Laboratory of Molecular
and Cell Biology
University of Tsukuba Faculty of Medicine
Research theme
Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a eukaryotic model organism,Through elucidation of the control mechanisms of biological phenomena
We aim to contribute to the medical field.
Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression
Regulation of gene expression is important for maintaining cellular homeostasis and responding to various environmental changes.
In the central dogma, genetic information is transmitted sequentially from DNA to mRNA and then to proteins, and regulation at each stage leads to the final control of proteins. Our research focuses on the stability of mRNA and the control of translation into proteins.
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Gene expression in eukaryotes is regulated by extracellular signals such as nutritional status and extracellular stress. For example, in the presence of stress such as nutrient starvation, high temperature, or oxidation, the translation of mRNA into protein is suppressed, and mRNA is localized in intracellular granules and guided to degradation. This control mechanism for mRNA translation and stability is conserved among eukaryotes, from yeast to humans.
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We will use Saccharomyces cerevisiae to elucidate the control mechanisms of mRNA stability and translation in response to various stresses.
Signal transduction mechanisms controlling endoplasmic reticulum stress responses
Proteins produced in cells must be folded correctly and assume a higher-order structure in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which is one of the organelles in the cell.
However, when these proteins fail to fold due to various stresses and accumulate in the endoplasmic reticulum as defective proteins, they are unable to perform normal cell functions. This critical state for cells is called endoplasmic reticulum stress.
To respond to this critical state, cells are equipped with a crisis avoidance system called the endoplasmic reticulum stress response (Unfolded Protein Response: UPR). The endoplasmic reticulum stress response is related to diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, and elucidation of its molecular mechanisms is important for the prevention and treatment of related diseases.
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We are using Saccharomyces cerevisiae to study the signal transduction mechanism that controls the endoplasmic reticulum stress response.
Molecular mechanism of yeast gametogenesis
Cells that undergo sexual reproduction produce gametes through meiosis and pass on genetic information to the next generation. During the differentiation process that accompanies meiosis, various things occur within the cell, such as the regulation of gene expression and the reorganization of organelles.
During meiosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a single-celled eukaryote,4Two haploid "ascus" cells are born. Eukaryotic cells can become multinucleated during development. They may maintain their multinucleated state, or they may differentiate into individual cells through a special process of cell division; the latter is called "cellularization." This cellularization involves significant changes in the intracellular organization, including changes in nuclear morphology and cell membrane remodeling.
We are conducting research to clarify the cellularization mechanism during meiosis and sporulation in budding yeast.
