Study of the pre-adaptation mechanism underlying the evolution of heart outflow tract

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K06773
• 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: Aoyama Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: Moriyama Yuuta 青山学院大学, 理工学部, 助教 (40646212)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 心臓 / 進化 / 前適応 / elastin

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This project aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of preadaptation by focusing on the development and evolution of "bulbus arteriosus," an evolutionary novelty found in the heart of teleost. We have identified several interacting factors for Elastin b, which plays an important role in the morphogenesis of bulbus arteriosus. We also established a method to quantify the stiffness of the extracellular environment in various cardiac regions and found that the extracellular environment in bulbus arteriosus was significantly softer than these of other cardiac regions. Furthermore, we found a correlation between the expression (presence/absence) of elastin b and stiffness by measuring changes in stiffness during embryogenesis and the stiffness of the extracellular environment of various cardiac regions in non-teleost fish.

Free Research Field

発生生物学、進化発生生物学、生物物理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究課題は心臓がどのように進化したか、タンパク質の相互作用や細胞外環境の硬さなどによる細胞運命制御の側面から迫るものであり、生物学のみならず化学、物理学的側面も含む、独創性の高いものである。また、心臓の進化は中学校の理科において学習する、広く一般にも知られている生物現象であり、本研究課題によって得られる知見も一般の方にもわかりやすい、好奇心を刺激するものになることが期待できる。