The University of Tokyo · Nursing
Professor Tomiko Asakura's research lab focuses on plant molecular biology and biochemistry, with a particular emphasis on aspartic proteinases and their roles in seed development and stress responses. The lab investigates gene expression, enzyme function, and metabolic regulation in crops such as rice and tomato, especially under environmental stresses like drought. Using integrated 'omics' approaches—transcriptomics, metabolomics, and proteomics—the lab explores how carbon-nitrogen balance and stress signaling pathways influence seed quality and stress resilience. Their work also extends to metal-ligand interactions in food systems, as seen in studies on zinc binding in instant coffee.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
The gene organization and nucleotide sequence of an aspartic proteinase (AP) of plant origin were first disclosed by cDNA and genomic DNA cloning of a rice AP (oryzasin). The deduced amino acid sequence of oryzasin 1 was significantly similar to those of other APs (34-85%), with highest similarity (85%) to barley AP (HvAP). Oryzasin 1, as well as HvAP, is distinct from animal and microbial APs in that the plant APs contain a unique 104-amino-acid insertion in the C-terminal region. The oryzasin
An aspartic proteinase in rice seeds (oryzasin) was purified by (NH4)2SO4 fractionation, DEAE-celluose anion exchange chromatography, Sephadex G-100 gel filtration, Mono Q anion exchange chromatography, and pepstatin-affinity chromatography. SDS−PAGE showed the affinity-purified enzyme to have two molecular forms, 57 and 53 kDa, together with their probable autolysates appearing as two small bands at 35 and 25 kDa. Compared with the other three bands, the 57 kDa band reacted strongly on western
Transcriptome and metabolome analysis in tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i>) fruits cultivated under drought conditions showed that drought stress promoted fatty acid synthesis and increased the content of fatty acids in fruits. The accumulation of some phospholipids composed of palmitic acid and oleic acid also was significantly increased, especially in seeds. Moreover, inositol, which is a component of cell membranes and cell walls, was increased through the activity of the myoinositol monoph
The balance between carbon and nitrogen is a key determinant of seed storage components, and thus, is of great importance to rice and other seed-based food crops. To clarify the influence of the rhizosphere carbon/nitrogen balance during the maturation stage of several seed components, transcriptome analysis was performed on the seeds from rice plants that were provided additional nitrogen fertilization at heading time. As a result, it was assessed that genes associated with molecular processes
Given the abundance of stroke patients and deaths from stroke worldwide, many studies concerning the aftermath of stroke are being carried out. To reveal the precise effect of ischemic infarction, we conducted a comprehensive gene expression analysis. Alongside a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) Sprague-Dawley rat model, we used a group undergoing sham surgery for comparison, which was the same as MCAO surgery but without blood vessel occlusion. Subsequently, infarction of the brains of M
Thecomplex formation of zinc with constituents in instant coffee wasstudied by complexometry, using the modified tetramethyl murexide (TMM)method. The activity of Zn2 + binding was measured in a pH 5.0 hexamine buffer containing 1 mMZnCl2. Instant coffee to which Zn2+ had been added was separated into three color components by Sephadex G-25 gel permeation chromatography. Among these components, the second was the strongest in Zn2+ binding activity. Instant coffee with Zn2 + was also chromatograp
Circulating miRNA species are promising symptom markers for various diseases, including cardiovascular disease. However, studies regarding their role in the treatment process are limited, especially concerning cerebral infarction. This study aimed to extract miRNA markers to investigate whether they reflect both onset and treatment process of cerebral infarction. A total of 22 patients (P-group) and 22 control subjects (C-group) were examined for their whole-blood miRNA profiles using DNA GeneCh
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