ODA, Kazushi
Assistant Professor
Materials Science, Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biomedical Engineering
B.S.(1988), M.S.(1991) from Nagoya University, Ph.D.(1995) from Yokohama City University
NEDO Post-doctoral Research Fellow at National Institute of Bioscience and Technology(1996)
Biomaterials
Diverse organisms on the earth recognize any kind of environmental informations. Endless straggle for their life since their birth, several billion years ago, provides them with faster, more sensitive and highly complex processes for response the stimuli and they adapt their circumstances. I am interested in the molecular mechanism to process internal signals generated by environmental stimuli, such as light, oxygen, attractants and so on.
1) Cloning and manipulation of transducer genes in a purple sulfur bacterium:
Some bacteria with flagella are mobile and tactic in response to environmental stimuli. The regulatory genes of taxis are well-studied and characterized in E. coli and have remarkably consensus sequence, "Highly Conserved Domain (HCD domain)". I am now trying to clone whole genes for taxis in purple sulfur bacterium, Ectothiorhodospira halophila, by PCR with probes based on the consensus sequence. Cloned genes will be fused with green fluorescent protein (GFP) for molecular analysis.
2) Direct observation of dynamic behavior of signal transducer molecules by fluorescent microscope system:
Direct observation technique for a single molecule behavior is developed extensively. Transducer molecules fused with GFP can be observed under fluorescent microscope system and analyzed dynamic motion in vivo. Diffusion is an important process for signal transduction. Do statistical parameters play a key role in biological signal transduction? How sensitive is it for biological functions to manipulate the statistical parameters of the transducer molecules?
3) Analysis of biological motion and biological function of statistical parameters:
Using transformed bacteria, it is possible to elucidate the relationship between characteristics in one molecule of transducer and biological behavior.
・ Photophobic response and methyl accepting chemotaxis protein genes in Ectothiorhodospira halophila , Kazushi Oda and Tetsuo Takahashi , Gordon Reseach Confereces "Photosensory Receptors & Signal Transduction" , April 30-May 5, 2000
・ PYPを持つEctothiorhodospira halophilaの新しいトランスデューサー蛋白のクローニング , 小田和司、西川彩成、高橋哲郎 , 第37回日本生物物理学会 , 1999年10月
・ 紅色光合成細菌の走化型トランスデューサー遺伝子群 , 小田和司、西川彩成、高橋哲郎 , 第5回日本光生物学協会講演会 , 1999年11月
・ The Biological Society of Japan (1992-)
・ The Molecular Biology Society of Japan (1991-)
・ Japanese Society for Chronobiology (1994-)