| Budget Amount *help |
¥18,460,000 (Direct Cost: ¥14,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥4,260,000)
Fiscal Year 2014: ¥5,850,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,350,000)
Fiscal Year 2013: ¥5,720,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,320,000)
Fiscal Year 2012: ¥6,890,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,590,000)
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Chlorophyll metabolism is indispensable for photosynthetic organisms. This metabolic pathway is responsible not only for synthesis and degradation of chlorophyll molecules but also for other physiological processes. In this study, we focus on the following topics: (1) identification of chlorophyll metabolic enzymes; (2) regulation of chlorophyll metabolism; (3) multi-function of chlorophyll metabolism; (4) evolution of chlorophyll metabolism; (5) agricultural application. Especially, we have succeeded in identification of Mg-dechelatase which removes central Mg from chlorophyll. This is the last unidentified enzyme of chlorophyll degradation. How a new metabolic pathway has appeared during evolution is a major biological question. We showed that one of the promiscuous activities of the ancestral enzymes have become the main activity of the present enzyme during evolution. We proposed the importance of enzyme promiscuous activity for acquiring a new metabolic pathway.
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