Diversity and possibility of rhodopsins

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H02411
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 43040:Biophysics-related
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Sudo Yuki 岡山大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科, 教授 (10452202)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: ロドプシン / 光 / 生物物理 / オプトジェネティクス / エネルギー変換

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Rhodopsin is a photoreceptive membrane protein distributed in the three biological domains of organisms (i.e., eukaryotes, eubacteria, and archaea), and controls the various functions through photo-energy conversion. In addition, it is utilized as a tool for optogenetics, which is a method for controlling biological activity by light. However, the most of molecules are not analyzed so far. On the basis of the background, the purpose of this study is to "explore the diversity of rhodopsin and pursue its potential". We explored the diversity by expression / purification (1. search) and precise analysis (2. analysis) of uncharacterized rhodopsins. We also pursued the possibility of novel optogenetic tools (3. application).

Free Research Field

生物物理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は生物の光応答の理解と利用を目的に、「ロドプシンの多様性の探究と可能性の追求」を行った。『学術的意義』：多様な新規ロドプシンの発見と解析に成功するとともに、その多様性の理解に基づく生命機能の新奇光操作を実現した。これにより、これまで神経科学への適用にとどまっていたオプトジェネティクスの可能性を大きく広げ、生物物理学・生化学・細胞生物学・環境学など様々な分野に大きなインパクトを与えた。『社会的意義』：本研究により、ロドプシンの基礎的理解と光操作が飛躍的に進展し、「光をくすりにする」社会の実現に向けて前進した。