Molecular mechanisms underlying high photosensitivity of vertebrate photoreceptor cells

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25650113
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Animal physiology/Animal behavior
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: FUKADA Yoshitaka 東京大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (80165258)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): SHIRAKI Tomoya 東京大学, 大学院理学系研究科, 特任助教 (40632352)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 視覚 / 光受容 / 視細胞 / 転写制御 / 棹体 / 錐体 / ゼブラフィッシュ / CRISPR/Cas9

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The photoreceptor cells are classified into rod and cone cells, which are distinct from each other in photoresponses. Mechanisms underlying these properties are understood at the molecular level, and phototransduction proteins differentially expressed in the rods and cones contribute to the distinct photoresponses of these photoreceptors. However, the phototransduction mechanism reported to date does not fully explain the different photoresponses between the rods and cones. To reveal comprehensive understanding of the physiological properties of the photoreceptors, we focused on the characteristic feature of the morphology of the photoreceptor outer segment. By a genome editing technology, we generated rod-less zebrafish and performed RNA-seq analysis to isolate genes enriched in the rods. We are now investigating the candidate genes by generating knock-out zebrafish to understand the molecular mechanisms for the unique functions of the photoreceptors.

Free Research Field

生物学