Elucidation of protein molecular basis in the information transmission mechanism of magnetoreception

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K06093
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 43030:Functional biochemistry-related
• Research Institution: National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Arai Shigeki 国立研究開発法人量子科学技術研究開発機構, 量子生命科学研究所, 上席研究員 (00391269)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 磁覚 / X線小角散乱 / タンパク質 / 相互作用

Outline of Final Research Achievements

CRY4 is one of the photoreceptor proteins thought to be involved in the mechanism by which birds recognize the inclination angle of geomagnetic field. By using the small-angle X-ray scattering method, which can provide structural information on a wide range of spatial resolution scales, we revealed that the tertiary structure and oligomeric state of erCRY4 from European robin, a representative magnetoreceptor species, change in response to light. We also confirmed that a part of the intracellular domain of the voltage-gated potassium channel subfamily V (erKCNV2-2) interacts with erCRY4. Moreover, we found that the interaction between erKCNV2-2 and erCRY4 could induce the spatially ordered oligomerization of erCRY4. These findings contribute to the elucidation of the mechanism of magnetic field information perception originating from bird’s CRY4.

Free Research Field

生物物理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本成果は、CRY仮説の大きな問題点の一つである量子論的現象と分子論的機構の接点の解明に資するものであり、磁気感覚の蛋白質分子基盤の解明に大きく貢献する。また、本成果は、磁場情報と感覚モダリティとの関係性を調べる際の重要な基礎的知見の一つとなる。将来的には、erCRY4やerKCNV2と構造的に相同なCRYやCRY-R候補分子を保有する生物種をゲノム情報等から網羅的に調べることで、磁場影響を受けやすい生物種を分子論的に推定することが可能になると期待できる。このようなアプローチは、人工磁場等の生物影響を体系的に研究するための新たな手段となり得る。