Research Director

Toshio Ando
Kanazawa University
Professor

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Outline

The most of ATPases/GTPases produce dynamic mechanical actions such as moving, pulling, pushing, unfolding, and squeezing, which engender and support diverse life phenomena. In this project, we will develop novel methods, based on high-speed atomic force microscopy, for directly observing molecules in action. Using the methods as well as exploiting in some cases a new technique capable of manipulating protein molecules, we will study a variety of protein machines driven by ATP/GTP to elucidate their functional mechanism, the mechanism and action of the cooperative interaction between multiple subunits, and the heart of biological chemo-mechanical energy transduction, and thereby, open up novel Structural Life Science.