Structural Determinants of an Intracellular Calcium Store

The aims are to identify molecular interactions between key proteins that regulate the intracellular calcium store in mammalian muscle cells and hence calcium signalling and muscle contraction. Our focus is the calcium binding protein in the store and its molecular communications with the ion channel in the store membrane that releases calcium. The significance is that movement, respiration and heart function in insects and vertebrates depend on this calcium signalling. Defective signalling leads to fatal myopathies. The outcome is that we will understand the interactions between the proteins at a molecular level and will be able in the future to design drugs to improve meat quality, as insecticides and as therapeutic agents