Rescuing A Molecular Motor In Dilute Mice

Abstract

Molecular motors are cellular enzymes that convert chemical energy into mechanical energy and are vital to cellular organization and function. The focus of the following research is Myosin Va, a molecular motor whose activity contributes to melanosome distribution in melanocytes. A mutation within myosin Va leads to the dilute coat-color phenotype in mice and some cases of Griscelli’s syndrome in humans. The main goal of this research was to create a chimeric myosin V, with portions of both myosin Va and Vb. This chimeric myosin was then transfected into dilute melanocytes to see if the normal distribution ofmelanosomes was restored. The results with this construct were compared to an old construct of the chimeric myosin V. Distribution of the melanosomes within the cell was monitored via bright field of the expression from the construct by immunofluorescence.