The membrane shaping by the ankyrin repeat domains

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K19529
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biomedical structure and function and related fields
• Research Institution: Nara Institute of Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Shiro Suetsugu 奈良先端科学技術大学院大学, 先端科学技術研究科, 教授 (70345031)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: BARドメイン / アンキリンリピート

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The lipid membrane is an essential component of life, which is shaped by the association of the membrane binding proteins. The membrane shaping proteins include the BAR domain proteins and the proteins with amphipathic helices. However, the repertoires of the membrane shaping proteins are limited. Especially, the structural fold of the membrane had been almost limited to the BAR domain. In this study, we hypothesized the structural folds of the ankyrin-repeat domains, which are previously shown to be involved in the protein-protein interaction, shape the membrane. The biochemical and cell biological experiments demonstrated that the ankyrin-repeat domain of ANKHD1 and K1 shape the membrane.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

全ての生命現象は、生体膜を介して生じるために、生体膜の構造構築機構の解明は生命の理解に必須である。ところが、生体膜の構造構築機構についてはそれほど多くの例が知られているわけではない。本研究では、生体膜の構造構築機構を担う新たなタンパク質装置群を発見したことで、生体膜の構造構築機構の理解を深めた。この成果には学術的な意義があり、また、その応用展開の可能性を持つことから社会的意義がある。