Investigation of the mechanism underlying stem-cell formation induced by DNA damage

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K14760
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Plant molecular biology/Plant physiology
• Research Institution: National Institute for Basic Biology
• Principal Investigator: TAMADA Yosuke 基礎生物学研究所, 生物進化研究部門, 助教 (50579290)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 長谷部 光泰 基礎生物学研究所, 生物進化研究部門, 教授 (40237996)
• Research Collaborator: GU Nan Huazhong Agricultural University, College of Life Science and Technology, Graduate student ; CHEN Chunli Huazhong Agricultural University, College of Life Science and Technology, Associate Professor ; PALFALVI Gergo 総合研究大学院大学, 生命科学研究科, 大学院生
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: DNA損傷 / 幹細胞化 / 細胞リプログラミング / クロマチン / 発生・分化 / 植物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We found that DNA damage induces cellular reprogramming from differentiated leaf cells to protonema stem cells without cell death in the moss Physcomitrella patens. This project aimed at understanding the molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon. We found that a DNA repair-related factor and wounding-induced reprogramming factors are necessary for the DNA damage-induced reprogramming. In addition, another DNA damage-related factor was involved in the regulation of chromatin structure during the sperm formation. These results indicate that DNA damage-induced reprogramming is mediated by DNA repair- and wounding-induced reprogramming pathways, and that DNA damage also contributes to the sperm formation, one of the developmental processes embracing cellular reprogramming.

Free Research Field

発生生物学、分子生物学、植物分子・生理科学、エピジェネティクス