【摘要】 长期以来很多科学家致力于研究物质,如水和离子是如何穿过细胞膜从而完成细胞内外物质交换的。1988年Peter Agre第一次发现并描述了细胞膜水通道蛋白质的特性,Roderic MacKinnon则在1998年阐明了离子通道的结构和机理,使我们可以从原子水平了解这些精美的蛋白质结构和运行机理。由于这两位科学家在细胞膜通道研究方面的卓越贡献,他们分享了2003年诺贝尔化学奖。在他们的研究中,基于同步辐射的蛋白质结构测定发挥了很关键的作用。更多还原

【Abstract】 For long time a lot of scientists have devoted to study how matter, such as water molecules and K+, Na+, Ca2+, Cl-ions, move through cell membranes and complete the matter exchange between the inside and outside of cells. Peter Agre discovered and characterized the first water channel protein in 1988 and Roderick MacKinnon elucidated the structural and mechanistic basis for ion channel function in 1998. These achievements have made it possible for us to "see" these exquisitely designed molecular machines in action at the atomic level. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2003 is shared between these two scientists. In determining the high resolution 3D structure of these channels, the synchrotron X-ray diffraction plays an important role.更多还原