The study for mechanism of zebrafish skin pattern pattern formation by spermidine

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K15803
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 44020:Developmental biology-related
• Research Institution: Kawasaki Medical School
• Principal Investigator: Usui Yuu 川崎医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (10868615)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ゼブラフィッシュ / 形態形成 / スペルミジン / 色素細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this project, I aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of zebrafish skin pattern formation by imaging the gap junction protein Cx39.4 and investigating the binding affinity value between Cx39.4 and spermidine. I succeeded in Cx39.4 visualizations by inserting a fluorescent protein tag into the C-terminal domain of Cx39.4. Although I tried to measure the binding affinity value between cx39.4 and spermidine using isothermal titration calorimetry, I had to optimize the experimental conditions.

Free Research Field

発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

生物は細胞分裂と細胞分化により多様な細胞を生成しながら「同種細胞の集団サイズ」と「異種細胞集団間の境界」を決定し、特定の「形と大きさ」へ収束していく。本研究ではゼブラフィッシュの縞模様形成の仕組みの解明に取り組み、「形と大きさの制御にはどのような分子が関与し、どのようなメカニズムで決められているか？」という疑問の解決に努めた。これにより、形態形成の原理に一歩迫ることができた。