Kyoto University · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Professor Masatoshi Hagiwara's research lab focuses on signal transduction pathways, particularly the regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades, including the identification and characterization of novel kinases such as MAPKK6 and their upstream activators like TAK1. The lab also investigates the role of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) in nuclear signaling and CREB transcription factor regulation, emphasizing subcellular dynamics and post-translational modifications. Additionally, the lab explores the molecular mechanisms of pre-mRNA splicing regulation, with a focus on SR protein kinases (SRPKs) and their roles in alternative splicing and disease. These studies collectively aim to elucidate fundamental mechanisms of cellular signaling and gene expression control in health and disease.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
A cDNA encoding a novel member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK) family, MAPKK6, was isolated and found to encode a protein of 334 amino acids, with a calculated molecular mass of 37 kDa that is 79% identical to MKK3. MAPKK6 was shown to phosphorylate and specifically activate the p38/MPK2 subgroup of the mitogen-activated protein kinase superfamily and could be demonstrated to be phosphorylated and activated in vitro by TAK1, a recently identified MAPKK kinase. MKK3 was als
Cyclic AMP (cAMP) regulates a number of eukaryotic genes by mediating the protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent phosphorylation of the CREB transcription factor at Ser-133. In this study, we test the hypothesis that the stoichiometry and kinetics of CREB phosphorylation are determined by the liberation and subsequent translocation of PKA catalytic subunit (C subunit) into the nucleus. Using fluorescence imaging techniques, we observed that PKA was activated in a stimulus-dependent fashion that led to
The regulation of splice site usage provides a versatile mechanism for controlling gene expression and for the generation of proteome diversity, playing an essential role in many biological processes. The importance of alternative splicing is further illustrated by the increasing number of human diseases that have been attributed to mis-splicing events. Appropriate spatial and temporal generation of splicing variants demands that alternative splicing be subjected to extensive regulation, similar
Cyclic AMP (cAMP) regulates a number of eukaryotic genes by mediating the protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent phosphorylation of the CREB transcription factor at Ser-133. In this study, we test the hypothesis that the stoichiometry and kinetics of CREB phosphorylation are determined by the liberation and subsequent translocation of PKA catalytic subunit (C subunit) into the nucleus. Using fluorescence imaging techniques, we observed that PKA was activated in a stimulus-dependent fashion that led to
Serine/arginine-rich (SR) proteins play an important role in constitutive and alternative pre-mRNA splicing. The C-terminal arginine-serine domain of these proteins, such as SF2/ASF, mediates protein-protein interactions and is phosphorylated in vivo. Using glutathione S-transferase (GST)-SF2/ASF-affinity chromatography, the SF2/ASF kinase activity was co-purified from HeLa cells with a 95-kDa protein, which was recognized by an anti-SR protein kinase (SRPK) 1 monoclonal antibody. Recombinant SR
A novel antigen recognized by serum from a scleroderma patient was identified by expression cloning from the HeLa cell cDNA library. The cloned cDNA encoded a 374-amino acid protein with a relative molecular mass of 47,000 and a predicted amino acid sequence 62.7% identical to the hypothetical protein of Caenorhabditis elegans, T16H12.5. The deduced amino acid sequence had a typical POZ domain and an unidentified region conserved during evolution. No zinc finger or RNA recognition motifs were fo
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