1. Aquaporin By Ryan Osgood and Mackenzie Blinn

2. What they are Aquaporin is a protein embedded in the cell membrane in order to regulate the flow of water Water needs to move in and out of a cell, and this is facilitated by aquaporins (water channels) The presence of these water channels increases the permeability to water of the cell membrane These channels are allocated in all kingdoms of life including bacteria, plants, and mammals 13 in mammals, 6 in kidney In plants- 4 families

3. Used for Industrial water treatment Regulates flow of water in organisms, particularly in the kidney.

4. Who discovered them In 1992 Peter Agre at John Hopkins University reported his unintentional discovery of aquaporin, he earned a Nobel Prize for his discovery in 2003. In 2000 Stroud’s lab at UCSF succeeded in solving the first high resolution structure of an aquaporin by using x-ray crystallography

5. Primary Structure Used for water reabsorption Found in kidney We can see its primary structure because of the amino acid linear sequence Simple proteins- AQP monomer has 6x helical domains

6. Secondary Structure 6 trans membrane helices in a RH Bundle- it forms a tetrameter Early evolutionary event Used for water reabsorption in response to ADH (a hormone) We can see its secondary structure because of the alpha- helices

7. Tertiary Structure Found in kidney and medullary collecting duct Used for water reabsorption and glycerol permeability We can see its tertiary because of the tightness of the helixes folded in one compact globule.

8. Quaternary Structure Used for water reabsorption Found in kidney

9. More on that… Some membranes are more permeable than others. RBC’s, kidney tubules AQP 1 was reported in 1992.

10. Diseases Several diseases such as congenital cataracts and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus are relate to mutations in aquaporins, also fluid transport, brain swelling, strokes, meningities, multiple sclerosis. A small number of people are found with a deficiency of aquaporins and they generally seem healthy, but they have a defect in the ability to concentrate solutes in urine and to conserve water when deprived of drinking water

11. Bibliography http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/Research/aquaporins/ http://www.bionaid.us/research.htm http://www.aquaporins.org/disease.htm http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/press/2003/octo ber/031008a.htm http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/press/2003/octo ber/031008a.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquaporin