Novel function of H2AX in maintenance genome integrity through the regulation of gene expression.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H04331
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 63020:Radiation influence-related
• Research Institution: Ibaraki University
• Principal Investigator: Nakamura Asako 茨城大学, 基礎自然科学野, 教授 (70609601)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ヒストン / 遺伝子発現制御 / 相同組換え修復 / DNA損傷

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Several studies revealed the novel regulatory mechanism of gene expression by histone H2AX, one of the proteins that play an important role in DNA double-strand break repair. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed the gene expression pattern in H2AX-deficient cells by RNA sequencing and found that the expression of genes involved in homologous recombination repair and the genes of signaling pathways for cell proliferation, adhesion, and differentiation were found was significantly upregulated even in non-damage-induced cells. These results propose a new function for H2AX, in which H2AX not only functions in genome stability during the occurrence of DNA damage, but also regulates gene expression to maintain homeostasis of the organism regardless DNA damage.

Free Research Field

放射線生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究によって、H2AXによるこれまでに知られていなかった新しい遺伝子発現制御機能が明らかとなった。特に増殖シグナル制御、上皮間葉転換制御、DNA損傷修復制御、という生物の恒常性に重要なシグナル経路の遺伝子発現制御機能を明確にする本研究成果は、将来的にがん予防や様々な疾病に対する新規治療標的の提言につながると期待される。さらに特筆すべき点として、H2AXは多くの真核生物で進化的に高く保存されていることから、本研究の完遂は生物に共通した遺伝子発現制御機構の新たな発見につながる。