Elucidating the physiological significance of the fertilization calcium waves through the idenfication of novel channels

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K18547
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Developmental biology
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Takayama Jun 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 革新知能統合研究センター, 研究員 (20574114)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 受精カルシウム波 / 受精 / カルシウム波 / カルシウムチャネル / 線虫

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Fertilization calcium waves are a conserved signal that triggers both animal and plant embryonic development. The calcium waves are thought to be propagated by the action of the IP3 receptor calcium channels. However, in the nematode C. elegans, involvement of a novel channel is suggested. In this study, we aimed to identify calcium channels that are responsible for the propagation of the calcium waves. We generated a transgenic C. elegans strain that expresses the genetically-encoded calcium indicator GCaMP6s in the germline. By using this transgenic strain, we conducted a feeding RNA interference screen. We identified several candidate genes that might be involved in the calcium wave propagation.

Free Research Field

発生生物学