Elucidation of the mechanism that couples the microRNA biogenesis with the nutritional state

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26650029
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Functional biochemistry
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: KATADA TOSHIAKI 東京大学, 薬学研究科(研究院), 教授 (10088859)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): FUKUYAMA Masamitsu 東京大学, 大学院薬学系研究科, 講師 (20422389)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: マイクロRNA / RNA結合蛋白質 / 線虫 / 栄養

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Stem and progenitor cells in animals have been known to change the frequency of cellular behaviors such as cell divisions and differentiation. Using the nematode, C. elegans, our studies suggest that two genes, called nhl-2 and nos-1, play an essential role in temporally arresting cell divisions and subsequent differentiation of neural progenitor cells during starvation, and that they regulate the biogenesis of a microRNA, called miR-235. Further elucidation of the mechanism that underlies the genetic and molecular interactions among these molecules under the nutritionally poor and replete conditions would help to understand how animals coordinate the cellular activity with the change in the nutritional state.

Free Research Field

生化学