Laboratory of Environmental Biochemistry
Biotechnology Research Center, The University of Tokyo

Professor Hisakazu YAMANE, Ph. D.

Research Area: Environmental Biochemistry, Bioorganic Chemistry
Key Words: Rice, Elicitors, Jasmonic acid, Defense responses in plants, Phytoalexins, Signal transduction

Message: The ultimate goals of our research are to elucidate molecular bases of the basic defense mechanisms in rice and to utilize the fruits of the basic research to actual application, such as production of rice cultivars resistant to pathogens and development of disease resistance-inducing agrochemicals. For these purposes, we are performing extensive studies on biological functions of the secondary signaling molecules, characterization and biological function of elicitor-inducible transcription factors, functional identification of phytoalexin biosynthetic enzymes and regulatory mechanisms of their gene expression, and so on.

Activity in Scientific Societies: Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry, The Japanese Society for Chemical Regulation of Plants, The Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists
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Associate Prof. Hideaki NOJIRI, Ph. D.

Research Area: Environmental Microbiology
Key Words: Bacteria, Biodegradation, Degradative plasmid, Genome, Degradative enzymes, Rieske non-heme iron oxygenase (Aromatic ring-hydroxylating oxygenase), X-ray crystallography

Message: Environmental bacteria are capable to degrading various contaminated toxic compounds. We would like to know the molecular basis of such ‘specific’ function by molecular genetic, genomic, enzymatic, and X-ray crystallographic studies. In addition, we would like to know the ‘actual’ function and behavior of degradative bacteria.

Activity in Scientific Societies: Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry, Society of Genome Microbiology, Japan, The Society for Biotechnology, Japan, Japan Society for Environmental Biotechnology, Japanese Society for Extremophiles, American Society for Microbiology.
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Assistant Prof. Kazunori OKADA, Ph. D.

Research Area: Plant Molecular Biology
Key Words: Terpenoids, The MEP pathway, Gene cluster

Message: Plants biosynthesize many functionally unknown secondary metabolite, some of which are useful for human life, and often have an important roles in plant physiology itself. Of those metabolites, terpenoids are one of the largest groups of the metabolites in plants. Disclosing the mechanisms of a complicated nature of terpenoids biosynthesis is our primary destination, and hopefully, the findings will help to improve plants functions for human benefits.

Activity in Scientific Societies: Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry, The Japanese Society for Chemical Regulation of Plants, The Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists
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