FACULTY RESEARCH ACTIVITY 2014

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58Bioresource and Environmental ScienceBioresource and Environmental ScienceCreating new plants based on knowledge of basic plant science in order to contribute to the development of a sustainable societyDivision of Applied BiologyI investigate the molecular mechanisms by means of which plants protect themselves from salinity stress (high-salt environments) using the experimental methods of molecular biology, molecular genetics, and plant physiology. I hope to develop innovative technology to generate salt-resistant crops in order to increase agricultural yields in salt-affected areas.Associate Professor Horie took his current position in 2010 after working as a researcher at the University of California, San Diego, and as an assistant professor on special contract with the Institute of Plant Science and Resources at Okayama University. His research centers on the basic molecular physiology of plants and plant genetic and cellular engineering based on it.I expect that my lab’s research could become an important element in avoiding food and energy shortages that are expected in the near future if we can apply knowledge obtained from basic plant science to breed salt-tolerant plants.Outlook for researchMany of the students in my lab choose to pursue careers with companies whose work involves plants. Graduates also tend to be interested in working for companies that develop distinctive environmental technologies or in becoming teachers.Outlook for students after graduationDesigning and applying useful proteins by studying the structure and function of proteinsDivision of Applied BiologyI am carrying out research to gain a deep understanding of the structure and function of proteins and to design, develop, and apply useful modified and artificial proteins. Based on my goal of achieving results that will prove useful in addressing biological resource issues and environmental problems, my lab uses cutting edge chemistry to see, examine, create, and apply proteins.Assistant Professor Arai took his current position in December 2007 after working as a researcher at RIKEN and Princeton University in the U.S. His areas of research are structural biology, which he uses to examine the three-dimensional structure and function of proteins, and protein engineering, which he uses to nd applications for proteins through their modication and design.My goal is to apply proteins in new elds, for example in pharmaceutical development and biotechnology, in order to create eco-friendly high-function nano-materials, clean chemistry catalysts, and high-sensitivity biosensors. In this way, I hope to contribute the achievement of a sustainable and abundant society.Outlook for researchGraduates are employed in numerous elds, including at pharmaceutical, enzyme, and chemical companies.Outlook for students after graduationThe structure of the articial protein WA20, a dimeric de novo 4-helix bundle (top); the overall structure of MqnD, a new menaquinone biosynthetic enzyme (lower left); and its active sites (lower right)An experiment in the research lab (upper left), production of useful proteins with microorganisms (upper right), a protein crystal that shines like a precious stone (lower left), and an x-ray diraction experiment at a synchrotron radiation facility (lower right)Asn43Asp38Thr107Ile144His145Asp14Tyr234Glu146tartaric acidLeu176Ser57WA20 MqnD We analyze the target Na+ transporter that is essential for plant salt tolerance in the oocyte expression system of Xenopus laevis. We are attempting to produce mutagenized Na+ transporters, which we expect to increase the salt tolerance of the host plants.My lab focuses on rice and plants in the genius Arabidopsis for molecular physiological studies using wild-type and Na+ transporter-mutant plants. The picture shows an example of a hydroponic culture of rice plants.Tomoaki HorieAssociate ProfessorRyoichi AraiAssistant Professor

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