Molecular mechanism of lncRNA-mediated architecture of subnuclear structures

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26291001
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Molecular biology
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Hirose Tetsuro 北海道大学, 遺伝子病制御研究所, 教授 (30273220)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 非コードRNA / RNA結合タンパク質 / 核内構造体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The roles of the protein factors that compose lncRNA-dependent nuclear bodies were intensively and pleiotropically studied. First, the SWI/SNF complexes were identified as novel essential factors for nuclear body formation with their novel assembly activity distinct from the characterized chromatin remodeling activity. Second, the prion-like domain (PLD) of RNA binding proteins that are essential for nuclear body formation was shown to be required for nuclear body formation. It was also detected that the PLD can form the hydrogel structure in vitro, suggesting this feature to form hydrogel underlies the mechanism of the structural roles of these proteins in nuclear body assembly. Finally, we discovered unusual semi-extractable feature of the nuclear body forming lncRNAs. It was shown that the PLD of RNA-binding proteins are responsible for the semi-extractable feature of this class of lncRNAs. We also developed the new method to efficiently extract these RNAs from the cells.

Free Research Field

分子生物学