with more than $200,000 from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in September of 2005. By exploiting what they already know about calpains and their interactions with other proteins within the cell, Croall and her team have been able to generate a fluorescent probe that only recognizes active enzymes. UMaine graduate student Lisa Vanhooser is conducting studies with the purified proteins to optimize the sensor’s design, utilizing an extremely sensitive technique known as fluorescent resonance energy transfer to indicate when the probe interacts with active calpains. Researchers will eventually be able to watch the process inside neurons and within developing zebrafish embryos using microscopes.
Initial results of the study are promising, but the challenge of applying the method to a living cell remains to be done. If successful, these results will significantly enhance our understanding of the role of calpains in embryogenesis and disease. The research may also offer insights into how these enzymes are able to precisely target specific proteins, which may prove critical to the development of new drug therapies.