Welcome to 'Laboratory of Biological Chemistry' (abbreviated as SEIKA in Japanese)!!

Members: 

• Prof. Takahiro ISHIKAWA

• Prof. Takanori MARUTA

• Associate Prof. Takahisa OGAWA

• Assistant Prof. Hiroyuki ASHIDA

 

with 1 technician, 2 Ph.D. students, 6 master's students, and 6 undergraduate students (April 2023) !!

 

Research interests: 

Ishikawa’s group (see more details and publications)

Ascorbate biosynthesis regulation in plants and algae

  • Regulation of the D-mannose/L-galactose pathway in leaves and fruits
  • Alternative pathway(s) for ascorbate biosynthesis in tomato fruits
  • Molecular mechanism of the Euglena-specific pathway

Transport and novel roles of ascorbate in plants

  • Genetic screen for novel ascorbate transporters
  • Proteomic identification of ‘ascorbate-binding proteins’

Euglena as the source of biofuels

  • Mechanism and regulation of wax ester fermentation
  • Genetic modification of Euglena

 

Maruta’s group (see more details and publications)

Reactive oxygen metabolism in plants

  • Ascorbate-dependent antioxidant systems: Roles of ascorbate peroxidase (APX)
  • Thiol-dependent systems: Glutathione, thioredoxin, and peroxiredoxin. 
  • Light-dependent ascorbate biosynthesis regulation (collaboration with Ishikawa’s group)

Ascorbate recycling and degradation in plants

  • Physiological roles of dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) and monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDAR)
  • Mining novel enzymes with ascorbate recycling activity
  • The role of ascorbate as a precursor

Oxidative stress signaling

  • Photosynthesis-derived H2O2 signaling from chloroplasts
  • Photorespiratory H2O2-induced programmed cell death

 

Ogawa’s group (see more details and publications)

Nudix hydrolases, pyridine nucleotide regulation and stress response in plants

  • Enzymatic properties of Nudix hydrolases
  • Physiological roles of Nudix hydrolases having NADH or NADPH hydrolase activity
  • Regulation of pyridine nucleotide levels and stress response

Flavin metabolism and transport in plants

  • Screening of flavin transporters
  • Regulation of flavin biosynthesis