Creating light-activated ion channels for regulating cell functions by light

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K07035
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biophysics
• Research Institution: The Graduate School for the Creation of New Photonics Industries
• Principal Investigator: Hirano Minako 光産業創成大学院大学, 光産業創成研究科, 講師 (80585167)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: イオンチャネル / 光感受性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Here, we created chimera mutants which showed light sensitivity. We made about 100 chimera mutants in which a photosensitive domain or various lengths of a photosensitive protein were fused to various lengths of KcsA channel. Using K + transport deficient yeast, chimera mutants that differ in growth with or without light stimulation were selected and finally six mutants which grew well under blue light, that is, which had a high K + transport ability were obtained. Moreover, to establish a system for controlling cell functions by light using the chimera mutants, we introduced one of the chimera mutants into HEK cells and measure ionic currents by patch clamping method.

Free Research Field

生物物理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究によりカリウムチャネルの活性化機構を明らかにし、それを基盤に青色光感受性イオンチャネルの候補となる変異体を数種作製することができた。今後これらをさらに改変することにより、細胞内のイオン環境を光で制御することが可能になるであろう。光感受性イオンチャネルを用いれば組織や細胞にダメージを与えることなく細胞機能を制御できるので、様々な生命現象の基盤の解明や疾患の原因解明が進展することが期待でき、さらには疾患の治療法の開発にも貢献するであろう。