Elucidation of the regulatory mechanism for epigenetic information and higher-order chromatin structure during the replication cycle

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: 19H05744
• 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: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Aburatani Hiroyuki 東京大学, 先端科学技術研究センター, 特任研究員 (10202657)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 永野 隆 大阪大学, 蛋白質研究所, 招へい教授 (70272854)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: エピゲノム / 一細胞解析 / 空間解析 / クロマチン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The regulatory mechanism of epigenomic maintenance is the most important molecular basis for the formation of multicellular organisms, as it generates a diversity of cellular traits. Elucidation of asymmetric division is crucial to understanding the diverse cell types that make up living organisms. By collecting gene expression and chromatin information simultaneously at single-cell resolution, we observed a series of epigenetic changes, including an isoform switch of the lineage-specific transcription factors, which may be involved in the control mechanism for asymmetric division. By analyzing a cancer organoid with bidirectional differentiation and hematopoietic stem cells, we revealed that cell populations are composed of diverse cells with epigenetic difference.

Free Research Field

ゲノム科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

生体は多様な細胞から構成されており、それぞれの細胞の違いは精緻なエピゲノム制御によって生み出されます。近年一細胞ごとにエピゲノム状態と遺伝子転写を同時に調べることが可能となり、さらには組織切片上で隣接する細胞との相互作用も検出できるようになりました。本研究では胎児形質を示すがん細胞や造血幹細胞を対象に解析を行い、異なる細胞が形成される制御メカニズムの解明を行いました。