Analysis of non-coding RNAs involving sex determinaton in bird

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K19317
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 44:Biology at cellular to organismal levels, and related fields
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Kuroiwa Asato 北海道大学, 理学研究院, 教授 (20372261)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 水島 秀成 北海道大学, 理学研究院, 助教 (20515382)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: ウズラ / Z染色体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Birds have long been thought to have sex-determining factors on the W chromosome, but have not yet been identified. I thought that the reason might be that non-coding RNA on the W chromosome is involved in sex determination. In order to clarify the sex-determining mechanism of birds, this study aims to identify ncRNA on the W chromosome that acts on sex-determination and elucidate the function by genome editing. Sex determination in birds is an important biological phenomenon that is directly linked to the poultry industry, and elucidating its molecular mechanism is a proposition in this field. However, experiments using chickens take a long time and are extremely difficult to analyze. Therefore, we plan a study using Japanese quail, which has a fast sexual maturity, and realize a functional analysis that is difficult for birds.

Free Research Field

発生生殖学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ニワトリは有用な経済動物(家禽)である。卵を産むのはメスであり、肉は体が大きく発達するオスから得るのが効率よい。鳥類の性決定メカニズムを解明することは、家禽産業に直結する重要な基礎研究となる。加えて、産まれてくる雛の性比を人為的にコントロールできる産業価値の高い応用研究に発展する可能性もあり、大きなインパクトを有する。しかし鳥類の性決定研究は大きな遅れをとっており、その理由として、TGニワトリの作出やノックアウト個体作出には長い時間を有し、極めて困難であることが挙げられる。そこで本研究はこの難題を克服すべく、ニワトリよりも小型で、性成熟の早いニホンウズラを用いる。