Optogenetic study of multi functional signaling molecules such as RAC1 CDC42 and PI3K

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25293042
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General anatomy (including histology/embryology)
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: NAKATA TAKAO 東京医科歯科大学, 医歯(薬)学総合研究科, 教授 (50218004)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): INOUE AKIHIRO 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 准教授 (80322080) ; ISHII TOMOHORO 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 助教 (60549947)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: シグナル伝達 / G蛋白 / 細胞骨格 / 細胞運動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Actin cytoskeletons play an important role in cell structure, division,
motility, development and signaling. Overexpression of the mutant GTPases as well as their gene-knock out studies revealed that RAC1 and CDC42 might regulate these processes, but cells might accommodate to the newsituation, resulting in less phenotypes. We performed acute-activation of　photoactivatable (PA)-GTPases and observed the early phenotypes using life-act　mCherry marker for F-actin in typical polygonal-shaped COS7 cells before/after　light stimulation. RAC1 mainly acted on sides and formed laterally long　lamellipodia (LP), while CDC42 polymerized actin filaments mainly at some　vertexes (tips) of the cell and the actin bundles protrude into LP at the tips. Accordingly, the bundles were parallel to cell margins.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学