ネムリユスリカにおけるアンヒドロビオシス誘導機構の分子基盤の解明(奨励賞受賞論文)

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The sleeping chironomid, Polypedilum vanderplanki, is the only insect known to be capable of extreme desiccation tolerance, or anhydrobiosis. Here, the author briefly summarized molecular mechanisms underlying induction of the anhydrobiosis. Trehalose, a non-reducing disaccharide, which synthesized in the fat body up to 20% of the dry body mass and uniformly distributed in the entire body via trehalose transporter TRET1, is thought to replace the water in its tissues. Simultaneously, highly hydrophilic proteins called the Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins, are expressed in huge quantities and act as a molecular shield to protect biological molecules against aggregation and denaturation. At the late stage of induction of the anhydrobiosis, specific water channels, called aquaporins, accelerate dehydration and trehalose finally forms together with LEA proteins a glassy matrix, which protect biological molecules and the structural integrity of larvae in the anhydrobiotic state.
2013-04-15