I am a graduate student (City of Hope National Medical Center in
California) currently working on developing a mock project proposal for
my oral qualifying requirement and have chosen to focus on the question
(s) at the heart of capsaicin research. Specifically I have decided to
embark on designing alternative approaches to elucidating the molecular
composition of the capsaicin receptor/channel.
It is clear that previous attempts to purify the channel by injecting
dorsal root ganglia mRNA into Xenopus oocytes have not been productive.
Also the RTX-binding protein, cloned in 1994, did not appear to make a
functional contribution to capsaicin sensitivity (CAP channels) in adult
sensory neurons.
If anyone might help me understand why the previous attempts to clone
the channel have failed. Or what the possible role of the RTX-binding
protein might be if it is not contributing to the functional CAP
receptor. Or any relevant information that may not be in the
literature.
It would be greatly appreciated.
Again this information will be used in creating a mock project proposal
for my oral qualifying requirement.
Thank You,
Rob Ring (included email or rring at smtp.Coh.org)