Elucidation of the molecular mechanism for releasing pollen cells from quiescent state

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K21417
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 44:Biology at cellular to organismal levels, and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Fujii Sota 東京大学, 大学院農学生命科学研究科(農学部), 准教授 (90716713)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 花粉 / 休眠 / 発芽 / 脂質体 / 小胞体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study analyzed the mechanism by which pollen cells rapidly transition from a quiescent state to a state of high-speed tip growth, with a focus on a molecule called VPS13a in plants. It was revealed that VPS13a plays an important role in the regulation of adhesion and release between intracellular organelles such as the endoplasmic reticulum and lipid droplets (LD). In addition, it was found that VPS13a co-localizes with proteins that make up secretory vesicles, and that the absence of VPS13a affects secretion in pollen tubes.

Free Research Field

植物分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、植物のVPS13aの生化学的な機能が初めて明らかとなった．VPS13は真核生物において普遍的に保存されており、様々な細胞機能をもつことが報告されてきた．一方で、本研究ではVPS13aが初めてエキソサイトーシスに関わることを示しており、細胞分泌と花粉管成長との間を取り持つ鍵分子であることを明らかにした．VPS13は真核生物で保存されているうちで最も大きなタンパク質のひとつであり未知が多く、本研究の基礎細胞生物学的な価値が期待される．