Introduction of our research
About our base technology
We use in vitro translation system as a base technology for protein researches. By taking several advantages of the system, we have been working on: (i) chracterization of proteins of which function had been unclarified; (ii) enzymology for metabolic engineering; and (iii) establishment of in vitro reconstitution system for various membrane proteins.
About our research topics
Please check "Publications" for more details.Ⅰ．Protein engineering and evolutionary molecular design
We utilize the in vitro system for protein engineering. Engineered proteins are used for metabolic engineering of plants and microbes. Examples: improvement of Trp biosynthetic pathway in plants; engineering of herbicide inactivating enzymes. Regarding in vitro translation system based on wheat-germ extracts, we solely use the extracts purchased from Cellfree Sceinces.
We also started attempt to establish efficient in vitro translation system for evolutionary molecular design. This system is adoted for screening functional peptide for the regulation of medically important target molecules.
Ⅱ．Biochemical characterization of membrane proteins
We utilize the in vitro system for membrane protein studies. The system is useful for identification of transporters.
We have also been working on important membarne proteins for medical research, such as G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), ion channel proteins and cytochrome P450s (CYPs). Some of them are useful for the application of "evolutionary molecular design".
Ⅲ．Functional analysis of plant 2OG dependent dioxygenases
We are working on HIS1/HSL 2OG-dependent dioxygenases of plants.