Studies on the Structure and Function of Autotomy Promoting Factor in Sea Stars
| Project/Area Number |
15380140
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Fisheries chemistry
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| Research Institution | Tohoku Pharmaceutical University (2006)
Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (2004-2005)
東京水産大学 (2003) |
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Principal Investigator |
NAMIKOSHI Michio Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor, 薬学部, 教授 (30189196)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
NAGAI Hiroshi Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Professor, 海洋科学部, 教授 (50291026)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2003 – 2006
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2006)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥15,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥15,300,000)
Fiscal Year 2006: ¥1,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000)
Fiscal Year 2005: ¥4,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,100,000)
Fiscal Year 2004: ¥4,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,700,000)
Fiscal Year 2003: ¥5,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,000,000)
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| Keywords | autotomy / Asterias amurensis / autotomy promoting factor / APF / scalded body fluid / regeneration / muscle contraction / chemical ecology / マヒトデ / コラーゲン組織 / 神経系 / キヒトデ / 自切促進因子 |
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| Research Abstract |
A few species of asteroids living in the coast area of Japan, such as Asterias amurensis, Coscinasterias acutispina, Distolasterias nippon and Aphelasterias japonica, are known to amputate their arms when they are attacked by predators or physically wounded on arms. This phenomenon is called autotomy, and the same process can be artificially generated by physical, electric or thermal shock. The body fluid, obtained by the artificial autotomy, promoted the amputation of an arm of the same species when injected in a coelom. The substance in this fluid was named as autotomy promoting factor (APF), but the chemical structure of APF has not been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the biological process of autotomy and structure of APF.
Body fluids obtained by thermal shock were injected in the same species and observed an amputation of the injected arms. This bioassay was used for the study. A. amurensis of Tokyo Bay were more sensitive than those of Mutsu Bay. Autotomy began with softening of aboral side, and simultaneously, the muscles between ambulacral plates were contracted and separated at the autotomy plane. The injected arm was then settled on the bottom by tube feet and the rest of four arms moved toward the opposite direction to tear off the injected arm.
Isolation of APF was studied using scalded body fluids of A. amurensis collected in Tokyo Bay. Body fluids were separated by a size exclusion column followed by repeated HPLC. Promotion of autotomy was detected for one fraction, which showed a single peak. This substance is an extremely minor component, and HPLC separation was repeated many times to obtain enough amounts to measure the ^1H and ^<13>C NMR spectra. Although the final structure is still under identification, this substance is revealed to be a derivative of nicotinamide.
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Report
(5 results)
Research Products
(3 results)
