Piezoelectric effect in proteins: a novel mechanism of allostery

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K14715
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biophysics
• Research Institution: Waseda University
• Principal Investigator: Takano Mitsunori 早稲田大学, 理工学術院, 教授 (40313168)
• Research Collaborator: Sato Takato ; Ohnuki Jun
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: アロステリー / 分子機械 / 圧電応答 / 誘電応答

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The vital activities of living organisms are ultimately based on the functions of protein molecules and the highly-organized intermolecular interaction network among the proteins and other biomolecules. The motility, for example, is based on the association and dissociation dynamics of actin and myosin molecules that is regulated by ATP (energy-supplying biomolecule). In this study, by using high-performance computers, we elucidated the input-output characteristics (particularly piezoelectric and dielectric responses) of the molecular device of protein to advance the physical understanding of how a single protein molecule works and how the intermolecular interactions are regulated.

Free Research Field

生物物理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

もしミオシンの正常に機能しなくなったり、あるいはATPによるミオシンとアクチンの結合と解離の制御がうまくいかなくなることあれば、私たちの運動機能（たとえば心臓の収縮弛緩運動）は大きなダメージを受ける。タンパク質1分子がどのように機能するか、分子間相互作用がどのように制御されるかの物理基盤が明らかになればタンパク質分子物性の基礎科学として学術的意義が大きいのみならず、それらが正常に機能しなくなったときの根本的な原因究明（原因療法）につながる可能性がある。