Analysis of ion dynamics in organelles by using targetable probes

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H02102
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 37030:Chemical biology-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Mizukami Shin 東北大学, 多元物質科学研究所, 教授 (30420433)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 蛍光プローブ / Mg2+ / Zn2+ / 蛋白質ラベル化 / 定量

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, quantitative imaging techniques of Mg2+ and Zn2+ dynamics in organelles were developed. By integrating a highly selective Mg2+ probe, which is unaffected by changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration, with protein labeling technology, we developed a technique for selectively visualizing Mg2+ in organelles and showed that the free Mg2+ concentration in the nucleus fluctuates during cell division. We also developed a localizable zinc quantification probe and found that the level of Zn2+ in the Golgi is about several tens of nM. Furthermore, we developed new probes with different dissociation constants and succeeded in quantitative imaging of free Zn2+ in the cytoplasm, nucleus, Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria.

Free Research Field

ケミカルバイオロジー

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

細胞機能を理解するためには、分子の存在だけではなく、分子がどこにどれくらい存在するか（時空間的かつ定量的な情報）を知ることが重要である。化学的な高選択性プローブを細胞内局所へ局在させることによって、蛋白質プローブや低分子プローブでは得られない時空間分解能を持った金属イオン定量が可能になった。特に、亜鉛イオンの詳細な細胞内濃度マップに関する知見は、亜鉛イオンに関連する疾患機構の解明や治療薬の開発に繋がることが期待できる。