Cells in the mechanism of "logistics"
In the process of metabolism, cell is how to manage the sort of material, packaging and delivery, three Nobel Prize winners, found that the crux of the problem lies in the vesicle transport system.
Under a microscope, the neurons was crumpled and looks like a paper out of tiny fold, by synaptic communication between them, which is the base of the brain to be able to run. Stanford university neuroscientist Thomas soviet-german hoff (Thomas Sudhof) research interest is clear between neurons of "communication" is how to do it.
On October 7, 2013, the Nobel Prize site on the phone call to the soviet-german hoff mobile phone, he was on his way to Spain to drive a car, in the afternoon, he have to go to Egypt to do an academic report. He walked at first thought it was calling to him the way, so he put the car into a parking lot to answer the phone, I didn't think this is a call from Sweden.
Before this, the Nobel Prize site staff to phone call to the soviet-german huo's house, but he was not at home. Chen Lucai telephone rang three times and his wife decided to go downstairs, she thought it was Chinese relatives from which not sure the time zone.
The royal Swedish academy of sciences announced the 2013 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine goes to three "cellular material transportation research scientists - have made outstanding contributions in the United States James Rothman (James Rothman) and Randy Helen schucman (Randy Schekman), and Thomas was born in Germany soviet-german hoff (Thomas Sudhof).
Soviet-german hoff although did not work with the other two, but three of them together to solve the biology of a major problem, namely "how cells in metabolic processes, a large number of material sorting, packaging, and to the right place at the right time". The three Nobel laureates have to show, the question that the intracellular vesicles of the existence of the transportation system.
Logistics network in the body
With modern society developed logistics network can accurately send the goods to homes, cells also need a similar transportation system will have a molecule, cell, such as hormones, neurotransmitters and cytokines transport to other parts of the cell or transfer out of the cell.
As early as 40 years ago, the famous cell biologist George Mr Rudd, winner of the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine (George Palade) is found in cells under electron microscope of transport network. He found that there is a cell membrane package formation of micro vesicles or vesicle. These vesicles can bring cell between the goods through the various organelles, and release the goods to the extracellular membrane fusion. The existence of the vesicles can effectively prevent the different types, different place cells intermixed goods.
The findings soon accepted by most scientists, however, followed by a more complicated problem, namely "how to know when these vesicles where delivery of the goods".
In 1976, the United States at the university of California, Berkeley, Helen schucman, set up a laboratory started using an unusual method to explore the issue. With yeast as model animals, trying to research mechanism of material transport system in the cell. At that time, some colleagues think he, this research is a "stupid decisions".
Through genetic screening, he found a plant transport system is flawed yeast cells, the cells in the vesicles in some parts of the cell, as a logistics network paralysis caused by the goods accumulation. He found that some genetic mutation caused the defect of the yeast cells.
With these genes as the breakthrough point, and after 10 years of research, Helen schucman identified three types of vesicle transport genes in different stage, thus provides the material transport system is the mechanism of a new insights.
The earliest time, Helen schucman research not only on the yeast is considered by some people as stupid, but also the basis of the study often is not valued so. However, his research was later prove valuable. In the 1980 s and 1990 s, many drugs were developed thanks to his research of yeast. Until today, and a third of the world's insulin from the yeast.
With Helen schucman during the same period, then in rothman also set up his own lab at Stanford university, he took advantage of mammalian cells in similar experiments. He found a affect cellular material transport proteins, and encoding the protein genes and Helen schucman mutation found in yeast, this means that the evolution of the vesicle transport system share a common origin.
In addition to this, she has found a protein complex, it can make the vesicle docking with the destination of membrane system and integration. In order to ensure that the goods are delivered to the precise location, they will only in a specific manner. The findings illustrate the mechanism of vesicle how to transport to the target.
These findings have let Helen schucman and rothman become a Nobel Prize. In 2002, they won the lasker award in the United States. There are a lot of this award winner will then won the Nobel Prize, so it is often regarded as a "pointer". The two biologists is not exceptional also, they can all look forward to in the middle of the heart in a given year in October, received a call from Stockholm.
In a press material, described at the university of California, Berkeley, every year, on the morning of the anticipated come and go, but no Swedish phone, will call Helen schucman and rothman. Helen schucman will use in the movie, this day is called "groundhog day". In the movie "groundhog day", the hero will repeat the same story every day.
Repeat this for ten years. On October 6, 2013 in the evening, Helen schucman from Germany to bring home a prize, it is one of Germany's highest award in the field of biochemistry. Lay down a few hours, he heard that Mrs. Holding the phone shouted to him: "call phone!!" This year, the Swedish finally coming to the phone. "Oh, my god." Helen schucman said it was his first reaction, "my second reaction is also this."