Functional analysis of novel genes regulating sleep discovered through behavior screen

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K21441
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 45:Biology at organismal to population levels and anthropology, and related fields
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Toda Hirofumi 筑波大学, 国際統合睡眠医科学研究機構, 助教 (80862010)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 睡眠 / 遺伝学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Sleep is a biological phenomenon that is conserved in all animals with nerves system, but its function as well as its molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, we will focus on the genes identified through my original large-scale gain-of-function behavioral screening using Drosophila. I aim to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of sleep using Drosophila especially focusing on novel genes identified from it, Multiple RNAi lines expressing pan-neuronally showed that such gens play an important roles in sleep.

Free Research Field

睡眠

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現代の先進国の国民の多くが睡眠に悩んでいる実態があるが、その時代の要請に現代生物学は十分に答えているとは言えない。それは睡眠という高次現象がどのような神経・遺伝メカニズムで制御されているのか、という基本的な疑問にすら答えられていないということに端を発する。キイロショウジョウバエを用いた遺伝学的解析は基礎学問として重要な役割を果たすのみならず社旗にも大きなインパクトを与えるモデル生物である。本研究を通じて、睡眠の基本原理を解き明かす一助になると考えられる。