Nutrition-dependent regulation of Nodal gene by a novel histone O-GlcNAc modification

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K15391
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Integrative animal science
• Research Institution: Waseda University
• Principal Investigator: Arai Daisuke 早稲田大学, 理工学術院, 講師(任期付) (20624951)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: エピジェネティクス / Nodal / ヒストン修飾

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Nodal gene plays quite important roles in embryonic development. In this project, we studied regulatory mechanisms of Nodal gene expression, focusing on epigenetics and nutrition. We identified the glucose-responsive histone modification (H2AS40-Gc) on ERE, the regulatory region for Nodal gene. On the other hand, expression level of Nodal in mouse embryonic stem cells was not affected by glucose concentration in the culture medium. Besides, we identified a functional transcription factor binding motif, as well as a target region for epigenetic repression, in ERE.

Free Research Field

エピジェネティクス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

Nodal遺伝子の発現異常は先天性疾患やガンの悪性化の原因となるため、制御機構の解明は生物学的にも医学的にも重要な課題である。本研究成果はエピジェネティクスの観点からNodal遺伝子の発現制御と栄養・代謝との関係を示唆しており、栄養環境と分化・発生やガンの悪性化の関係を解明する手がかりになりうる。また、ゲノム編集やエピゲノム編集を駆使することにより新たな知見が得られ、制御機構の全容解明に近づくことができた。