Analysis of environmental responsiveness and target genes of tissue-specific circadian clocks in plants

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K14732
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 44030:Plant molecular biology and physiology-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Inoue Keisuke 京都大学, 生命科学研究科, 助教 (20805931)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 概日時計 / 組織特異性 / 細胞分化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we examined the characteristics of the tissue-specific circadian clock and its target genes. We analyzed the target genes of circadian clock genes in the stem cells obtained by using a differentiation induction system, which induces vascular cells from mesophyll cells through stem cells. We found that clock genes directly regulate the genes involved in the cell cycle and cell differentiation in stem cells. These results suggest that the circadian clock may determine the cell fate through the cooperative regulation of cell division and cell differentiation in stem cells.

Free Research Field

植物分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

生物時計が組織ごとに異なる性質を示すことは古くから知られているが、組織ごとの詳細な性質や標的遺伝子については未明であった。本研究では、幹細胞の生物時計が細胞周期や細胞分化を制御する遺伝子を直接的に制御することを明らかにした。生物時計による細胞分化の制御機構の存在は動物においても示唆されているため、生物時計による細胞分化の制御は種を超えた普遍性をもつと考えられ、本研究の知見は研究分野に新たな概念をもたらすと考えられる。