Development of homoplasmic mitochondrial genome editing method by using microdevice

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26650068
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cell biology
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Wada Ken-Ichi 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 前田バイオ工学研究室, 協力研究員 (20525919)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: ミトコンドリアゲノム / マイクロデバイス / 細胞融合

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To carry out functional analysis of mitochondrial (mt) genome, it is necessary to achieve homoplasmic mutation(s) on mt genome, however, feasible mt genome editing method has not been developed. The purpose of this study was to develop a novel mt genome editing method by using a specially-developed microfluidic device which can perform direct cytoplasmic transfer between live single cells via formation of cell fusion through a micro aperture. In the proposed method, homoplasmic mt genome mutation is achieved by transferring of single mitochondrion with mutated mt genome into the mt genome-less cell. In this study, single mitochondrion transfer between single live cells, the most critical matter for achieving homoplasmy of mt genome mutation, was realized by developing a new cell fusion method, in particular, modulating geometry of the microfluidic device.

Free Research Field

細胞/分子生物学