Microdomain dynamics in the inner leaflet of plasma membranes as revealed by super-resolution microscopy and single-molecule imaging

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K21387
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 43:Biology at molecular to cellular levels, and related fields
• Research Institution: Gifu University
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Kenichi 岐阜大学, 高等研究院, 教授 (50423059)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: １分子観察 / 超解像顕微鏡観察 / 脂質ドメイン / 信号伝達分子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to observe distribution of lipids and signaling molecules containing saturated fatty acid chains and raft formation in the inner leaflet of cell plasma membranes by single-fluorescent molecule imaging and super-resolution fluorescence microscopy, and to unravel the dynamic membrane mechanisms such as formation of signaling platform. As a result, I found that a variety of lipids in the inner leaflet formed tiny membrane domains and the degree of colocalization totally depended on lipid species. Furthermore, I developed a software to quantitatively determine the degree of colocalization between lipid domains and signaling molecules. I succeeded to develop experimental systems to unravel the mechanisms of signal transduction and regulation by lipid domains in cell plasma membranes.

Free Research Field

細胞生物物理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、１分子観察と超解像顕微鏡観察を同時に行い、細胞形質膜内層における脂質ドメイン形成の有無を検証し、脂質ドメイン同士の共局在の程度を定量した。結果、脂質の種類に応じて、共局在する程度が大きく異なることを発見した。また、信号分子と脂質ドメインの共局在の程度は、脂質の種類により大きく異なることも発見した。これらの研究成果は、今まで実態が明らかではなかった形質膜内層の脂質動態を解明するのに大いに貢献すると考えられる。