2012 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Studies on sensory function of deep sea animals

Research Project

Project/Area Number	22658066
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Fisheries chemistry
Research Institution	Kyoto University
Principal Investigator	TOYOHARA Haruhiko 京都大学, 農学研究科, 准教授 (90183079)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	KISHIDA Takushi 京都大学, 理学研究科, 研究員 (40527892) HOSOI Masatomi 福井県立大学, 海洋生物資源学部, 助教 (70410967)
Project Period (FY)	2010 – 2012
Keywords	化学センサー / 感覚機能 / 深海 / ユノハナガ二 / G-タンパク質 / TRP チャネル
Research Abstract	To validate the sensory function of deep sea animals, we performed the behavior observation of deep sea crab Gandalfus yunohana in a tank and found this species showed the directivity to heat. We successfully obtained a gene encoding a G protein-coupled receptor from Gandalfus yunohana and found that a possible candidate of a homologous gene exists in Gandalfus yunohan. We also found the occurrence of TRP channels in Paralvinella by behavior observation. The present study reveals the occurrence of various chemical sensors in deep sea animals and suggests these sensors possibly function for the adaptation to deep sea environment.