2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Investigation of vertebrate brain photoreception and its diversity by characterizing non-visual photoreceptor proteins
| Project/Area Number |
18H02482
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Review Section |
Basic Section 44050:Animal physiological chemistry, physiology and behavioral biology-related
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| Research Institution | Osaka City University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
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| Keywords | 光生物学 / 眼外光受容 / ロドプシン / GPCR |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Animals utilize light for vision and non-visual functions. Recently, direct brain photoreception has been a hot topic in life sciences. In this study, we showed that photoreceptor proteins expressed in brains indeed serve as light-sensors. In addition, our investigation of the brain photoreceptor proteins of varied animals revealed their spectral sensitivities and signal transduction pathways, which uncovered molecular mechanisms of vertebrate brain photoreception and its diversity.
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| Free Research Field |
光生物学 分子進化学
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
近年、動物の光利用において、視覚以外の役割に関心が集まっている。中でも、脳の直接的な光受容は特に注目されているため、本研究で初めて明らかにした、脳内光受容タンパク質の分子レベルの性質や光情報の伝達に関する知見の学術的意義は大きく、今後の脳内光受容の全容解明に大きく貢献することが期待できる。また、従来、脳での光受容が認められていなかった哺乳類においても脳内光受容タンパク質の解析が進んだことは、ヒトに存在する未知の脳機能を知る手掛かりとなり得ることから、社会的意義や関心も高いと考えられる。
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