Lipid transport via the endoplasmic reticulum communication zones

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Toward an integrative understanding of functional zones in organelles
• Project/Area Number: 17H06417
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Review Section: Biological Sciences
• Research Institution: National Institute of Infectious Diseases
• Principal Investigator: Hanada Kentaro 国立感染症研究所, 品質保証・管理部, 主任研究官 (30192701)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 加藤 薫 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 生命工学領域, 主任研究員 (80356782) ; 下嶋 美恵 東京工業大学, 生命理工学院, 准教授 (90401562)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: オルガネラ間脂質輸送 / 小胞体 / ゴルジ体 / 葉緑体 / CERT / PAH / ゲノム編集 / 超解像蛍光顕微鏡

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Lipid transport between organelles is thought to occur efficiently in special intracellular subregions (called organelle communication zones) where different organelles contact each other. However, it remains elusive how the zones for lipid transport are formed and functionally regulated. and the visualization of the zone has not been achieved. In this study, we investigated the ceramide transfer protein CERT, which mediates ceramide transport from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi apparatus in animal cells, and the phosphatidic acid phosphohydrolase, which is involved in phospholipid transport from the ER to the chloroplast in plant cells. Using high-resolution imaging techniques, we elucidated the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation and regulation of the ER communication zones involved in lipid transport.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

小胞体と他のオルガネラとの連携ゾーンで効率的な脂質転送が起こる仕組みの一端が明らかになった。また、高解像イメージング技術についても、細胞生物学に大変有用ないくつかの新技法を提供した。さらに、CERTの抑制制御不全は人の疾病の原因となり、また、植物におけるPAHの機能不全はリン欠乏をはじめとする様々なストレス応答の不全をもたらすことも明らかになってきた。よって、本研究成果は、人の疾病の診断・治療やストレス耐性型有用植物の作出といった応用に結び付くと期待される。