Ubiquitin signal involved in membrane trafficking for plant environmental stress responses

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K08190
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied molecular and cellular biology
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Sato Takeo 北海道大学, 理学研究院, 准教授 (50609724)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: ユビキチンシグナル / 膜交通制御 / 環境ストレス適応

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this project, we investigated the molecular mechanism mediating plant responses to environmental stresses via ubiquitin signal. Ubiquitination is one of the fundamental post-translational modifications with ubiquitin, a conserved 76-amino acid protein present in eukaryotes. We previously identified a membrane localized ubiquitin ligase ATL31 regulating plant adaptation to carbon/nitrogen nutrient stress and defense response to pathogen attack. Proteomic analysis revealed that ATL31 interacts with several membrane trafficking regulators. We also found that ATL31 localized to several endosomal compartments as well as plasma membrane. In addition, we demonstrated that ATL31 physically interacts with and ubiquitinates a regulatory component of membrane trafficking system in Arabidopsis plants.

Free Research Field

植物科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の結果，これまで植物において知られていなかった環境ストレス適応の分子機構の一端が明らかになった。細胞内の物質輸送において重要な役割を果たす膜交通系構成因子の翻訳後機能制御の知見はあまり無い。細胞内の物質輸送制御の根幹に関わる因子の翻訳後修飾の存在を突き止めたことで，多様な環境ストレスへの適応戦略の理解につながる可能性がある。今後，作物種等における研究に発展させることで，農業分野へ貢献する研究としたい。