Search for protein factors involved in mammalian mtDNA replication

• Project/Area Number: 26840011
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Molecular biology
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Yasukawa Takehiro 九州大学, 医学研究院, 助教 (90646720)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2016)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000); 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)
• Keywords: ミトコンドリアDNA / ミトコンドリアＤＮＡ / DNA複製因子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Most of a cell’s energy is generated in the compartment of the cell called mitochondria. Mitochondria contain a small circle of DNA, called mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), that is essential for energy production to maintain life. The significance of mtDNA maintenance can be recognized by the fact that abnormalities in mtDNA are associated with human pathology. A deeper understanding of how mtDNA is replicated and maintained is thus important for the progress of bioscience and medicine. This research project was aimed at finding a new protein factor(s) that are involved in the replication and/or maintenance of mtDNA. To this end, methods for purifying mtDNA-protein complexes were constructed. Then attempts were made to capture proteins that were contained in the complexes, followed by determination of the identity of the proteins. Further, whether the proteins are involved in mtDNA replication or maintenance were examined.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] ミトコンドリアDNAのユニークな複製メカニズム (2017)
  • Author(s): 安川 武宏
  • Journal Title: 医学のあゆみ Volume: 260 Pages: 5-10
• [Journal Article] Pathological ribonuclease H1 causes R-loop depletion and aberrant DNA segregation in mitochondria (2016)
  • Author(s): Akman, G., Desai, R., Bailey, L.J., Yasukawa, T., Dalla Rosa, I., Durigon, R., Holmes, J.B., Moss, C.F., Mennuni, M., Houlden, H., Crouch, R.J., Hanna, M.G., Pitceathly, R.D., Spinazzola, A., Holt, I.J.
  • Journal Title: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Volume: 113 Issue: 30
  • DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1600537113
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Suppression of mitochondrial transcription initiation complexes changes the balance of replication intermediates of mitochondrial DNA and reduces 7S DNA in cultured human cells (2016)
  • Author(s): Jianhua Qu, Takehiro Yasukawa, Dongchon Kang
  • Journal Title: The Journal of Biochemistry Volume: N/A Issue: 1 Pages: 49-57
  • DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvw010
  • NAID: 40020880721
  • Peer Reviewed / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Presentation] ミトコンドリアDNAメチル化修飾の解析～ミトコンドリアゲノムにエピジェネティクスは存在するのか (2016)
  • Author(s): 安川 武宏、松田盛、坂口裕理子、鵜木元香、後藤和人、福田渓、一柳健司、鈴木勉、佐々木裕之、康東天
  • Organizer: 第39回日本分子生物学会年会
  • Place of Presentation: パシフィコ横浜（神奈川県）
  • Year and Date: 2016-11-30
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 高等脊椎動物ミトコンドリアDNAの複製機構 (2016)
  • Author(s): 安川 武宏
  • Organizer: 日本遺伝学会第88回大会
  • Place of Presentation: 日本大学国際関係学部三島駅北口校舎（静岡県）
  • Year and Date: 2016-09-07
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Initiation of mtDNA replication in human mitochondria & role of 7S DNA (2015)
  • Author(s): Jianhua Qu, Takehiro Yasukawa, Yuji Komorita, Dongchon Kang
  • Organizer: 日本・フィンランドの若手研究者によるミトコンドリア最前線
  • Place of Presentation: フィンランド国ヘルシンキ市
  • Year and Date: 2015-10-05
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Remarks] 研究室ホームページ
  • URL: http://www.cclm2.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp/
• [Remarks] 研究室ホームページ
  • URL: http://www.cclm2.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp/index.html
• [Remarks] 九州大学研究者情報
  • URL: http://hyoka.ofc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/search/details/K004860/index.html