Development of the detection method for the rotation of FoF1-ATP synthase at a single molecule level in a living cell

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K19420
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 48:Biomedical structure and function and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Enoki Sawako (苙口佐和子) 東京大学, 大学院理学系研究科(理学部), 助教 (50467635)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 分子モーター

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The main synthetic system of ATP known as intracellular energy currency is oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria, and its final enzyme, FoF1-ATP synthase, synthesizes ATP by rotational movement. Although there are still many unclear points regarding the intracellular regulation of the ATP synthesis reaction, direct measurement of the ATP synthesis reaction in a living cell has not been performed. In this research, we developed a technique that can measure the position and rotation of a rod-shaped gold nanoparticle in three dimensions with high spatiotemporal resolution. This is a basic technology for measuring the rotation of a FoF1-ATP synthase at a single molecule level in a living cell in real time using rod-shaped gold nanoparticles as a probe.

Free Research Field

生物物理

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、金ナノロッドをプローブとして細胞内のATP合成酵素の回転、すなわちATP合成活性を検出するための基盤技術を確立した。この手法は他の多くの酵素にも応用可能であり、本手法を病気と関連する酵素、病変細胞に応用することで、様々な病気のメカニズム解明や薬剤開発等の応用的研究にも大きく貢献することが期待できる。