Role of heterochromatin in chromosome function

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Functions of non-coding DNA region for genome integrity
• Project/Area Number: 23114005
• 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: Nagoya City University (2012-2015); The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (2011)
• Principal Investigator: Jun-ichi Nakayama 名古屋市立大学, システム自然科学研究科, 教授 (60373338)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ARIYOSHI Mariko 京都大学, 大学院工学研究科, 研究員 (80437243) ; NORIYUKI Suka 明星大学, 理工学部, 准教授 (00396219) ; KOGA Akihiko 京都大学, 霊長類研究所, 教授 (80192574) ; NAKAGAWA Reiko 理化学研究所, ライフサイエンス技術基盤研究センター, 研究員 (40469911)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 非コードDNA / ヘテロクロマチン / 染色体 / HP1

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Chromosomal functional domains such as centromeres and telomeres are consist of non-coding DNAs (ncDNAs), and higher-order chromatin structure, called heterochromatin plays a pivotal role in faithful propagation of chromosomes. Although specific histone methylation and HP1 proteins have been implicated in heterochromatin assembly, the relationship between ncDNAs and heterochromatin formation has not been fully understood. In this study, we focused on HP1 and demonstrated that a series of posttranslational modifications of HP1 regulates its chromatin binding. We further demonstrated that interactions between different types of repetitive DNAs are involved in dynamic chromatin reorganization in nucleus.

Free Research Field

分子生物学