2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Measurement of Chromatin Architecture, and its Function in Regulating Neuronal Activity
| Project/Area Number |
20K15909
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Review Section |
Basic Section 46010:Neuroscience-general-related
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| Research Institution | Institute of Physical and Chemical Research |
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Principal Investigator |
Xu Fangke 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 脳神経科学研究センター, 基礎科学特別研究員 (60867216)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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| Keywords | Neuronal Activity / Gene Expression / Chromatin Organization / Transcription Factor |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Activation of somatic sensory neurons commonly leads to fast behavioral responses are relatively well studied by far. However, what longer-lasting influences could be left on the overall fitness of the animals is not yet clear. We are interested in investigating the gene expression changes caused by chromatin organization upon neuronal activations, and also the longer-term behavioral consequences caused by the gene expression changes.
To address this question, we utilize a sub-type of somatic sensory neurons (C4da) in the fly larvae. Our current data suggested that while C4das are constantly activated through TrpA1, many other signaling-related genes are down-regulated. Furthermore, one significantly up-regulated gene has been found in one of the chromatin remodeling complexes, suggesting that the gene expression reductions could be controlled from the chromatin structure level. We are set to further confirm and investigate those changes with ATAC-seq or ChIP-seq using C4da neurons.
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| Free Research Field |
Neuroscience
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
Our research will shed light on deciphering how gene expression will change upon activation of somatic sensory neurons. The results will also contribute to the knowledge of longer-lasting behavior effects in the whole animal caused by sensory neuron activation and related gene expression changes.
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