Constitutive approach for investigating orphan receptors using photoreceptor proteins and light as an input

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16KT0074
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 特設分野
• Research Field: Constructive Systems Biology
• Research Institution: Osaka City University
• Principal Investigator: KOYANAGI Mitsumasa 大阪市立大学, 大学院理学研究科, 教授 (30379276)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-07-19 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: GPCR / ロドプシン / 光遺伝学 / 光受容

Outline of Final Research Achievements

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are involved in various physiologies, and therefore have been studied not only for understanding the mechanisms underlying biological activities but also drug discovery. However, a significant number of GPCRs are still orphan receptors, whose input and output remain unknown. In this study, we developed a new method for understanding outputs of orphan GPCRs by using photoreceptor proteins and light as an input. We investigated molecular basis of varied animal photoreception including vision to discover photoreceptor proteins having interesting characteristics such as "dark-active and light-inactivated opsin", "UV-active and green-inactive opsin" and "the longest wavelength sensitive bistable opsin". These opsins could be promising optogenetic tools for analyzing orphan GPCRs.

Free Research Field

光生物学、分子進化学、生化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究によって、動物の光受容タンパク質をベースにした有望な光操作ツールが多数開発され、それらを用いることで、機能不明なオーファンGPCRを解析する道が開けた。GPCRは、ヒトに800種類存在し、多様な生命機能の解明という学術的興味だけでなく、創薬のターゲットとして医学薬学的にも注目されていることから、本研究で示した新しい解析手法はGPCRの研究を加速することで、社会に大きく貢献すると期待される。