Development of the photoswitch systems sensing rainbow colors

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14486
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biophysics
• Research Institution: Toyohashi University of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Hirose Yuu 豊橋技術科学大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (30616230)
• Research Collaborator: EKI Toshihiko 豊橋技術科学大学, 環境・生命工学系・大学院工学研究科, 教授 (40192512)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 次世代シークエンサー / フィトクロム / オプトジェネティクス / シアノバクテリア / 光受容体 / 二成分制御系 / シアノバクテリオクロム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we aimed to develop the photoswitch systems sensing rainbow colors by introducing random mutagenesis in the cyanobacteriochrome-class photosensor and by its screening in E. coli using next generation sequencers. We introduced the photoswitch system and light regulated promoter fused to antibiotics genes in E. coli, but did not observe clear control of its growth rate by light irradiation. Further analyses suggested that 1) activation of light-regulated promoter by E. coli transcriptional system and 2) inefficient transcriptional activation probably due to low efficiency in chromophore attachment of photosensor protein and/or its low phosphorylation activity. Therefore, we are now trying a superior photoswitch identified in different host cyanobacteria and establishing more systematic approach.

Free Research Field

光生物学、ゲノム生物学