Exploration of new antioxidant thiol biomolecules with valuable function by a new chemical analytical method of sulfur molecules

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K15727
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 38020:Applied microbiology-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Yusuke Kawano 筑波大学, 生命環境系, 助教 (40558029)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 生体硫黄分子 / 硫黄代謝

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, I focused on "sulfur", which is deeply involved in the oxidation system of living organisms, and is then essential for all creatures. I here worked on the study, exploration, identification, and characterization of a "new" biological sulfur compound (especially with antioxidant effect), which has been conventionally difficult. The target organism was algae (Euglena), a microorganism that produces and supplies "reductant (energy)" derived from photosynthesis as a "producer" of the global life system. The promotion of this study was based on the "Sulfur Index Analysis", which enables the most difficult "simultaneous analysis of sulfur metabolites". As a result, it did not reach isolation, but narrowed down the candidates for new sulfur compounds of algae.

Free Research Field

応用微生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

当研究成果で得られる新規知見により、重要性が高まる「硫黄生物学」の切り口から、「代謝機能」や「酸化還元システム」に対して、より拡張的で包括的な形の学術的理解の刷新を図れる。同時に、国民社会・経済産業的に有益な「新規の抗酸化機能性分子素材」としての潜在価値の評価が可能となる。