Studies on hyper-sensitive strigolactone perception mechanism by parasitic plants

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K05852
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 38040:Bioorganic chemistry-related
• Research Institution: Meiji University
• Principal Investigator: Seto Yoshiya 明治大学, 農学部, 専任准教授 (40620282)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ストリゴラクトン / 根寄生植物 / Striga asiatica / Orobanche minor / 受容体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The germination of root parasitic plants is induced by the host-derived chemical signals, strigolactone (SL). In a root parasitic plant, Striga hermonthica, more than 10 SL receptors have been identified, one of which exhibited extremely high sensitivity toward SL. However, the molecular mechanism for the sensitive SL recognition mechanism has not been clarified. Toward the identification of the hyper sensitive SL perception mechanism, we identified the SL receptors in Striga asiatica, and Orobanche minor. We successfully identified highly sensitive receptors from each plant species. We also found a candidate amino acid in the highly sensitive receptor sequence. We are currently analyzing the importance of this amino acid by a site directed mutation approach.

Free Research Field

生物有機化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、これまでSL受容体が同定されていなかった2種の根寄生植物から、SL受容体を同定することに成功した。いずれの種においても、SLに対する感受性が高い受容体を1つずつ同定することができており、今後、これらのアミノ酸配列を感受性が高くない受容体のアミノ酸配列と比較することにより、感受性を制御するメカニズムの理解につながることが期待される。