Aim of our team is to develop technologies and experimental tools/ resources for characterization of 'genotype, phenotype and epigenotype' of biological resources. Through these efforts, we would extend utilities of bioresources collected at RIKEN BRC. Based on these technologies and resources, we will establish analytical platform for analyses of dynamic nature of mammalian genome in response to changes in various environmental factors. Using this platform, we will be able to explore how environmental factors influence on development and growth of organisms, or on the onset of disease condition.

Main Research Field

Molecular Biology & Genetics

Related Research Fields

Biology & Biochemistry / Plant & Animal Science

Research Subjects

• Technology development for comprehensive analysis of epigenome of small number of cells.
• Studies on genomic reprogramming and cell differentiation during mammalian development
• Technology development for visualization and imaging analyses of biological phenomena

Selected Publications

Papers with an asterisk(*) are based on research conducted outside of RIKEN.

1. *Sugimoto, M., Kondo, M., Koga, Y., Shiura, H., Ikeda, R., Hirose, M., Ogura, A., Murakami, A., Yoshiki, A., Chuva de Sousa Lopes, S., Abe, K.:
   “A simple and robust method for establishing homogeneous mouse epiblast stem cell lines by Wnt inhibition.”
   Stem Cell Reports in press. (2015).
2. Shiura, H., Okamoto, A. Sasaki, H. and Abe, K.:
   “A novel technique for simultaneous visualization of specific DNA methylation and protein/RNA expression.”
   PLoS One. 9, e95750(2014)
3. Ikeda, R., Shiura, H., Numata, K., Sugimoto, M., Kondo, M., Mise, N., Suzuki, M., Greally, J.M. and Abe, K.:
   “Large, male germ cell-specific hypomethylated DNA domains with unique genomic and epigenomic features on the mouse X chromosome.”
   DNA Research 20, 549-565. (2013)
4. *Maeda, I., Okamura, D., Tokitake, Y., Ikeda, M., Kawaguchi, H., Mise, N., Abe, K., Noce, T., Okuda, A. and Matsui, Y.:
   “Max is a repressor of germ-cell-related gene expression in mouse embryonic stem cells.”
   Nature communications 4, 1754. (2013)
5. Shiura, H., Ikeda, R., Lee, J., Sato, T., Ogonuki, N., Hirose, M., Ogura, A., Ogawa, T., Abe, K.: “Generation of a novel germline stem cell line expressing a germline-specific reporter in the mouse.”
   genesis 51, 498-505. (2013).
6. *Semba, K., Araki, K., Matsumoto, K.-I., Suda, H., Ando, T. Sei, A., Mizuta, H., Takagi, K., Nakahara, M., Muta, M., Yamada, G., Nakagata, N., Iida, A., Ikegawa, Y., Araki, M., Abe, K. and Yamamura, K.:
   “The ectopic expression of Ptf1a induces spinal defects, urogenital defects and anorectal malformations in Danforth's short tail mice.”
   PLoS Genet. 9, e1003204. (2012)
7. Sugimoto, M., Kondo, M., Hirose, M., Suzuki, M., Mekada, K., Abe, T., Kiyonari, H., Ogura, A., Takagi, N., Artzt, K. and Abe, K.:
   “Molecular identification of t^w5: Vps52 promotes pluripotential cell differentiation through cell-cell interactions.”
   Cell Reports 2, 1363-1374. (2012).
8. *Okamura, D., Maeda, I., Taniguchi, H., Tokitake, Y., Ikeda, M., Ozato, K., Mise, N., Abe, K., Noce, T., Belmonte, J.C.I., Matsui, Y.:
   “Cell-cycle gene-specific control of transcription has a critical role in proliferation of primordial germ cells.”
   Genes Dev. 26, 2477-2482. (2012).
9. Cao, L, Kobayakawa, S., Yoshiki, A., Abe, K.:
   “High resolution intravital imaging of subcellular structures of mouse abdominal organs using a microstage device.”
   PLoS One e33876. (2012)
10. Kasahara, T., Abe, K., Mekada, K., Yoshiki, A., Kato, T.:
    “Genetic variation of melatonin productivity in laboratory mice under domestication.”
    Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci, USA 107, 6412-6417. (2010)