Screening of novel peptide pheromones produced by microorganisms

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K19056
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 37:Biomolecular chemistry and related fields
• Research Institution: Kanagawa University
• Principal Investigator: Okada Masahiro 神奈川大学, 化学生命学部, 教授 (40377792)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ペプチド / 微生物 / フェロモン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Based on the genetic analysis of Rhodococcus erythropolis, there seems to be a novel pheromone-like biologically active compound in Rhodococcus erythropolis. We first established a bioassay system using gene disruption strains and searched for the pheromone-like biologically active compound. The morphological change inducers were found in the culture medium of the wild strain, which changed the shape of the disrupted strain from clumped colonies to a floating and turbid form, similar to the wild strain. However, the morphology change inducer was unstable and could not be purified or structurally determined.

Free Research Field

天然物化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ロドコッカス・エリスロポリスには全く新しいタイプの微生物フェロモンが存在することになり、卓越した成果が期待できる。ただし、生合成遺伝子が判明したからといって、簡単に遺伝子産物が特定できるわけではなく、極めて困難である。また、近縁の放線菌にも同様の遺伝子が存在することから多くの有用二次代謝産物を生産する放線菌への応用という研究の発展、応用が期待でき、困難ではあるものの、挑戦する意義の極めて大きい研究課題である。