Basic Knowledge

Question 0

Minus end dependent microtubule motor

Answer 0

Dynein

Question 1

Plus end dependent microtubule motor

Answer 1

Kinesins

Question 2

~How many superfamily members does kinesin have?

Answer 2

45

Question 3

What filament does myosin move along?

Answer 3

Actin filaments

Question 4

Motor that transports from cell periphery to cell center?

Answer 4

Dynein

Question 5

Does dynein or dynactin contain p150glued?

Answer 5

Dynactin

Question 6

Is plus end toward the axon terminal or toward the cell body?

Answer 6

Toward the axon terminal

Question 7

SMN1

Answer 7

Spinal muscular atrophy protein

Question 8

What happens when dynamintin is over-expressed in postnatal mice?

Answer 8

It disrupts dynactin, leading to slowly progressive motor neuron degeneration (Lamonte et al, 2002)

Question 10

Perry syndrome

Answer 10

A rare disorder characterized by Parkinsonianism, psychiatric changes, hypoventilation, and suicidal thoughts

Question 11

Hereditary spastic paraplegia

Answer 11

A group of upper motor neuron neurodegenerative disorders characterized by progressively worsening lower limb weakness and spasticity, sometimes accompanied by sensory deficits and bladder dysfunction.

Question 12

What are some things that dynein regulates?

Answer 12

1. Axonal transport. 2. Endosomal trafficking. 3. Spindle formation. 4. Mitosis.

Question 13

Is p150glued the largest subunit of dynactin?

Answer 13

Yes

Question 14

What are the three relevant p150glued mutations that we have identified?

Answer 14

S263I, H668Y, P811R

Question 15

Is CAP-Gly part of dynactin or dynein?

Answer 15

It is part of dynactin! Remember that CAP-Gly and dynactin both have an A

Question 16

Mutations in lis1 leads to?

Answer 16

Lissencephaly

Question 17

DMEM

Answer 17

Dulbecco’s modified eagle medium - mammalian cell culture medium. Contains amino acids, salts, glucose, and vitamins. Our lab uses the DMEM with glucose and L-glutamine, without sodium pyruvate.

Question 18

FBS

Answer 18

Fetal bovine serum; the blood fraction remaining after natural coagulation of blood, following centrifugation to remove RBCs.

Question 19

Glutamax

Answer 19

Cell culture media that contains dipeptide from L-glutamine (L-ananyl-L-glutamine - this prevents degradation and ammonia buildup during long-term cultures). “GlutaMAX formulations (there are two) are dipeptides, which are cleaved in
cells by aminopeptidases, releasing L-glutamine from the dipeptide, either
L-alanine (GlutaMAX I), or glycine (GlutaMAX II)” Results in growth that is better than media supplemented with glutamine.

Question 20

DPBS

Answer 20

Dulbecco’s phosphate buffered saline. pH 7.2-7.6.