日本一個研究小組在27日出版的美國《科學》雜志上發(fā)表論文說,，他們在以果蠅為對象的實驗中發(fā)現(xiàn)，果蠅身上一個基因活性下降會使它們怕熱,。
據(jù)日本媒體27日報道,，京都大學教授梅田真鄉(xiāng)領導的研究小組利用基因工程技術研究果蠅基因，發(fā)現(xiàn)果蠅體內(nèi)一個名為“DmDG”的基因活性一旦下降,，果蠅就會“怕熱”,，從而喜歡向溫度更低的地方轉移，其喜好的環(huán)境溫度要比正常情況下低5攝氏度,。
梅田真鄉(xiāng)等人推測,，“DmDG”基因可能與果蠅的代謝功能相關。這個基因活性下降后,，果蠅體內(nèi)能量代謝就會活躍,，于是就會更喜歡低溫環(huán)境。他們認為,，生物體內(nèi)利用基因調(diào)節(jié)溫度適應性的機制普遍存在,，這可以使生物適應很大的溫度變化。
梅田真鄉(xiāng)說,，人體內(nèi)也存在“DmDG”基因,，這一基因與人罹患肌營養(yǎng)不良癥相關。但是,，他們尚不清楚人體內(nèi)“DmDG”基因活性變化帶來的代謝功能變化與肌營養(yǎng)不良癥的具體關聯(lián),。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
Science 27 March 2009:DOI: 10.1126/science.1165712
Changes in Temperature Preferences and Energy Homeostasis in Dystroglycan Mutants
Ken-ichi Takeuchi,1,2 Yoshiro Nakano,3 Utako Kato,1 Mizuho Kaneda,2 Masako Aizu,2 Wakae Awano,4 Shigenobu Yonemura,5 Shigeki Kiyonaka,6 Yasuo Mori,6 Daisuke Yamamoto,7 Masato Umeda1,2*
Temperature affects the physiology, behavior, and evolution of organisms. We conducted mutagenesis and screens for mutants with altered temperature preference in Drosophila melanogaster and identified a cryophilic (cold-seeking) mutant, named atsugari (atu). Reduced expression of the Drosophila ortholog of dystroglycan (DmDG) induced tolerance to cold as well as preference for the low temperature. A sustained increase in mitochondrial oxidative metabolism caused by the reduced expression of DmDG accounted for the cryophilic phenotype of the atu mutant. Although most ectothermic animals do not use metabolically produced heat to regulate body temperature, our results indicate that their thermoregulatory behavior is closely linked to rates of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism and that a mutation in a single gene can induce a sustained change in energy homeostasis and the thermal responses.
1 Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan.
2 The Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 3-18-22 Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8613, Japan.
3 Department of Genetics, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya 663-8501, Japan.
4 Mitsubishi Kasei Institute of Life Sciences, Machida, Tokyo 194-8511, Japan.
5 RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan.
6 Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
7 Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan.
