Elucidation of molecular mechanisms of RNA silencing

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26291010
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Structural biochemistry
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Nishimasu Hiroshi 東京大学, 大学院理学系研究科(理学部), 助教 (00467044)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): NUREKI Osamu 東京大学, 大学院理学系研究科, 教授 (10272460) ; SIOMI Mikiko 東京大学, 大学院理学系研究科, 教授 (20322745) ; SIOMI Haruhiko 慶應義塾大学, 医学部, 教授 (60202107) ; SHIBATA Mikihiro 金沢大学, 新学術創成研究機構, 准教授 (80631027) ; KODERA Noriyuki 金沢大学, 理工研究域, 准教授 (30584635)
• Research Collaborator: Zhang Feng Broad Institute, Associate Professor
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 非コードRNA / CRISPR / Cas9 / Argonaute / piRNA / ゲノム編集

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We purified the PIWI protein from silkworm (Siwi) and determined its crystal structure. The structure revealed the molecular mechanism by which Siwi binds piRNA to protect germ cells. In addition, we determined the crystal structures of Cas9 and Cpf1 from various bacteria, thereby improving our mechanistic understanding of diverse CRISPR-Cas enzymes and paving the way for further development of new genome-editing technologies.

Free Research Field

構造生命科学