Elucidation of biological functions of LEA proteins as a desiccation protectant and their industrial application

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24370065
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biophysics
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: SAKURAI Minoru 東京工業大学, バイオ研究基盤支援総合センター, 教授 (50162342)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KIKAWADA Takahiro 独立行政法人農業生物資源研究所, 乾燥耐性研究ユニット, 主任研究員 (60414900) ; SHIRAKASHI Ryo 東京大学, 生産技術研究所, 教授 (80292754)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: LEAタンパク質 / LEAペプチド / 乾燥耐性 / リポソームの融合 / タンパク質の凝集 / MDシミュレーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated biological functions of a LEA peptide that has two tandem repeat of the 11-mer motif characteristic of late embryogenesis abundant protein found in anhydrobitic organisms. It was shown that this peptide acts well as a desiccation protectant: it can suppress desiccation-induced protein aggregation and liposome fusion.

Free Research Field

生物物理学