Soft structure-function relationship revealed by functional conversion of photoreceptive proteins

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Science on Function of Soft Molecular Systems by Cooperation of Theory and Experiment
• Project/Area Number: 25104009
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Review Section: Science and Engineering
• Research Institution: Nagoya Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Kandori Hideki 名古屋工業大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (70202033)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 須藤 雄気 岡山大学, 医歯(薬)学総合研究科, 教授 (10452202)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): INOUE Keiichi ; IWATA Tatsuya ; KATAYAMA Kota ; YAMADA Daichi
• Project Period (FY): 2013-06-28 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 機能転換 / アミノ酸置換 / ロドプシン / イオンポンプ / フラビンタンパク質

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this project, we studied photoreceptive proteins such as rhodopsins and flavoproteins in view of discovery, conversion, and creation of functions. Through collaborations, we liked to know functional flexibility in these proteins. Consequently, we discovered light-driven inward proton pump, new channelrhodopsin, and an enzyme rhodopsin functioning as phosphodiesterase. We achieved several functional conversions for light-driven ion pumps and photolyases, while each functional conversion was asymmetric, and related to evolution. Based on the structure of a light-driven sodium pump KR2, we engineered light-driven potassium and cesium pumps. We published about 80 articles in Nature, Nat. Commun., Chem. Rev., JACS, Angew., PNAS, JPC Letters and JBC during the project period.

Free Research Field

生物物理学