| Budget Amount *help |
¥3,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,700,000)
Fiscal Year 2000: ¥1,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000)
Fiscal Year 1999: ¥1,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000)
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| Research Abstract |
In order to establish a system of introduction of a foreign gene into the planarian, I constructed several types of expression vectors. At first, I cloned 5'-and 3'-regions of elongation factor 1α and 2 genes which were highly expressed in most cells of the planarian. They were expected to contain promoter and terminator activities. The genes encoding β-galactosidase, luciferase and green fluorescent protein were chosen as reporters to construct the expression vectors for the planarian. For an individual, these vectors were microinjected and followed by electroporation. In spite of many trials, I have failed to detect the expression of the foreign gene. The dissociated cells were also elecroporated with the expression vectors, homogenized and assayed for luciferase activity. Unfortunately, I could not detect significant activity at all. However, I detected a cell expressing the foreign gene when β-galactosidase-based expression vector was introduced into the dissociated cells. Although the efficiency was very low (one cell per 10^7), this indicates that the promoter and terminator isolated from the planarian, are functional in the planarian cells. It is necessary to improve further the introduction efficiency to establish the methodology of gene transfer in planarians.
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