Cellular Control of Bioluminescence by a Primitive          Epithelial Conduction System
{'Code': '08070600', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'BIO', 'LongName': 'Direct For Biological Sciences'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'MCB', 'LongName': 'Div Of Molecular and Cellular Bioscience'}}
{'SignBlockName': 'Maryanna P. Henkart', 'PO_EMAI': None, 'PO_PHON': None}
The goal of this research is to understand the control of                  bioluminescence in the hydrozoan coelenterate, Obelia, as part of               a more general understanding of how epithelial action potentials                control effector responses in lower invertebrate species.  In                   this animal all of the behavioral responses are under the control               of action potentials in electrically coupled epithelial cells,                  rather than under neural control as in higher animals.                          Luminescence in these organisms results from the activation of a                calcium-dependent photoprotein which provides an endogenous                     intracellular calcium indicator.  Previous experiments using a                  combination of patch clamp analysis and video image analysis have               shown that calcium entering nonluminescent epithelial cells                     during an action potential results in the passage of a chemical                 signal into the luminescent cells via gap junctions.  This signal               (hypothesized to be calcium, itself) then results in activation                 of the intracellular photoprotein.  Experiments are proposed                    which will establish the identity of the chemical signal.  In                   addition to the demonstration that luminescence is triggered as                 the result of a chemical signal passing across gap junctions,                   other experiments have disclosed the existance of a novel type of               voltage independent calcium channel within the luminescent cell                 itself.  Like the initiation of luminescence, the activation of                 this current is also dependent on chemical signalling through the               gap junction.  In further studies, whole cell and single channel                recording techniques will be used to characterize this channel                  which represents a novel mechanism of calcium entry across the                  plasma membrane.                                                                     This research on the physiological mechanism controlling                   light emission by a luminescent marine organism has already                     produced important insights into the function of junctions that                 mediate communication between cells.  "Gap junctions" are                       structurally specialized appositions between cells and are found                in many tissues of animals at all levels of complexity.  Much                   indirect evidence has led to the belief that these junctions                    serve in transmission of chemical signals between cells.  The                   results of this research have provided the first clear                          demonstration that chemical signal transmission across gap                      junctions is involved in an important physiological function.  In               addition, a novel type of channel for calcium entry into cells                  has been discovered.  A continuation of the study of this                       interesting system will surely expand our understanding of the                  control of light emission by these small marine organisms, but                  this study is also likely to provide further fundamental insights               into the general mechanisms of cellular communication.
[{'FirstName': 'Paul', 'LastName': 'Brehm', 'PI_MID_INIT': None, 'PI_SUFX_NAME': None, 'PI_FULL_NAME': 'Paul Brehm', 'EmailAddress': None, 'NSF_ID': '000395393', 'StartDate': '05/01/1988', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Co-Principal Investigator'}, {'FirstName': 'Kathleen', 'LastName': 'Dunlap', 'PI_MID_INIT': None, 'PI_SUFX_NAME': None, 'PI_FULL_NAME': 'Kathleen Dunlap', 'EmailAddress': 'kdunlap@opal.tufts.edu', 'NSF_ID': '000457657', 'StartDate': '05/01/1988', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}]
{'Name': 'Tufts University', 'CityName': 'SOMERVILLE', 'ZipCode': '021442401', 'PhoneNumber': '6176273696', 'StreetAddress': '169 HOLLAND ST', 'StreetAddress2': None, 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Massachusetts', 'StateCode': 'MA', 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': '07', 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_ORG': 'MA07', 'ORG_UEI_NUM': 'WL9FLBRVPJJ7', 'ORG_LGL_BUS_NAME': 'TRUSTEES OF TUFTS COLLEGE', 'ORG_PRNT_UEI_NUM': 'S6ZWCYHRQQB3'}
{'Name': None, 'CityName': None, 'StateCode': None, 'ZipCode': None, 'StreetAddress': None, 'CountryCode': None, 'CountryName': None, 'StateName': None, 'CountryFlag': None, 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': None, 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_PERF': '""'}
[{'Code': '1114', 'Text': 'Cellular Dynamics and Function'}, {'Code': '1117', 'Text': 'CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY'}]
{'url': 'https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/download?DownloadFileName=1988&All=true', 'xml': '8801923.xml'}