Investigation of genome function by upgrading replication cycle reaction

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H03238
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 43050:Genome biology-related
• Research Institution: Rikkyo University
• Principal Investigator: Su'etsugu Masayuki 立教大学, 理学部, 教授 (00363341)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: DNA複製 / ゲノム動態

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In our originally developed replication cycle reconstitution system (RCR), which reconstitutes the cycle of E. coli chromosome replication, exponential amplification of genome-sized circular DNA molecules is achieved. In addition to the replication system, many other genome-related subsystems, such as transcription and translation, DNA repair, recombination, and replication cycle control, have been individually reconstituted in vitro in studies using E. coli as a model. In this study, these subsystems were integrated into the replication cycle reconstruction system to construct an integrated system that reconstructs genome dynamics. In addition to the system, we also examined the in vitro amplification of mega-sized genomes (chromosomes), and achieved full-length amplification of a 2-Mb fragmented chromosome.

Free Research Field

合成生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

複製サイクル再構成系（RCR）は、セルフリーで環状DNAを増幅する技術として、世界的に注目されており、本技術を基盤とするオリシロジェノミクス社はモデルナ社に買収されたことでも脚光を浴びた。本研究でアップグレードされた複製サイクル再構成系は、DNAを基盤とするバイオ創薬への展開が期待される。また、複製を皮切りに、細胞内のゲノム動態を試験管内で、より近似していく試みは、分子生物学の新しいアプローチとして生命の理解に繋がっていくものである。