Cell and Developmental Biology Commons^™

A Search For Light-Detecting Proteins In The Free-Living Protist, Tetrahymena Thermophila: Does Tetrahymena Have Opsin-Like Or Bacteriorhodopsin-Like Proteins?, Jillian Marie Rainville

Senior Honors Projects

Tetrahymena is a genus of ciliated protozoans, a diversified lineage of unicellular eukaryotes. They are freshwater organisms, and generally inhabit streams, lakes, and ponds. Tetrahymena thermophila is commonly studied as a model cell because of its unique variety of complex and specialized cell structures and processes, which are similar to those of higher animals.

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are transmembrane proteins that transduce stimuli from outside of the cell into intracellular signals, through the interaction of their intracellular domains with heterotrimeric G proteins. GPCRs make up a vast protein family that includes a variety of subfamilies with distinct functions. They are …