Search for photoresponses in phaeophytes mediated by aureochrome

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24657025
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Plant molecular biology/Plant physiology
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: KATAOKA Hironao 東北大学, 学術資源研究公開センター, 協力研究員 (30108568)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: オーレオクロム / 青色光 / 褐藻 / LED / 光形態形成反応

Outline of Final Research Achievements

AUREOCHROME is conserved only in Ochrophytes, including phaeophyta (brown algae) and diatoms. To identify and further analyze target-responses of AUREOCHROME in phaeophytes, I obtained easily cultivable, rapid growing, short-lived marine phaeophytes from KURSIS, Kobe University. Halopteris congesta, Ectocarpus siliculosus, Dictyota dichotoma, and Dictyopteris latiuscula etc. have been cultured in small dishes filled with PESI-medium at ca. 15C under blue- and red monochromatic light (generated by LED) of various intensities and L/D cycles. All of them exhibit normal growth for 3-5 months only under blue- or white light, but died within 1-2 weeks under red light. This indicates that blue light is indispensable to survival and growth but not red light, even though red light penetrates the internal cells and supports photosynthesis. However, blue light did not cause sexual development, photomorphogenetic or phototropic response. Further research is nevertheless required.

Free Research Field

光生物学、植物生理学