Theoretical re-construction of metabolic pathways by comprehensive genetic interaction analysis

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K17885
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: System genome science; Biofunction/Bioprocess
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (2021-2022); Nara Institute of Science and Technology (2017-2020)
• Principal Investigator: Ai Muto 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, 訪問研究員 (80730506)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 合成致死 / 遺伝的相互作用 / 代謝経路 / 大腸菌遺伝子欠失株ライブラリ / 接合伝達

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In cells, substances are synthesized or degraded through a chain of enzymatic reactions. This chain of reactions is called metabolic pathways. To utilize these metabolic pathways for the production of useful compounds and the degradation of harmful substances, metabolic models integrating known metabolic pathways are being constructed.
In this study, genes related to metabolic pathways were screened by comprehensive measurements of the growth of double gene deletion strains of　Escherichia coli. As a result, metabolic function complementation relationships between genes were observed that could not be explained by existing metabolic models. These complementary relationships may lead to the discovery of novel metabolic functions and are expected to contribute to the construction of more sophisticated metabolic models.

Free Research Field

システム生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでの代謝経路の発見は、研究者の経験則や発想に基づき、個別の遺伝子破壊実験などを経て為されてきた。本研究は、網羅的スクリーニングによる代謝寄与遺伝子情報を提供することにより、新規代謝経路の効率的な発見を支援するものである。本研究で得られた大腸菌遺伝子間の合成致死関係、及びそこから新たに示唆された遺伝子の新規代謝機能によって、より精度の高い代謝モデルを構築することで、生物工学や合成生物学の発展を加速できるものと期待される。