Molecular mechanisms of commensal bacteria-mediated thermoregulation

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25670119
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Environmental physiology(including physical medicine and nutritional physiology)
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: UMEDA Masato 京都大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (10185069)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KATO Utako 京都大学, 大学院工学研究科, 助教 (90362392) ; JUNI Naoto 京都大学, 大学院工学研究科, 研究員 (90572199)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 昆虫 / 環境 / 温度 / 行動 / 共生細菌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although thermoregulation is one of the essential homeostatic processes that maintain animal’s functional capacities in fluctuating thermal environments, its underlying molecular mechanisms still remain enigma. To identify molecules involved in thermoregulation, we have conducted mutagenesis and screens for mutants with altered temperature preference in Drosophila melanogaster. During the course of this study, we found that the thermoregulatory behavior of Drosophila is strongly affected by the presence of commensal gut bacteria. In this study, we have identified, 1) Gut microbiome present in the different strains of Drosophila, using next generation sequencer, 2) Species of bacteria that affect the thermoregulatory behavior, 3) Novel molecular species of lipids produced by the commensal bacteria using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Free Research Field

生化学