Regulatory mechanism of autophagy-related binding reactions by liquid-liquid phase separation

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K06567
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 43030:Functional biochemistry-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University (2021-2022); Microbial Chemistry Research Foundation (2020)
• Principal Investigator: Fujioka Yuko 北海道大学, 遺伝子病制御研究所, 准教授 (80399964)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: オートファジー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

PAS is responsible for initiating autophagy. The ubiquitin-like protein Atg8 is reversibly conjugated with phosphatidylethanolamine in an enzymatic reaction similar to the ubiquitin-binding system and is an important molecule directly involved in membrane elongation during autophagy. However, its precise role in autophagy has not yet been elucidated. By introducing a new perspective of liquid-liquid phase separation, this study revealed the mechanism of the actual regulation of the Atg8-conjugation reaction system in the cell.

Free Research Field

生化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では従来型の酵素学的研究のみ行われてきたオートファジー結合系に液-液相分離の概念を導入することで、これまでとは全く異なる視点からの研究が展開された。このような視点に基づいた研究は先進的であり、オートファジーのメカニズム解明に革新をもたらしたばかりでなく、今後は液-液相分離による細胞内反応制御という細胞生物学における新しい切り口の研究領域の創成にも貢献していくものと考えられる。