Regulation of retrotransposon RNA that facilitates recombination-mediated chromosome reorganization

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K14670
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Molecular biology
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: ISHII Kojiro 大阪大学, 生命機能研究科, 特任准教授(常勤) (40360276)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: ゲノム / 染色体 / トランスポゾン / RNA / 動原体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Retrotransposons are the repetitive element interspersed throughout the genome. They have been regarded as one of the causes for chromosome configuration changes. However, the molecular mechanisms lying behind the changes have been poorly understood. In this study, we identified the involvement of retrotransposon RNA in the chromosome configuration changes. Previously, we have demonstrated, by using a model assay in fission yeast, that a canonical stress-induced cellular program imposed the retrotransposon-mediated chromosomal configuration changes. We showed here that the known transcription-coupled facilitation mechanism of homologous chromosome pairing during meiosis also contributed to the chromosome configuration changes achieved through the retrotransposons. This uncovers a common ground between the chromosome configuration changes and meiotic recombination.

Free Research Field

分子生物学