Analysis of novel radiation resistance mechanism by Epigenetic regulation

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K19290
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 43:Biology at molecular to cellular levels, and related fields
• Research Institution: University of Fukui
• Principal Investigator: Oki Masaya 福井大学, 学術研究院工学系部門, 教授 (60420626)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: エピジェネティクス / 放射線耐性 / ヘテロクロマチン / 出芽酵母

Outline of Final Research Achievements

My research is analysis about epigenetic gene expression mechanism that occur in different characteristics in individual cells independent of DNA sequence. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Sir2, Sir3 and Sir4 proteins form a Sir complex and silenced chromatin that repress gene expression result from binding between Sir complex and chromatin. In this study, I analyzed the effect on irradiating X - rays to strains lacking the sir gene involved in silenced chromatin formation. I irradiated to sir2-del, sir3-del, sir4-del strain deleted respectively Sir2, Sir3, Sir4 gene with X rays. As a result, the sir3-del strain and the sir4-del strain showed high survival rate, although the survival rate of the sir2-del strain was as low as that of the WT. This suggested that each Sir protein has a different function by X - ray irradiation. Moreover, the survival rate of sir4-del differed among the colonies.

Free Research Field

分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、現状では接点のない、「エピジェネティクスの研究分野」と「放射線耐性獲得メカニズム研究分野」を繋ぎ、新たな視点から新規の放射線耐性獲得メカニズムの解明に貢献できる。また、本研究により、我々の予想とは全く違う新たな遺伝子発現調節機構の存在を見出す可能性も秘めている。本研究は酵母を対象にしているが、従来、酵母を対象にした DNA 修復機構の研究の多くがヒトのDNA 修復機構研究に繋がったように、本研究による研究成果は、ヒト細胞をはじめとする他の生物種への応用も期待出来る。