Nucleic Acid Chemistry Laboratory
Associate Chief Scientist
Mikiko SODEOKA (D.Phar.)
Research in our group is concerned with diverse aspects of the design and function of biopolymers (nucleic acids and proteins) on an atomic scale. The focus is on the design, synthesis and physical properties of new, man-made biopolymers with various functions. Also included is the design of unprecedented organic chemical systems for recognizing, transforming and visualizing a single component or atom in biopolymers of interest. The lab employs a multidisciplinary approach involving organic synthesis, photophysical chemistry, state-of-the-art spectroscopy, and biological assays to address new approaches to the interface between synthetic chemistry and life science.
- RNA imaging and in-cell chemistry
- Nucleotide engineering for conceptually new genotyping and epigenotyping method
- Rational design of new functional peptides
- July 22, 2009
- Real time observation of functional RNAs achieved via new 'multi-color live-cell imaging' technique'
- April 3, 2007
- RIKEN Computer Center has installed one of the largest special-purpose computers in Japan and will use it for molecular dynamics simulations.
- March 20, 2007
- Okamoto Initiative Research Unit and colleagues developed a refined SNP detection methodology using a newly developed dye, "prodan," that was satisfactorily alerting the SNP site of DNA in a prototype system.
- December 21, 2007
- Tackling cancer by fishing for trouble
Detecting sequence-specific problems in DNA may help scientists understand genetic disorders that lead to cancer
- Okamoto, A.:
"Excitonic interaction: Another photophysical process for fluorescence-controlled nucleic acid sensing."
Chem. Rec., 10 (3), 188-196, 2010 - Kubota, T.; Ikeda, S.; Yanagisawa, H.; Yuki, M.; Okamoto,A.:
"Sets of RNA Repeated Tags and Hybridization-Sensitive Fluorescent Probes for Distinct Images of RNA in a Living Cell."
PLoS ONE, 5 (9), e13003, 2010 - Ikeda, S., Kubota, T., Yuki, M.,and Okamoto, A.:
"Exciton-Controlled Hybridization-Sensitive Fluorescent Probes: Multicolor Detection of Nucleic Acids."
Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 48 (35), 6480-6484. 2009 - Nomura, A.;and Okamoto, A.:
"Photoresponsive Tandem Zinc Finger Peptide."
Chem. Commun. 1906-1908. 2009 - Okamoto, A.:
"Chemical approach toward efficient DNA methylation analysis."
Org. Biomol. Chem. 7 (1), 21-26. 2009 - Ikeda, S.,and Okamoto, A.:
"Hybridization-Sensitive On-Off DNA Probe: Application of the Exciton Coupling Effect to Effective Fluorescence Quenching."
Chem. Asian J. 3 (6), 958-968. 2008 - Tanaka, K., Tainaka, K., Umemoto, T., Nomura, A.,and Okamoto, A.:
"An Osmium-DNA Interstrand Complex: Application to Facile DNA Methylation Analysis."
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129 (46), 14511-14517. 2007 - Tanaka, K., Tainaka, K., Kamei, T.,and Okamoto, A.:
"Direct Labeling of 5-Methylcytosine and Its Applications."
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129 (17), 5612-5620. 2007 - Tainaka, K., Tanaka, K., Ikeda, S., Nishiza, K.-i., Unzai, T., Fujiwara, Y., Saito, I.,and Okamoto, A.:
"PRODAN-conjugated DNA: Synthesis and Photochemical Properties."
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129 (15), 4776-4784. 2007 - Okamoto, A., Kamei, T.,and Saito, I.:
"DNA hole transport: application to effective photoelectrochemical SNP typing."
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 128 (2), 658-662. 2006