Molecular mechanisms for centromere formation

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H06167
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Genetics/Chromosome dynamics
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Fukagawa Tatsuo 大阪大学, 大学院生命機能研究科, 教授 (60321600)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-05-31 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: セントロメア / 動原体 / 染色体 / 染色体分配 / 細胞分裂 / エピジェネティクス / タンパク質 / クライオEM

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Chromosomes must be stably maintained and propagated through continuous cell divisions for organisms to sustain life. Fukagawa has focused his research particularly on "chromosome segregation," one of the chromosome maintenance mechanisms. The centromere regions on chromosomes captured by spindle microtubules during mitosis are important for chromosome segregation, and this study aimed to understand the chromosome segregation mechanism by elucidating the mechanism of centromere formation. We achieved our goals in three topics: elucidation of the centromere protein binding network, understanding of the genome basis of centromeric region, and elucidation of the structural basis of centromere proteins. Then, we believe that our understanding on centromere formation is progressed.

Free Research Field

分子細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

染色体の分配不全は、がんをはじめとする多くの疾患の原因となる。特に染色体の不安定化は、がんの指標としても近年注目を受けている。この観点から、本研究は、染色体が不安定化しないための機構の解明を目指している。本研究では、基礎生物的観点から染色体分配機構の理解を進め、多くの研究成果を挙げたが、本知見は、将来的にはがんの治療薬、診断薬などの開発につながる基礎研究と位置付けられる。