2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Clarification of mechanisms for thermosensation with TRP channels and membrane lipids

Planned Research

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Project Area	Integrative understanding of biological phenomena with temperature as a key theme
Project/Area Number	15H05928
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Review Section	Biological Sciences
Research Institution	Center for Novel Science Initatives, National Institutes of Natural Sciences (2018-2019) Okazaki Research Facilities, National Institutes of Natural Sciences (2015-2017)
Principal Investigator	TOMINAGA Makoto 大学共同利用機関法人自然科学研究機構(新分野創成センター、アストロバイオロジーセンター、生命創成探究, 生命創成探究センター, 教授 (90260041)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	高木昌宏北陸先端科学技術大学院大学, 先端科学技術研究科, 教授 (00183434) 久原篤甲南大学, 理工学部, 教授 (00402412) 内田邦敏福岡歯科大学, 口腔歯学部, 講師 (20581135)
Project Period (FY)	2015-06-29 – 2020-03-31
Keywords	温度生物学 / 生理学 / 神経科学
Outline of Final Research Achievements	We cloned the thermosensitive TRP channel genes from different species and analyzed their functions. This contributed to the understanding how we animals adapted the changes in environment temperature by changing the expression and function of thermosensitive TRP channels in the evolutional process. And we identified the domains of the thermosensitive TRP channels involved in the temperature sensation. In addition, we clarified the physiological significance of thermosensitive TRP channels using TRP channel-deficient mice (Tominaga). We also clarified the mechanisms for localization of receptor proteins on the plasma membrane, and the effects of temperature and membrane fluidity (Takagi). We clarified the mechanisms for thermosensation in C. Elegans and identified a novel trimer G-protein-coupled receptor involved in thermosensation (Kuhara). We analyzed the functions of purified thermosensitive TRP channel proteins incorporated into a planar lipid bilayer (Uchida).
Free Research Field	分子細胞生理学
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	未だ明らかでない「細胞がどうやって温度を感知するか？」という課題に対して、多くの生物種の温度感受性TRPチャネルの比較解析や精製チャネル蛋白質を埋め込んだ人工脂質平面膜解析、膜脂質解析等である程度答えを出した意義は大きい。モデル生物の１つ線虫において、TRPチャネル以外の温度感受性分子を発見した意義も大きい。膜脂質の温度感受性への関与の発見も大きな意義をもつ。これらの発見によって「温度生物学」の進展に貢献したし、その成果を社会に発信した。温度が関わるヒトの暮らしへの貢献を検討していきたい。