A cell-free system of Xenopus eggs that induces transcriptional reprogramming

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26650005
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Molecular biology
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: IWABICHI MARI 名古屋大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 講師 (40275350)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): OHSUMI Keita 名古屋大学, 理学研究科, 教授 (20221822)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 核アクチン / 卵無細胞系

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Understanding the regulatory mechanism of the cellular potency for differentiation is one of important goals in biological sciences. Based on a recent report by the Gurdon’s group that nuclear F-actin is involved in transcriptional reprogramming induced in the frog oocyte nucleus, we tried to prepare nucleoplasmic extract by the use of frog egg extracts that are able to reproduce intracellular actin dynamics. We have not been successful in its preparation because of technical difficulties but instead have found that in eggs and blastula cells, the early embryonic subtype of an actin-binding protein promotes actin polymerization in the nucleus.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学