Genji Kurisu

Molecular basis for dynamic communication between the photosynthetic organelles, chloroplast and pyrenoid

Research Director

Genji Kurisu

Collaborator

Yusuke Matsuda

Professor School of Biological and Environmental Sciences Kwansei Gakuin University

Outline

In plants or algae, the thylakoid lumen of chloroplast is acidified under fluctuating strong light condition. In this project, we will determine the dynamic structural basis for the acidification (ΔpH formation) of the chloroplast thylakoid membrane lumen by NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations and elucidate the structure-function relationship of the novel anion transporter in the thylakoid membrane that accelerates carbon fixation in pyrenoid by X-ray crystallography. Dynamic molecular basis of how the information on thylakoid membrane acidification is transmitted between the two photosynthetic organelles, chloroplasts and pyrenoid, will be revealed by integrated X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy.

Osamu Nureki

Atomic resolution dynamics of supramolecular complexes essential for cellular functions

Research Director

Osamu Nureki

Collaborator

Yasushi Okada	Professor Garaduate school of Medicine The University of Tokyo
Kayo Nozawa	Associate Professor Department of Life Science and Technology Tokyo Institute of Technology
Satoru Fujiyoshi	Assitant professor Garaduate school of Science Tokyo Institute of Technology

Outline

We will elucidate in-cell real-time dynamic molecular mechanisms of how Prestin causes cell motility for acoustic amplification and of how SID membrane protein translocates RNA to cause RNautophagy by technical integrations of a single molecular analysis and an electron tomography of Cryo-EM (Nureki G.), of a sngle cell analysis and super-resolving microscopy (Okada G.) and of Cryo-fluorescent microscopy (Okada G.).

Nobuo Noda

Autophagy dynamics driven by multi-level higher-order structural components

Research Director

Nobuo Noda

Collaborator

Kuninori Suzuki	Associate professor Graduate School of Frontier Sciences The University of Tokyo
Nobuo Noda	Specially Appointed Researcher Institute of Microbial Chemistry Microbial Chemistry Research Foundation

Outline

Autophagy is a basic life phenomenon that promotes recycling of intracellular components through degradation and is essential for us to lead healthy lives. During autophagy, complicated reorganization of lipid membranes occurs in cells, which is mediated by higher-order structural components that include supramolecular complexes, organelles, and membrane-less organelles. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these events remain to be elucidated. In this project, we try to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of autophagy by reconstituting autophagic processes in vitro using requisite minimum components and analyzing the simplified processes.

Yasunori Hayashi

Spatiotemporal dynamics of synaptic nanostructure underlying memory

Research Director

Yasunori Hayashi

Collaborator

Hidetoshi Urakubo	Associate Professor School of Medicine Fujita Health University
Kohei Otomo	Associate Professor (concurrent post) Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems National Institute of Natural Sciences
Takeharu Nagai	Professor SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research) Osaka University
Tomoki Matsuda	Professor School of Science Kitasato University
Kohei Otomo	Associate Professor Graduate School of Medicine Juntendo University

Outline

We found that Ca2+/calmodulin protein kinase II (CaMKII) undergoes liquid liquid phase separation (LLPS) with its substrate proteins in a manner requiring Ca2+. We hypothesized that this process reorganizes PSD, thereby underlying synaptic plasticity. We will investigate this property with purified proteins and, in parallel, test the hypothesis through a combination of super resolution microscopy, development of tools for optical control of LLPS, and mathematical modeling.

Tetsuya Higashiyama

Whole-Cell Dynamics of Membrane Traffic Driving Chemotropism

Research Director

Tetsuya Higashiyama

Collaborator

Kazuho Ikeda	Lecturer Graduate School of Medicine University of Tokyo
Tomohiro Uemura	Professor Faculty of Core Research Ochanomizu University
Kazuo Ebine	Assistant Professor Division of Cellular Dynamics National Institute for Basic Biology
Yoko Mizuta	Designated assistant professor Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules Nagoya University

Outline

We aim to develop microscopes that enable whole-cell, super-resolution imaging of membrane traffic dynamics at the resolution of a single vesicle. By using the pollen tube of flowering plants as a model, we will reveal the mechanism of membrane traffic for precise chemotropism, through two cutting-edge approaches: identification of cargo and traffic machineries on each vesicle, and visualization of 3D dynamics of the membrane traffic in pollen tube attraction.

Tetsuro Hirose

Principles to build functional membraneless organelles with RNA

Research Director

Tetsuro Hirose

Collaborator

Shungo Adachi	Chief Research Institute National Cancer Center Japan Research Institute
Chikara Dohno	Associate Professor SANKEN Osaka University

Outline

In eukaryotic cells, specific membraneless organelles utilize RNA as their structural skeleton. In this study, we attempt to identify the structural requirement for the proper functions of the membraneless organelles, which eventually lead to understand the significance of RNA in the architecture of the memberaneless organelles. To accomplish the goal, we employ super-resolution imaging to observe the fine structure and physical properties, proteomics of the components, and theoretical approach with soft matter physics, all of which would promote to understand the relationship between the structure and the function of the membraneless organelles with RNA. We also attempt to develop the new technology to artificially manipulate the membraneless organelles with small compounds that directly interact with RNA.