How tiny ear proteins open channels to turn sound into nerve signals
Molecular Mechanisms of Auditory Transduction
This project looks at how tiny proteins in inner-ear hair cells open channels to turn sound into nerve signals to help people with hearing loss.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard Medical School NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11234235 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Scientists want to know how tension on the tip link in the inner ear causes ion channels in hair cells to open. They will map where the tip-link protein PCDH15 binds to the channel protein TMC1 using protein-binding tests, mutating parts of the proteins, and single-cell electrical recordings. High-resolution structures from cryo-electron microscopy and predictions from AlphaFold2 will guide which pieces to change and how the channel might look when open or closed. Combining biochemical binding data and electrophysiology should reveal the movements that let sound become an electrical signal.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with sensorineural hearing loss, especially those with known or suspected genetic defects in hair-cell proteins like TMC1 or PCDH15, would be the most directly relevant patient group for future therapies stemming from this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose hearing loss stems from middle-ear problems, nerve damage beyond hair cells, or non-hair-cell causes are unlikely to benefit directly from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to precise molecular targets for therapies that restore or protect hearing in patients with hair-cell or genetic hearing loss.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have identified TMC1/TMC2 as the pore-forming proteins and produced structural models, but the exact gating mechanism linking tip-link tension to channel opening remains largely unresolved.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Harvard Medical School — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Corey, David P — Harvard Medical School
- Study coordinator: Corey, David P
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.