Study on the molecular mechanisms of chromatin fluctuation

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25650001
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Molecular biology
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: MURAKAMI Yota 北海道大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (20260622)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): TAKAHAT Shinya 北海道大学, 大学院理学研究院, 助教 (50381588) ; KATO Hiroaki 島根大学, 医学部, 助教 (40548418)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: クロマチン / エピジェネティクス / 遺伝子発現

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Gene (DNA) primarily determines the character of the cell. However the steps in the gene expression has some “fluctuation”, which results in the slight difference of the phenotype between cells or individual organisms. This is one of the basises of the flexibility and the plasticity of the life. We have tried to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the fluctuation of gene expression. We revealed that a protein Epe1, together with other partner proteins, repressed the excessive fluctuation of the gene expression by regulating chromatin structure, which is a “DNA-packaging” structure and important for gene expression.

Free Research Field

分子生物学