Exploring the molecular basis for the emergence of inter-sexual communication associated with the evolution of male-female dimorphism

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K07510
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Evolutionary biology
• Research Institution: Hosei University (2020-2021); The University of Tokyo (2017-2019)
• Principal Investigator: Kawai-Toyooka Hiroko 法政大学, 生命科学部, 助手 (00442997)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 異型配偶化 / 有性生殖進化 / ボルボックス系列 / 性フェロモン / 配偶子認識 / 配偶子進化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the evolutionary process of inter-sexual communication, which triggers gamete induction and subsequent fertilization through the union of an egg (produced by a female) and a sperm (produced by a male). This was achieved by focusing on volvocine green algae, a model lineage for investigating gamete dimorphism. The results suggested that, as previously reported in oogamous Volvox species, a proteinaceous sex pheromone was involved in inter-sexual communication during gamete induction in an anisogamous Eudorina, which is an organism at an intermediate evolutionary stage of male-female dimorphism. The findings of this study also indicated that FUS1, a glycoprotein that functions in gamete recognition in isogamous volvocine algae, may contribute to inter-sexual gamete recognition in anisogamous Eudorina.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の成果により、ボルボックス系列の異型配偶生物では、(1)卵生殖生物と同様な性フェロモンタンパク質を介した配偶子誘導メカニズムが存在すること、(2)同型配偶生物と共通する因子が関与する配偶子認識メカニズムが存在する可能性が高いこと、を示した。そのため本研究は、配偶子の「異性間コミュニケーション」という観点での、異型配偶生物の中間段階としての性質を浮き彫りにし、今後のより詳細な解析の基盤を築いたといえる。