Finding origins of the thermal conductivity lowered locally in a cell

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K19273
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 43:Biology at molecular to cellular levels, and related fields
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Madoka 大阪大学, 蛋白質研究所, 准教授 (40350475)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 宮崎 牧人 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 生命機能科学研究センター, チームリーダー (40609236)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-06-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 構成的手法 / 細胞内熱物性 / 熱産生 / 光熱変換 / MDシミュレーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this project, we focused on elucidating the mechanism of thermal regulation at the cellular level. The three issues addressed in this study were (1) experimental verification of low thermal conductivity in living cells using hybridized nanoprobes with high precision and functionality and artificial cellular systems, (2) analysis of elementary processes of chemical and mechanical energy conversion by protein molecules using molecular dynamics simulations, and (3) experimental exploration of the response of biomolecules and molecular assemblies to heat and its physiological significance, which have provided important insights into the mechanisms of heat flow regulation at the cellular level. We have obtained important insights into the mechanisms of heat flow regulation at the cellular level.

Free Research Field

生物物理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

細胞内の生化学反応から生じる熱の放出、すなわち熱産生は、生物個体の体温恒常性の維持に必須の役割を果たしている。いっぽう生化学反応それ自体も熱流から影響を受ける。本研究から、細胞レベルで熱流がどのような影響を与え、どのように調節されているのかについて、重要な知見が得られた。これらの成果は、生命維持に果たす熱産生の役割を理解するうえで重要であると考えられる。