2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Photosensing of microalgae under natural environments and their photoresponses
| Project/Area Number |
25450308
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Aquatic life science
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| Research Institution | Teikyo University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Research Collaborator |
ASAHINA Masashi 帝京大学, 理工学部, 准教授
KATO Shota 帝京大学, 理工学部, 研究員
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| Project Period (FY) |
2013-04-01 – 2018-03-31
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| Keywords | 微細藻類 / Euglena / カロテノイド合成 / 強光ストレス / フィトエン合成酵素 / RNAi |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Euglena gracilis, a unicellular phytoflagellate, has been attracting much attention as a potential feedstock for renewal energy. In outdoor open-pond cultivation, the productivity of this alga decreases under the direct solar radiation. Here we identified carotenoid biosynthetic genes such as phytoene synthase gene (EgcrtB) from E. gracilis and found that they are actually functional genes. This study indicated that excess light-stress increased the expression of EgcrtB, which codes for the enzyme catalyzing the first carotenoid specific step, and caused an accumulation of carotenoids in the cells of E. gracilis. Our results also indicated that suppression of EgcrtB caused a significant decrease in carotenoid and chlorophyll contents in E. gracilis accompanied by changes in intracellular structures, suggesting that carotenoids contribute to photoprotection of this alga during the long-term acclimation to light-induced stress.
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| Free Research Field |
植物生理学
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