Development of optical manipulation technology of the genome

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K20451
• Project/Area Number (Other): 19H05534 (2019)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Pioneering)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2020); Single-year Grants (2019)
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 37:Biomolecular chemistry and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Sato Moritoshi 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 教授 (00323501)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 光操作 / 細胞 / 遺伝子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have developed a new photoswitching protein that can manipulate biological processes deep within the body by illuminating long-wavelength light. Photoswitching proteins are fundamental tools for manipulating the functions of various biomolecules in cells and living organisms using light. Although several photoswitching proteins have already been reported, there are still major issues to be solved, such as their remarkably low light-regulatability. The photoswitching protein developed in this study has an extremely high ability to response to light illumination, and its high versatility enables manipulation of gene expression and other processes by light. This new photoswitching protein is expected to greatly expand the application possibilities of optical manipulation of biological processes.

Free Research Field

生体関連化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では，長波長の光照射による生命現象の光操作の基盤技術（プラットホーム・テクノロジー）として、新たな光スイッチタンパク質を開発するとともに，当該の光スイッチタンパク質を応用した遺伝子発現の光操作技術を開発した．本研究の成果は，生体深部における生命現象の解明や，遺伝子疾患や細胞治療など生命科学・医学分野を含む幅広い研究分野において役立つことが期待される．