Transcriptional and post-translational regulation of germ cell differentiation in land plants

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K06285
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 44030:Plant molecular biology and physiology-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Yamaoka Shohei 京都大学, 生命科学研究科, 准教授 (00378770)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 生殖細胞分化 / 配偶子形成 / 転写因子 / 環境応答 / 陸上植物 / ゼニゴケ / 花粉

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The BONOBO (BNB) family of transcription factor are evolutionarily conserved regulators of plant germline cell differentiation. In this study, transcriptional and post-translational regulation of BNB gene expression were analyzed. In the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, I showed that MpBNB transcription is regulated by the orthologs of key regulators for flowering in response to day length and light quality. It was also shown that Arabidopsis BNB2 is transcriptionally activated in an early stage of flower bud development. Both of Marchantia and Arabidopsis BNB proteins form a heterodimer with the other transcription factors to regulate germline cell differentiation. Further analyses suggested that this heterodimer is relatively stable in an early stage of M. polymorpha gametangium development, while it is transiently formed during fate determination of generative cell in Arabidopsis pollen.

Free Research Field

植物分子細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

植物の配偶子形成機構は、未同定の基本的制御因子がいまだ多いため、不明な部分が多い。特にコケ植物などの基部植物の配偶子形成とその光環境依存的制御の分子機構はほとんど明らかでない。本研究は、最近研究代表者らが同定した鍵因子BNBの機能発現調節機構についての基礎的知見を得ることで、こうした問題の解明を目指すものである。こうした知見は、食糧生産の基礎である植物有性生殖のメカニズムの全容解明に不可欠であり、社会的意義は大きい。