2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Introduction of reverse genetic analysis into cartilaginous fish research

Research Project

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Project/Area Number	19K22414
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	The University of Tokyo
Principal Investigator	HYODO SUSUMU 東京大学, 大気海洋研究所, 教授 (40222244)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	神田真司東京大学, 大気海洋研究所, 准教授 (50634284) 高木亙東京大学, 大気海洋研究所, 助教 (90755307) 藤森千加東京大学, 大気海洋研究所, 特任研究員 (50750775)
Project Period (FY)	2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
Keywords	軟骨魚類 / 遺伝子導入 / プレハッチ / 生殖周期
Outline of Final Research Achievements	In this study, we aimed to introduce reverse genetic analysis into the study of cartilaginous fish, which occupy an important position in the evolution of vertebrates and have various characteristics such as morphology, development, adaptation, and reproduction. First, we clarified the process of embryonic development including nutrient digestion and absorption function during the ontogeny of cloudy catshark, and also investigated endocrine regulation of the reproductive cycle of catshark from ovulation to fertilization, egg-case formation and spawning by ultrasound investigation and concomitant plasma hormone measurement. Based on these basic information, we established primary cultured cells from cloudy catshark embryos and optimized gene transfer using various methods. Furthermore, we conducted introduction of genes into the embryos of cloudy catsharks and the testes of adult fish, an exploratory research aiming at future reverse genetic study.
Free Research Field	比較内分泌学、魚類生理学
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	これまで、軟骨魚類に特有の様々な特徴や難しさゆえに、軟骨魚類での遺伝子改変、ゲノム編集などは不可能だと考えられてきた。本研究の成果は、今後培養細胞における導入遺伝子の機能解析、細胞機能の遺伝学的解析、生体における特定器官・組織・細胞の遺伝学的機能解析、そして将来的には遺伝子改変動物作出による逆遺伝学的解析を可能にするための第一歩となった。軟骨魚類は海洋生態系の高次捕食者として、海洋生態系の保全・維持・管理という観点からも重要であり、基礎科学だけでなく社会的にも意義は大きい。