Epigenetic basis of neuronal plasticity: association with R/G-band boundaries on human chromosomes

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K07213
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Medical genome science
• Research Institution: University of Shizuoka
• Principal Investigator: Watanabe Yoshihisa 静岡県立大学, 薬学部, 客員共同研究員 (00362187)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-10-21 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 染色体バンド構造 / ヒトゲノム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Epigenetic mechanisms have been suggested to have roles in neuroplasticity, in particular with regard to learning and memory formation, and in a range of neural diseases. In addition to epigenetic marks, the human genome also contains large-scale compartmentalized structures that might also influence neuroplasticity and neural disease. These structures result from variations in the amounts of GC% and in the timing of DNA replication and give rise to longitudinal differentiation (light and dark bands) along chromosomes after the appropriate staining.
We propose that the R/G-band boundaries on human chromosomes can be altered by epigenetic mechanisms, and that these changes may affect neuroplasticity, which is important to memory and learning, and may also have a role in the development of neural diseases associated with genomic instability.

Free Research Field

ゲノム機能

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究課題と関連したヒト染色体バンド境界に関する分子レベルでの医学的な解析は、我々のグループがはじめてである。本研究により、染色体バンド境界領域は、神経可塑性や記憶ダイナミズムの分子基盤とも密接に関連していることを検証できた。本研究課題の成果による染色体バンド境界の持つ特殊事情の解明により、脳神経疾患の病因の分子機構を知る手がかりを与えるだけでなく、あらたな脳神経疾患と関連した病因遺伝子を能率的に探索する方法としても発展すると予想している。