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RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research Laboratory for Nutritional Biology

Team Director: Fumiaki Obata (Ph.D.)

Research Summary

Fumiaki Obata (Ph.D.)

The organismal healthspan is significantly influenced by the quality and quantity of the diet, but our understanding of the detailed molecular mechanisms remains limited. Diet contributes to the metabolic and physiological homeostasis of animals directly as nutrients or indirectly via gut microbiome, but a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms is lacking. In our laboratory, we study the physiological functions of various nutrients and gut bacteria during each life stage, including development, growth, reproduction, and aging, as well as the adaptation mechanisms of animals to nutritional over- and undernutrition. We are also trying to elucidate the mechanisms by which transient dietary intake during development and development influences health status throughout life.

Main Research Fields

  • Biology

Related Research Fields

  • Agricultural Sciences
  • Biological Sciences
  • Medicine, Dentistry & Pharmacy
  • Environmental physiology
  • Developmental biology
  • Biological pharmacy

Keywords

  • Nutrition
  • Lifespan
  • Gut microbiota
  • Metabolism
  • Innate Immunity

Selected Publications

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

  • 1. Oi A, Shinoda N, Nagashima S, et al.
    "A nonsecretory antimicrobial peptide mediates inflammatory organ damage in Drosophila renal tubules"
    Cell Reports 44(1), 115082 (2025) doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.115082
  • 2. Kosakamoto H, Sakuma C, Okada R, et al.
    "Context-dependent impact of the dietary non-essential amino acid tyrosine on Drosophila physiology and longevity."
    Science Advances 10(35), eadn7167 (2024) doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adn7167
  • 3. Sakuma C, Iwamoto T, Masuda K, et al.
    "Fibrinopeptide A-induced blood-feeding arrest in the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti".
    Cell Reports (2024) doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114354
  • 4. Kosakamoto H, Miura M, Obata F.
    "Epidermal tyrosine catabolism is crucial for metabolic homeostasis and survival against high-protein diets in Drosophila."
    Development 151(1), dev202372 (2024) doi: 10.1242/dev.202372
  • 5. Kosakamoto H, Obata F, Kuraishi J, et al.
    "Early-adult methionine restriction reduces methionine sulfoxide and extends lifespan in Drosophila."
    Nature Communications 14(1), 7832 (2023) doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-43550-2
  • 6. Onuma T, Yamauchi T, Kosakamoto H, et al.
    "Recognition of commensal bacterial peptidoglycans defines Drosophila gut homeostasis and lifespan."
    PLOS Genetics 19(4), e1010709 (2023) doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010709
  • 7. Kosakamoto H, Okamoto N, Aikawa H, et al.
    "Sensing of the non-essential amino acid tyrosine governs the response to protein restriction in Drosophila."
    Nature Metabolism 4(7), 944-959 (2022) doi: 10.1038/s42255-022-00608-7
  • 8. *Kosakamoto H, Yamauchi T, Akuzawa-Tokita Y, et al.
    "Local Necrotic Cells Trigger Systemic Immune Activation via Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis in Drosophila."
    Cell Reports 32(3), 107938 (2020) doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107938
  • 9. *Obata F, Tsuda-Sakurai K, Yamazaki T, et al.
    "Nutritional Control of Stem Cell Division through S-Adenosylmethionine in Drosophila Intestine."
    Developmental Cell 44(6), 741-751 (2018) doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2018.02.017
  • 10. *Obata F, Fons CO, Gould AP.
    "Early-life exposure to low-dose oxidants can increase longevity via microbiome remodelling in Drosophila."
    Nature Communications 9(1), 975 (2018) doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-03070-w

Recent Research Results

Related Links

Lab Members

Principal investigator

Fumiaki Obata
Team Director

Core members

Chisako Sakuma
Senior Research Scientist
Ayano Oi
Postdoctoral Researcher
Hina Kosakamoto
Visiting Scientist
Yusuke Kato
Student Trainee
Yuka Fujita
Student Trainee
Souto Kitazawa
Student Trainee
Miyu Kubota
Student Trainee
Ayako Matoba
Technical Staff I
Rina Okada
Technical Staff I
Okiko Habara
Research Part-time Worker I
Katsura Tomioka
Research Part-time Worker II
Mari Shoji
Assistant

Contact Information

Developmental Biology Buildings A N705
2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047
Tel: +81-(0)7-8306-3368
Email: fumiaki.obata@riken.jp

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