Exploring optogenetic tools that enable transcranial noninvasive photostimulation.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K19630
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Brain sciences and related fields
• Research Institution: Saitama University
• Principal Investigator: Tomioka Hiroaki 埼玉大学, 教育学部, 教授 (50212072)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 光遺伝学 / 脳科学 / 微生物ロドプシン / 光受容蛋白質 / イオンチャネル / イオンポンプ / 膜電位 / イオン輸送

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A novel optogenetic method was first implemented in 2005. It is becoming a crucial technique in neural science. Microbial rhodopsins are used as optogenetic tools for optical control of electrical activity in target cells. The toolbox has expanded by selection and engineering. This research is to explore the natural world, especially extreme environments, in search of microbial rhodopsins that can serve as novel tools. Although we were unable to obtain promising strains from the high salt concentration environment where was one of our initial targets, we obtained bacterial samples from another extreme environments. Three colored colonies were selected and analyzed the genomes. The nucleotide sequences of two of the strains were successfully determined. The amino acid sequences presumed to be the microbial rhodopsins were different from the previously reported ones but did not show new functions. Isolation methods was improved and can be utilized in our future researches.

Free Research Field

ブレインサイエンス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

２０年程前に開発された光遺伝学は遺伝学的手法と光による操作を組み合わせた細胞操作の手法である。標的とした神経細胞でツールと呼ばれる光感受性のイオン輸送タンパク質を発現させ、その細胞の膜電位を光で自在に操作することで細胞を操作するものである。本研究はこれまでには報告されていないタイプの光感受性のイオン輸送タンパク質を得るために自然界の中でも極限環境と呼ばれる環境から新規の微生物を得て、そこから新規のタンパク質のアミノ酸配列を得ようとするものである。これまでに報告のない新規の膜タンパク質を得ることで新しい方向性の光遺伝学の展開が期待できる。