Understanding of the mechanism of phenotypic memory of E. coli by using experimental evolution and epigenomic analysis

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K15052
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: System genome science
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Horinouchi Takaaki 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 生命機能科学研究センター, 研究員 (60610988)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 大腸菌 / 実験室進化 / オミクス解析 / エピゲノム / 薬剤耐性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Biological systems possess the ability to adapt to environmental changes, which generate a variety of phenotypes and genotypes. In the author’s previous study suggested that a part of the adaptive phenotypic changes are related to epigenetic mechanisms. However, it is entirely unclear how epigenetic mechanisms drive adaptive evolution. To clarify this point, the effect of nucleoid associated proteins (NAPs), which is expected to related to epigenetic mechanisms were analyzed. The results suggested that the disruption of Lrp affect the direction of evolution by the loss of acquirence effective mutations.

Free Research Field

システムゲノム科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

適応進化過程の解明は進化生物学的な価値にとどまらず、生物進化を利用した応用研究にも大きな波及をもたらす。多剤耐性菌の出現が喫緊の課題となっている医学薬学分野においては、単に効果の大きい新薬の開発のみならず、耐性化そのものを抑制する方法が求められている。本研究の遂行は、その制御のための全く新たな手法の開発のための基盤となる知見をもたらす。