Development of transformed cyanobacteria and plants with increased ATP content

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K19384
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biology of Cells to Organisms, and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Yamada Akiyo 東京農工大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (30293012)
• Research Collaborator: Kita Kousuke ; Sekimata Ousuke ; Yoshisu Hitomi ; Takayama Hayato ; Ooe Kumiko
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 耐塩性 / シャペロン様タンパク質 / ATP / 環境ストレス耐性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The marine cyanobacteria Synechococcus sp. NKBG15041c grow extremely rapidly. By functional screening using E. coli, the c32.05 gene was found to improve the growth and heat resistance of E. coli from this strain. The c32.05 protein was confirmed to have an ATP-independent chaperone-like activity and to have a function to improve E. coli growth and stress tolerance. As a result of introducing c32.05 into Arabidopsis thaliana and confirming its growth, transformed Arabidopsis thaliana was found to improve various stress tolerances and promote growth as in the case of E. coli. Use of this gene is an effective means to reduce damage to plants caused by global warming.

Free Research Field

植物生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

海洋ラン藻Synechococcus sp. NKBG15041cは極め早いが、その原因は全く分かっていなかった。本研究で見いだされたc32.05はシャペロン様活性を有し、この株が進化の過程で獲得した遺伝子の１つであると考えられた。温暖化やそれに伴う環境の変化で高等植物の生育環境は悪化の一途をたどっている。本研究で得られたc32.05の有効利用はこれらの問題を解決する有効な手段になり得ると期待できる。