2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Origin and evolution of locomotion and circulation: new indicator to elucidate relationships with global environmental change
| Project/Area Number |
20K21453
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Review Section |
Medium-sized Section 45:Biology at organismal to population levels and anthropology, and related fields
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| Research Institution | Kawasaki Medical School |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
毛利 聡 川崎医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (00294413)
橋本 謙 川崎医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (80341080)
氏原 嘉洋 名古屋工業大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (80610021)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2020-07-30 – 2023-03-31
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| Keywords | コネクチン / 心臓進化 / 筋進化 / 地球史 / 環境変遷 |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
In this study, the relationship between global environmental changes and the evolution of locomotion and circulation were elucidated using the elastic protein connectin as an indicator. In particular, mammalian and avian ancestors independently shortened their connectin elastic regions during hypoxia at the Palaeozoic-Mesozoic boundary and adapted by acquiring a strong pumping heart. The amphibians also changed the amino acid sequence of the connectin elastic region to adapt to the amphibious environment, suggesting that they acquired the ability to regulate the blood pump function according to the oxygen concentration of their living environment. Furthermore, connectin elastic regions evolved independently in tetrapods and cartilaginous fishes to suit their locomotor functions, based on the ancestry of the bony fish type. The correlation between various invertebrate hearts and connectin structures was also investigated to elucidate animal evolution.
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| Free Research Field |
進化生理学
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
運動や循環を司る筋肉の起源と進化は、全地球レベルの環境変遷に駆動されてきたと考えられるが、筋肉が軟組織で化石として残っておらず、相関は未解明である。本研究では、筋肉の巨大弾性蛋白質コネクチンに記録された環境変化の情報を動物横断的に取り出すことで、環境変遷による運動・循環の起源と進化という難問の解明を進めるとともに、化石に残らない軟組織の進化に対する新たな研究アプローチを確立した。本研究の成果は、地球史を解き明かす上で有益な情報になることが期待される。
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