Following a labelled cargo
Cells receive a short pulse of labelled amino acid, then unlabelled amino acid. The label stays attached to one cargo protein. Each value is the percentage of all recovered label in that compartment.
| Time | ER | Golgi | Vesicles | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 min | 80 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 min | 40 | 45 | 15 | 0 |
| 20 min | 10 | 25 | 45 | 20 |
| 40 min | 0 | 0 | 20 | 80 |
| B, 40 min | 5 | 75 | 15 | 5 |
The total recovered label is constant in the untreated time course. Treatment B does not change synthesis during the pulse. Total yields have not been compared between treatments.
Terms used in this experiment
- ER
- A membrane compartment where this cargo protein is made.
- Golgi
- A compartment that modifies and sorts cargo proteins.
- Vesicles
- Small membrane carriers that can release cargo outside the cell.
- Medium
- The liquid outside the cells; cargo here has been secreted.
- Pulse and chase
- A brief labelled supply marks cargo made during the pulse. An unlabelled supply then lets researchers follow that same cargo.