Dr. Ernest M Wright
Membrane Biology
53-159 CHS
310-825-6905
ewright@mednet.ucla.edu

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Research Interests:

Our goal is to understand the structure and function of cotransporter proteins. These are responsible for the active transport of molecules and ions into cells. Specifically, we study sodium glucose (SGLTs), and proton dipeptide (PEPTs) cotransporters. Our group uses a combination of biophysical biochemical, molecular and genetic techniques to unravel how these molecular machines convert the energy stored in sodium gradients to drive the uphill transport of solutes. We also study genetic diseases of SGLTs where our goal is to determine how mutations cause transport defects.  The cotransporters are expressed either in Xenopus laevis oocytes for biophysical studies or Escherichia coli for the isolation of protein for biochemical and structural studies.

Representative Publications:

Loo,  D.D.F., Hirayama, B.A., Karakossian, M.H., Meinild, A-K. & Wright, E.M. (2006). Conformational Dynamics of hSGLT1 during  Na+/glucose cotransport.J. General Physiology 128:701-720.

Zampighi, G.A., Zampighi, L,M., Fain, N., Lanzavecchia, S., Simon, S.A. and Wright, E.M. (2006).  Conical electron tomography of a chemical synapse: vesicles docked to the active  zone are hemi-fused.  Biophysical J. 91: 2910-2918.

Turk, E., Gasymov, O., Lanza, S. Horwitz, J. and Wright, E.M. (2006). A reinvestigation of the secondary structure of functionally active Vibrio sodium/galactose cotransporter vSGLT.   Biochemistry. 45: 1470-1479.

Representative Publications:

Chen, B.M. and Grinnell, A.D. (1997) Kinetics, Ca++ dependence, and biophysical properties of integrin-mediated mechanical modulation of transmitter release from frog motor neerve terminals. J. Neurosci.  17:904-916

Yazejian, B.M., Sun, X.-P., and Grinnell, A.D. (2000) Tracking presynaptic Ca++ dynamics during neurotransmitter release with Ca++-activated K+ channels. Nature Neurosci. 3:566-571.

Sun, V.-P., Yazejian, B, and Grinnell, A.D. (2004) Electrophysiological properties of BK channels in Xenopus motor nerve terminals. J. Physiol. 557:207-228

Synapse in Xenopus 
Nerve-muscle cell culture

Freeze-etch of frog nmj