Development of a new probe for visualization and manipulation of mtDNA

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K21634
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General pharmacology; Cell biology
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Ino Daisuke 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 生命システム研究センター, 特別研究員 (40721981)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: イメージング / DNA / ミトコンドリア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Mitochondria, organelles which play a central role in cellular energy production, have their own genome named mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The physiological and pathophysiological roles of mtDNA remain elusive partly because the techniques to analyze mtDNA function in living cells are still limited. In this research, we aimed to develop a new probe that allows us to visualize mtDNA dynamics and to artificially manipulate mtDNA state in living cells. We succeeded in generating a new fluorescent probe named ChrocodiLE, which enables us to visualize fine DNA structure in living cells.

Free Research Field

神経科学・薬理学