CH391L/S13/Mechanosensing: Difference between revisions
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==Introduction== | ==Introduction== | ||
Mechanosensing refers to the ability of an organism to respond to changes in mechanical force on them or their environment. The mechanical stress can be in a variety of forms: | |||
*Hydrostatic pressure, as in the case of deep ocean environments | |||
*Fluid shear stress, as in the case of blood flowing through veins | |||
*Direct force, as in the case of body weight on a bone | |||
*Osmotic pressure, resulting from a difference in solute concentrations across a semi-permeable membrane | |||
In some cases, changes in mechanical stress result in differential gene expression driven by mechanosensitive promoters or repressors. Genes that have increased expression might include cold- and heat-shock and other stress response proteins, barostable polymerases, or active transporter proteins[add reference]. Downregulated genes might include In other cases, porin proteins which provide ion diffusion pathways are opened in response to osmotic stress across the membrane. Both cases | |||
==Mechanosensitive Promoters== | ==Mechanosensitive Promoters== | ||
Revision as of 10:00, 8 April 2013
Introduction
Mechanosensing refers to the ability of an organism to respond to changes in mechanical force on them or their environment. The mechanical stress can be in a variety of forms:
- Hydrostatic pressure, as in the case of deep ocean environments
- Fluid shear stress, as in the case of blood flowing through veins
- Direct force, as in the case of body weight on a bone
- Osmotic pressure, resulting from a difference in solute concentrations across a semi-permeable membrane
In some cases, changes in mechanical stress result in differential gene expression driven by mechanosensitive promoters or repressors. Genes that have increased expression might include cold- and heat-shock and other stress response proteins, barostable polymerases, or active transporter proteins[add reference]. Downregulated genes might include In other cases, porin proteins which provide ion diffusion pathways are opened in response to osmotic stress across the membrane. Both cases
