2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Biochemical approaches to understanding the reaction platforms of the piRNA pathway
| Project/Area Number |
18H05271
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Review Section |
Broad Section G
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
TOMARI Yukihide 東京大学, 定量生命科学研究所, 教授 (90447368)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
中川 真一 北海道大学, 薬学研究院, 教授 (50324679)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2018-06-11 – 2023-03-31
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| Keywords | piRNA / PIWI-interacting RNA / 反応場 |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
We have developed unique biochemical systems that take out the entire "reaction platforms" for piRNAs from cells into test tubes with retaining their proper functions. We have also developed bioinformatic frameworks that can extract the "rules" behind those biochemical reactions. By combining these two approaches, we uncovered how piRNA precursors are processed into mature piRNAs on the outer membrane of mitochondria. Moreover, we discovered a new reaction platform for piRNAs in silkworms and proposed its biological significance. We have also identified novel accessory factors that highly accelerate the piRNA biogenesis reaction. Finally, we carefully characterized a representative "piRNA cluster," the genomic region from which piRNAs are produced.
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| Free Research Field |
生化学
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
piRNAが機能する「反応場」を、正しく活性のある形で試験管内に取り出し、piRNAがはたらくまさにその「現場」を丁寧に素過程に分けて生化学的に解析するとともに、その結果を生物情報学的に検証しさらに発展させることによって、これまでにモデルに過ぎなかったpiRNAの成熟過程の分子メカニズムを正確に明らかにすることに成功した。また、これまでは、基本的には触媒作用を持つ酵素によってのみ再構成され理解されてきた生化学系に、「反応場」という観点を取り入れたことは、piRNA経路だけにとどまらず、細胞内の反応場に依存する他の様々な経路に広く適応可能であり、大きな波及効果を生み出すと考えられる。
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