Mammalian prestin

Abstract

The invention relates to mammalian prestin protein, which has been discovered to be the mammalian cochlear outer hair cell motor, and to polynucleotides encoding prestin. Full length gerbil prestin and its cDNA are described, full length murine prestin and its cDNA are described, and a partial sequence of human prestin and its chromosomal location are described.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising a portion which anneals with high stringency with at-least twenty consecutive nucleotide residues of a coding region of a mammalian pres gene.  
     
     
         2 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein the mammalian pres gene comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2 and SEQ ID NO: 4.  
     
     
         3 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising a portion which anneals with high stringency with at least twenty consecutive nucleotide residues of a coding region of a mammalian pres gene, wherein the coding region is one other than a coding region which corresponds to any of exons 1-6 of the human pres gene.  
     
     
         4 . An isolated polynucleotide which comprises the coding region of a mammalian prestin gene, wherein the coding region of the gene is at least 75% homologous with the coding region of at least one of the gerbil prestin gene and the murine prestin gene.  
     
     
         5 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 4 , further comprising a promoter/regulatory region operably linked with the coding region.  
     
     
         6 . An isolated mammalian prestin protein.  
     
     
         7 . The isolated protein of  claim 6 , wherein the mammalian prestin protein is isolated from a mammal selected from the group consisting of a gerbil, a mouse, and a human.  
     
     
         8 . The isolated protein of  claim 6 , wherein the protein has an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 and SEQ ID NO: 3.  
     
     
         9 . The isolated protein of  claim 6 , wherein the protein is substantially purified.  
     
     
         10 . An isolated antibody which specifically binds with a mammalian prestin protein.  
     
     
         11 . A method of alleviating a hearing disorder in a mammal afflicted with the disorder, the method comprising providing a mammalian prestin protein to cochlear outer hair cells of the mammal, whereby the disorder is alleviated.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the protein is provided to the cells by providing to the cells a polynucleotide encoding the protein.  
     
     
         13 . A method of rendering the surface area of a lipid bilayer susceptible to modulation by membrane potential, the method comprising providing a mammalian prestin protein to the bilayer, whereby the bilayer is rendered susceptible to modulation by membrane potential.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the lipid bilayer is the plasma membrane of a cell.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the protein is provided to the bilayer by providing a polynucleotide encoding the protein to the cell and expressing the protein in the cell.  
     
     
         16 . A method of modulating the surface area of a lipid bilayer, the method comprising providing a mammalian prestin protein to the bilayer and thereafter modulating the membrane potential, whereby the surface area of the bilayer is modulated.  
     
     
         17 . A method of modulating the stiffness of a lipid bilayer which surrounds a relatively fixed volume, the method comprising providing a mammalian prestin protein to the bilayer, and thereafter modulating the membrane potential, whereby the stiffness of the bilayer is modulated.  
     
     
         18 . A method of modulating the volume of a porous bilammelar lipid vesicle, the method comprising providing a mammalian prestin protein to the bilayer, and thereafter modulating the membrane potential, whereby the volume of the vesicle is modulated.  
     
     
         19 . A method of generating a force between two surfaces, the method comprising 
 interposing a structure which comprises a lipid membrane comprising prestin and enclosing a relatively fixed volume of fluid between the surfaces;    restraining the ability of the structure to expand in a direction at least partially parallel to at least one of the surfaces; and    altering the membrane potential of the lipid membrane, 
 whereby the structure impacts upon the two surfaces and a force is generated therebetween.  
   
     
     
         20 . A method for creating an electrical impulse, said method comprising applying an external mechanical force to prestin, thereby creating an electrical impulse.