Project/Area Number |
09044216
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Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for international Scientific Research
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Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
Section | Joint Research |
Research Field |
Basic veterinary science/Basic zootechnical science
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Research Institution | Nagoya University |
Principal Investigator |
EBIHARA Shizufumi School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Professor, 農学部, 教授 (50135331)
|
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
SHIBATA Shigenobu School of Human Sciences, Waseda University, Professor, 人間科学部, 教授 (10162629)
INOUYE Shin-ichi Department of Science, Yamaguchi University, Professor, 理学部, 教授 (10274151)
FUKADA Yoshitaka Graduate School of Sciences, Tokyo University, Professor, 大学院理学系研究科, 教授 (80165258)
KONDO Takao Graduate School of Sciences, Nagoya University, Professor, 大学院・理学研究科, 教授 (10124223)
HONMA Ken-ichi Department of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (40113625)
谷村 禎一 九州大学, 理学部, 助教授 (20142010)
|
Project Period (FY) |
1997 – 1998
|
Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 1998)
|
Budget Amount *help |
¥8,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥8,800,000)
Fiscal Year 1998: ¥2,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000)
Fiscal Year 1997: ¥6,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥6,500,000)
|
Keywords | Circadian rhythm / Biological clock / Molecular mechanism / Clock gene / SCN / Pineal / Mutation / Circadian rhythm / clock gene / molecular mechanism |
Research Abstract |
Circadian rhythms generated by an internal biological clock are observed in almost all the organisms from prokaryotes to eukaryotes living on earth. Although the properties of circadian rhythms are common to all of the organisms, it is unknown if the molecular mechanisms of the circadian rhythm is ubiquitous to the organisms. In this joint research, Japanese and US researchers collaborated with each other in elucidating molecular and cellular basis of circadian clock, investigating systematically from prokaryotes to mammals. During the past 2 years, Japanese and US group have independently isolated several clock genes in cyanobacteria, Drosophila and mice and so on. Particularly, it is remarkable that a mammalian homolog of the Drosophila per gene and a Drosophila homologs of mammalia Clock gene and BMAL1 gene encoding a protein heterodimerized with CLOCK protein have been cloned, suggesting that the circadian clock components are common at least to the animal kingdom. In addition, although the circadian molecule in prokaryotes may be different, we have shown that the circadian rhythm is generated by a positive and negative feedback transcription/translation mechanisms in all the organisms and suggest that cicadian oscillation is based on universal molecular mechanisms. Moreover, we have obtained excellent results in the following issues ; the pineal photopigment (pinopsin), single cell recorging from the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the role of astrocyte in circadian rhythm, isolation of arrhythrnic mutant mice and the role of ICER in the circadian clock.
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