旭硝子財団助成研究成果報告2023

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旭硝子財団　助成研究成果報告（2023）R plasmids are recognized as mobile genetic elements that confer resistance to various antibiotics to their host. The aim of this study is to elucidate the identity of plasmids that harbor antibiotic resistance genes and their dissemination mechanisms in natural environments through single-cell level analyses. Our findings re-vealed the existence of novel plasmid groups that disseminate antibiotic resistance genes, in addition to the previously known ones. Moreover, we have successfully identified the bacterial strains that serve as plasmid recipients (i.e., “plasmid destination”) and developed a methodology to determine the plasmid carriers, in-cluding unculturable microorganisms in natural environments (i.e., “plasmid original hosts”). Furthermore, the insights gained from this study have led to the refinement of a comprehensive plasmid database.本研究では窒素元素を含有する曲面π共役分子の置換基変換や修飾による構造および電子状態を制御することにより，曲面π共役分子特有の性質を活用した新たな機能性の創出を目指した．その結果，ボウル型分子の積層構造の制御，ねじれ分子の置換基による構造・光化学特性の制御を達成した．特に，アザヘリセンの選択的置換基変換反応を開発し，それをもとに近赤外発光や自発分極などこれまでにない機能の創出に成功した．In this study, we have aimed to create new functionalities utilizing the unique properties of curved π-conju-gated molecules by controlling their structures and electronic states through substituent installation and modi-fications of curved π-conjugated molecules containing nitrogen elements. As a result, control of the stacking structure of bowl-shaped molecules and control of structural and photochemical properties by substituents of twisted molecules were achieved. In particular, we developed a selective substituent conversion reaction of azahelicenes and succeeded in creating unprecedented functions such as near-infrared emission and spontane-ous polarization based on this reaction.近年，DNA等の情報分子を利用して構築する人工細胞や細胞型分子ロボットの研究が進んでいる．本研究課題では，DNAナノ構造を自己集積させて生成するDNAカプセル構造およびDNAコアセルベートを構築する技術を構築し，環境応答可能な機能性の細胞型分子ロボットの創製を目指して研究を行った．具体的には，油中水滴界面でのDNAゲルの自己組織化を利用したDNAゲルカプセルの構築，DNA液滴によるRNAセンシング，均一サイズDNAゲル・液滴の構築技術の開発に成功した．将来的には，これらの技術はバイオメディカル分野や新規情報デバイスの構築へと応用できると考えている．Research on artificial cells and cell-like molecular robots constructed using DNA and other information mol-ecules has been progressing in recent years. In this research project, we constructed technologies to construct DNA capsule structures and DNA coacervates generated by the self-assembly of DNA nanostructures and conducted research intending to create functional cell-like molecular robots that can respond to environmen-50廣戸　聡51Satoru HIROTO瀧ノ上正浩52Masahiro TAKINOUEヘテロ元素埋め込み型曲面π共役分子の機能開拓（2019採択）Exploration of functions for heteroatom-embedded curved π-conjugated molecules(Project 2019)DNAナノ構造の液滴界面自己組織化による環境応答可能な細胞型分子ロボットの創製（2020採択）Construction of environmentally responsive cell-like molecular robots based on self-assembly of DNA nanostructures at a droplet interface(Project 2020)