Project/Area Number |
25871213
|
Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
|
Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
Research Field |
Functional biochemistry
Inorganic chemistry
|
Research Institution | University of Hyogo |
Principal Investigator |
Sawai Hitomi 兵庫県立大学, 生命理学研究科, 助教 (50584851)
|
Project Period (FY) |
2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
|
Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
|
Budget Amount *help |
¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000)
Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
|
Keywords | ヘム / 輸送タンパク質 / 鉄栄養 / 構造機能解析 / 蛋白質 / 生体分子 / シャペロン |
Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Heme (iron-protoporphyrin IX) is one of the most important nutrition required in all organisms. Because animals utilize heme as iron source by food intake and biosynthesis/reuse in the body, it was previously thought that they are equipped with heme transport systems. However, no molecules apparently involved in heme transport have been identified, and heme dynamics in animals remained unclear. Recently, the HRG proteins were identified as proteins related to heme dynamics by gene analyses of the metazoan C. elegans, which is a natural heme auxotroph. To investigate protein properties of HRG-3 and HRG-4, which were predicted as an intercellular heme chaperon and a heme importer, we established preparation protocols for these proteins, and characterized structural and functional properties. Based on the results, we revealed a dimer of HRG-3 bound one heme molecule, and the interaction between HRG-4 and protoporphyrin ring in heme was important for the heme trafficking mechanism.
|