Study on the mechanisms of establishment of chromatin structure during meiosis

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Mechanisms underlying replication of non-genomic codes that mediate plasticity and robustness for cellular inheritance
• Project/Area Number: 19H05743
• 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: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: Ishiguro Kei-ichiro 熊本大学, 発生医学研究所, 教授 (30508114)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 減数分裂 / 細胞周期 / クロマチン / 染色体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We identified a novel factor, MEIOSIN, which acts as a switch from mitosis to meiosis in mouse germ cells, and found that germ cells lacking MEIOSIN fail to initiate meiosis and become infertile with testicular and ovarian atrophy in both males and females. It was also found that many uncharacterized genes were among those directly regulated by MEIOSIN. Analysis of these gene-disrupted mice led to the identification of several novel factors that play essential roles in meiosis.

Free Research Field

発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

長年の懸案とされていた減数分裂の開始機構の解明に大いにインパクトを与える学術的成果をもたらした。さらに、体細胞分裂と減数分裂の違いを生み出す染色体構造の構築メカニズムの解明に突破口を拓いた点で国際的にもインパクトの高い重要な成果が得られた。本研究により減数分裂開始因子の親玉を押さえたことで体細胞分裂と減数分裂との本質的な違いを決定付けるメカニズムの全容解明に向けて、国際的にも圧倒的に有利な状況で今後の研究を推進できる体制を築くことができた。