Evolution of peptide signaling molecules during the plant terrestrialization process – the origin of land plant peptide hormones

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K06770
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 45020:Evolutionary biology-related
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University (2022); Akita University (2021); Kumamoto University (2020)
• Principal Investigator: Furumizu Chihiro 広島大学, 自然科学研究支援開発センター, 助教 (90808479)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 植物ペプチド情報伝達系 / 植物ペプチドホルモン / ゼニゴケ / 陸上植物の進化 / 分子進化 / 共進化 / 遺伝子重複 / 生物間相互作用

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Major achievements of this research project include the following: (1) it was shown how widely homologs of known peptide hormones and their receptors are present in land plants. The results were published as two refereed review articles; (2) sequence diversity was revealed in the RGF family signaling peptides. The results were published as a refereed research article; (3) evolution of the CLE peptide signaling system was examined and published as a review; (4) evolutionary trajectories of a subfamily of receptor-like kinases were elucidated and published as a refereed research article; and (5) the putative TPD1-EMS1 signaling pathway was functionally characterized in Marchantia polymorpha.

Free Research Field

植物分子遺伝学、進化生物学、分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

植物自身によって作られ、植物の成長を調節する短いペプチドが次々と見つかり、植物の生育を制御する技術の開発における生体内ターゲットとしても注目されている。本研究では、これらの生理活性ペプチドやその受容体をコードする遺伝子の進化について解析し、植物がもつペプチド情報伝達系の全容がダイナミックに進化してきた一端を明らかにした。本研究の成果は、新規の生理活性ペプチドの同定にも役立つことが期待される。