The regulation of condensin complex reveals cooperation between transcription or duplication and chromosome organization.

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K14629
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 43010:Molecular biology-related
• Research Institution: Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research
• Principal Investigator: TAKAHASHI Motoko 公益財団法人がん研究会, がん研究所 実験病理部, 特任研究員 (60793594)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: コンデンシン / 一本鎖DNA / 二本鎖DNA / 染色体凝縮 / 転写 / 複製

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Mitotic chromosome assembly is crucial for cells to maintain and inherit the genome safely and accurately. Condensin complexes (I and II in human) are key players for chromosome condensation. Their dysfunction causes chromosome missegregation and DNA damage, is implicated in developing some cancers. Despite their importance, how condensins are regulated for their localization and function on chromatin or chromosomes remains largely unsolved. In this study, we revealed that condensins show significant affinity to single stranded DNA depending on the cell cycle and that how replication and transcription mechanisms are involved in regulating condensins. The relationship among chromosome condensation, replication and transcription might shed light on new aspects of cancer etiology.

Free Research Field

分子生物学、細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

コンデンシン複合体の機能不全は、染色体異数性やDNA損傷を引き起こし、一部のがんの要因となることが知られている。よって、コンデンシンの機能・制御機構を理解することは、基礎生物学的知見としてのみならず、がんの基礎研究としても重要な意味を持つ。本研究ではヒトの2種類のコンデンシン複合体のそれぞれの局在や機能制御について、複製・転写機構という染色体構築と一見かけ離れたクロマチン動態が実は密接に関わっていることを明らかにした。こうした視点は、がんにおけるゲノム構造異常や染色体不安定性の新たな機序の解明につながることが期待される。