Epigenetic regulation of dedifferentiation and redifferentiation of blastema cells during tissue regeneration

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25830133
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Genome biology
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: BANDO Tetsuya 岡山大学, 医歯(薬)学総合研究科, 助教 (60423422)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: エピゲノム / 器官再生 / 脱分化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Hemimetabolous insect, cricket regenerate lost tissue parts using blastemal cells, which is a population of dedifferentiated-proliferating cells. Gene expression of epigenetic factors is upregulated in the blastema compared with in differentiated tissue, suggesting that epigenetic changes in gene expression may control the differentiation status of blastema cells. We focused on the function of the E(z) and Utx that regulate the methylation and demethylation on histone H3 27th lysine residue, respectively. Regenerated E(z)RNAi cricket legs exhibited extra tibia segment formation between the tibia and tarsus, and regenerated UtxRNAi cricket legs showed leg joint formation defects in the tarsus. In the E(z)RNAi- and UtxRNAi-regenerating leg, the dac and Egfr expressions were abnormal. These results suggest that regulation of the histone H3K27 methylation state is involved in the repatterning process during leg regeneration via the epigenetic regulation of leg patterning gene expression.

Free Research Field

再生生物学