Research Target
Some transition metal ions are widely distributed in biological systems in the form of metal-binding proteins and enzymes. They are involved in many important physiological actions such as metabolism of substances and energy, homeostasis of the cell, and so on. Biometal Science Laboratory have been studying to understand the action of the metal ions in metal-binding proteins/enzymes in molecular level on the basis of their molecular structures, which are determined by X-ray crystallography, Cryo-EM and spectroscopic methods, in combination with biochemical, molecular biological and chemical techniques. Currently we have specially focused on the metal-binding proteins/enzymes and metal transporters.
1. Enzyme with a metal as a catalyst of chemical reaction
- Bacterial Nitric oxide reductase (membrane-integrated protein)
- Bacterial enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of anti-tumor and antibiotics
- Monooxygenase (Cytochromes P450)
- Dioxygenase (Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, Tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase)
- Globin protein (Myoglobin, Hemoglobin, Cytoglobin, Neuroglobin)
2. Transport of metals by membrane protein
- Heme transporters
- Metal-ion transporters
3. Application and development of new methods for structural analysis
- Crystallographic and spectroscopic analysis of short-lived reaction intermediates of enzyme
Press release and recent topics
- The roots of respiration (RIKEN Research Highlights) 04-Mar-2011
- How bacteria sense the world. (Press release) 14-Oct-2009
- Water-powered reactions (RIKEN Research Highlights) 26-Jun-2009
- Missing piece gets a work over (RIKEN Research Highlights) 16-Jan-2009
- Fluorescence or flexibility (RIKEN Research Highlights) 24-Jun-2008
- Core structures (RIKEN Research Highlights) 14-Sep-2007