Identification of putative replication origin(s) and its application in unicellular red algae Cyanidioschyzon merolae

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K07675
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied microbiology
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Agriculture
• Principal Investigator: WATANABE Satoru 東京農業大学, 生命科学部, 准教授 (10508237)
• Research Collaborator: KANESAKI Yu ; OHBA Yusaku ; IWAGAMI Masanobu ; YOSHIKAWA Kanako
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: DNA複製 / 複製開始 / 人工染色体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Regulation of DNA replication is essential for maintaining precise chromosomal copy number in all organisms. In yeast and animal cells, the mechanism of DNA replication initiation has been revealed, however the observation of that is very limited in algae and green plants. Cyanidioschyzon merolae is unicellular red algae, living under high temperature and strong acidity such as hot spring. C. merolae have simple cell structure and genome, thus this organism is suitable to study the basic principle of plant DNA replication initiation mechanism. In this study, we investigated DNA replication start sites in C. merolae by ChIP-seq and Repli-seq analysis and found several candidates. In addition, we constructed vector contains marker gene and centromere for the platform of artificial chromosome. Our study will contribute for not only understanding plant DNA replication but also developing algae genome biology.

Free Research Field

応用微生物

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

シゾンは植物の基本的な細胞機能を解析するモデルとして期待されており、本研究から得られた成果を高等生物へとフィードバックすることで、農学を始め幅広い分野に応用可能である。また近年、単細胞性の真核藻類は有用物質生産のホストとして期待が高まっている。コンタミネーションのリスクが低いシゾンは物質生産のホストとしても高いポテンシャルを秘めており、本研究はシゾンをはじめとする藻類ゲノム工学の発展に大きく貢献できる。