About This Project

The Inverted Sequence (IR) of some plants is one of well-known kind of special sequences. But, until now, the exact mechanism of how the IR sequence is made hasn't discovered yet. Most plants have an IR regions, but legumes do not have an IR regions, and among them, deciduous legumes have an IR zone. Thus, the purpose of our study is to elucidate the structure and mechanism of the IR region. Additionally, our team is going to figure out the relationship of it and plants' deciduousness.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

According to numerous researchers, most of DNAs of chloroplasts in most of plant species have "ring" structure. More important thing is that is/are pair(s) of repetitive parts of specific structure within it, for some plant species. By additional researches, most of 'Fabaceae' plants were turned out not having those repetitive sequences (they are called "IR Sequences") in their cpDNAs(※ cpDNA is an abbreviation of 'chloroplast DNA', which refers to the DNA of the chloroplast itself.). But most important things for our research team are that current science haven't explained yet about by which mechanism IR sequences which biologic functions they have, or even whether they participate in any 'biologic function'.

What is the significance of this project?

The decisive mechanism of how IR sequence of plants made hasn't eludicated yet. Thus, our research team is going to figure out the mechanism. And furthermore, our main hypothesis is that symbiotic bacteria is related to this mechanism and IR sequence have connection with plants' deciduousness.

What are the goals of the project?

Our research team is going to figure out the "most accurate" mechanisms and causes of the formation of IR sequences in some plants, in 'general' ways. Plus, one of our hypotheses is that presence of IR sequence is related to the "Deciduousness" of plants, and we are going to take a deep look into it.

■ Deciduousness is the state or condition of being deciduous; the quality of trees which lose their leaves in winter or the dry season. For example, platanus trees lose their leaves when temperature go down.

■ ■The main idea of one of our hypotheses is that the presence of IR sequences inside of certain plants' chloroplast can make the leaves of the plant deciduous. And, we are going to find out relationship between the presence of IR sequence and the presence of symbiotic bacteria.