Elucidation of the reaction mechanism of the light-dependent magnetoreceptor candidate molecule

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K20644
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0701:Biology at molecular to cellular levels, and related fields
• Research Institution: Waseda University
• Principal Investigator: Otsuka Hiroaki 早稲田大学, 理工学術院, 助手 (20907167)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 磁気受容 / ラジカルペア / 分光解析 / 光受容体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Organisms such as birds have the ability to recognize the geomagnetic field, and it is believed that the quantum properties of photoreceptor proteins are involved in this magnetoreceptive ability. However, for vertebrates such as birds, even the substance of magnetoreceptor molecules is still at the estimation stage. In this study, we focused on Cryptochrome4 (cCRY4) in chickens, which has magnetoreceptive ability, and found that cCRY4 exhibits photoreaction in accordance with the magnetoreception model. In addition, we suggested that radicalization of tyrosine, one of the amino acids comprising cCRY4, may has the important role in the photoreaction of cCRY4. Moreover, with the goal of identifying the magnetoreception state in cCRY4, we established a method to produce a large number of mutant samples in which the reaction stays in a specific state as a preparatory step.

Free Research Field

分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

鳥類が持つ光依存的な磁気受容能の機構解明は、鳥類の生態把握や新規バイオ磁気センサーの開発、磁気を利用した非侵襲性ドラッグデリバリーシステムの開発等に役立つのみならず、量子効果の新たな応用につながる可能性もある。磁気受容機構の解明のために理論計算に基づくモデルが提唱され、磁気受容分子が磁気情報を検出し得ることが示されてきた。しかしながら、生体において磁気受容分子が獲得した磁気情報を、どのように情報伝達可能な形に変換していくのかはほとんど分かっていない。本研究の知見から、磁気受容分子が磁気情報を化学反応に変換している可能性が見いだされ、磁気情報検出機構の解明の一助になると期待される。