Newsflash Transport

NATIONAL CENTER FOR CASE STUDY TEACHING IN SCIENCE

Newsflash! Transport Proteins on Strike!

by Dianne W. York Biology Department, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania The Cast

PHIL LIPID, news anchor CHLOE ESTEROL, reporter PHOSPHOLIPIDS, workers at the Plasma Membrane POLLY PEPTIDE, president of the TPWU H2O, molecule CO2, molecule O2, molecule GLUCOSE, molecule AMINO ACID, molecule PROFESSOR CY TOSOL, professor at Cell University GENE NOME, spokesperson for The Cell

NARRATOR: The good molecules of The Cell have been on edge for days. The Cell has always been a vibrant place to live and work. But that is all in jeopardy now due to a threatened walkout by the Transport Protein Workers Union (TPWU), which has been unable to secure a satisfactory contract from the Cellular Membrane Transportation Authority, more commonly known as CEMTA (pronounced SEM-tah). CEMTA oversees all business at the Plasma Membrane, which forms the outer border of The Cell. The Plasma Membrane incessantly bustles with the activity of molecules entering and leaving The Cell. Much of that activity is critical, and it is not known how severely a strike by the TPWU will affect life at The Cell. Many molecules are tuned in to their local TV news stations, desperate to hear the latest, when the following breaking news report interrupts the regularly scheduled program. (On TV) PHIL LIPID: Good morning. This is PHIL LIPID in the newsroom at Channel Two Organic News with a LIVE Special Report. The Transport Protein Workers Union, or TPWU, has just held a press conference where they announced that they will strike as of midnight tonight. Negotiations between the TPWU and CEMTA have broken down and no new talks are scheduled at this time. CHLOE ESTEROL is standing by at the Plasma Membrane. CHLOE, what’s the latest? CHLOE ESTEROL: Good morning, PHIL. Talks with the TPWU have indeed broken down as of 10am this morning. Those talks were reportedly marked at times by heated and occasionally...