Physiological molecular functions of cytochrome b561 in Caenorhabditis elegans

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25440048
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Functional biochemistry
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Tsubaki Motonari 神戸大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (00145046)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 膜タンパク質 / cytochrome b561 / ビタミンC / アスコルビン酸 / 鉄代謝 / 電子伝達 / シトクロムb561 / Caenorhabditis elegans

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Nematode was used as a model for the elucidation of physiological function of b561 protein. Of the seven b561 homologs of the nematode, we studied three of them, i.e., Cecytb-5, Cecytb-1, Cecytb-2. Cecytb-1 was found to be expressed in pharynx and ovary, and was thought to be related to the neurotransmitter biosynthesis. Cecytb-5 was found to be expressed in the ovary. We previously found that Cecytb-2 is expressed in the intestine and has a function as Dcytb in the nematodes. We constructed the expression system for these proteins using methanol-assimilating yeast and, for the first time, succeeded in the expression and purification of both Cecytb-1 and Cecytb-5 proteins. Both proteins can be prepared as a heme-binding holo-type and showed a rapid reduction by ascorbic acid.

Free Research Field

生物化学