Innovation of chemiluminogenetics capable of noninvasive manipulation of biological functions deep inside body

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26251018
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biophysics
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Nagai Takeharu 大阪大学, 産業科学研究所, 教授 (20311350)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): HIGUCHI YURIKO 京都大学, 健康長寿社会の総合医療開発ユニット, 講師 (40402797) ; SUGA HIROAKI 東京大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (00361668) ; ENOKI RYOSUKE 北海道大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (00528341) ; INOUE KEN-ICHI 京都大学, 霊長類研究所, 助教 (90455395)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 発光タンパク質 / 光感受性タンパク質 / オプトジェネティクス / 発光基質 / ケミルミノジェネティクス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we developed several fundamental technologies for
“Chemiluminogenetics” which enables noninvasive manipulation of physiological functions in deep tissue or body by using excited state energy of luminescence reaction in chemiluminescent proteins upon substrate addition. First, we fused an Oplopholus luciferase with a green fluorescent protein, yielding a bright chemiluminescent protein, GeNL that has more than 10-fold brightness compared with a previously developed chemiluminescent protein, Nano-lantern. We also developed a red-shifted version, ReNL which can be applied for low illumination light therapy in deep tissue. Furthermore, we developed a genetically-encoded photosensitizer Green SuperNova that can produce more reactive oxygen species than previous photosensitizer.

Free Research Field

生物物理学