2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Study on a non-visual photoreception lost in the course of mammalian evolution
| Project/Area Number |
15K14568
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Research Field |
Animal physiology/Animal behavior
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| Research Institution | Osaka City University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha) |
TERAKITA Akihisa 大阪市立大学, 大学院理学研究科, 教授 (30212062)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
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| Keywords | 進化 / 光感覚 / 有袋類 / 生理学 / ロドプシン |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
We discovered a photoreceptor gene (opsin), which does not exist in eutherian genomes, in marsupial genomes. In this study, we carried out functional analyses of the marsupial opsin spectroscopically and biochemically to understand the diversity of photoreception in mammals. We found that the marsupial opsin indeed forms a photosensitive pigment. In addition, histochemical analysis revealed that the marsupial opsin exhibits a different expression pattern from other opsins in opossum, suggesting a novel photoreception in mammals.
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| Free Research Field |
光生物学
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