Dynamics of RNA-protein complex in homologous chromosome pairing

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06503
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 43010:Molecular biology-related
• Research Institution: National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
• Principal Investigator: Ding Daqiao 国立研究開発法人情報通信研究機構, 未来ICT研究所バイオICT研究室, 嘱託 (50359080)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 相同染色体対合 / 相分離 / 長鎖非コードRNA / RNA結合タンパク質 / in-vitro 解析 / 分裂酵母 / 減数分裂

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Pairing of homologous chromosomes is a process in which homologous chromosomes inherited from parents find each other and adhere to each other. Normal pairing is essential for homologous recombination. The purpose of this research is to clarify the molecular mechanism of pairing. In this research, we found that long noncoding RNA loci contributed to pairing, and Smp proteins, which are multiple RNA-binding transcription termination factor, formed droplets with RNA through phase separation. We found that droplets with different RNAs could not fuse with each other, and only droplets with the same RNA could fuse with each other, which gave the specificity of homologous chromosome pairing. In addition, we reproduced droplet formation of Smp and RNA in vitro, and proved that physical properties of droplets were changed by the species of RNA.

Free Research Field

分子細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

減数分裂の最初のステップとして相同染色体が互いを見つけて対合しなければならないが、相同染色体対合のメカニズムが未だに解明されていない部分が多い。対合が失敗すると、その後の相同組換えが大きく下がり、正常の配偶子の形成に影響を及ぼす。人間の場合は、不妊症や流産を引き起こす可能性が高まる。従って、相同染色体対合のメカニズムの解明が生物学の基本問題であり、未解決である。本研究の研究成果は分裂酵母における対合のメカニズムの解明に貢献し、それは他の生物も類似する普遍的なメカニズムではないかを示唆した。