Project Summary The overall, long-term goal of this project is to understand the molecular mechanism of that define the cochlear amplifier in outer hair Cells (OHC). Specifically, we will focus on the voltage-driven motor Prestin, a unique member of the SCL26 family of transporters found in the basolateral membranes of OHCs. Although Prestin has been studied extensively though functional approaches, the basic mechanistic understanding of this fundamental component of the cochlear amplifier remain to be solved. In spite of the richness of the existing functional data, the lack of a high resolution structure is a key missing element in defining its mechanism at a molecular level. This is particularly so for the two fundamental aspects of Prestin?s mechanism of action: the process underlying voltage sensing and the molecular mechanism of electromotility. In light of exciting new preliminary data at the core of this proposal we will be able to study the functional behavior, high resolution structure and dynamics of Prestin as a biological piezoelectric device. To do so, we plan to experimentally address several fundamental questions: What is the physical basis of the energy transduction steps, starting with transmembrane voltage changes and culminating in protein (and ultimately OHC) motion? What are the structures of the key functional states in its native, bilayer-embedded form? Where in the molecule does mechanical transduction occur? And how? What are the physical basis of the Prestin-bilayer interaction? Functional studies will be designed to understand the physical basis of energy transduction. Information on the high resolution structure of functionally relevant conformations, conformational dynamics and energetic relationship of Prestin with its surrounding lipid bilayer will be obtained from cryo-EM, electrophysiology and Fluorescence microscopy experiments. The data will be interpreted to generate high resolution structures of the different stages of the electromechanical transduction. We suggest that the advent of new cryo-EM approaches to the analysis of structure and dynamics in membrane proteins in their native lipidic environment shall open an exciting new experimental avenue. This information will impact our understanding of physiologically important events such as hearing, high frequency amplification and signal transduction.

R01DC019833

2021-07-01

2026-05-31