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- Molecular Physiology
Molecular Physiology
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- Integrated Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences
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- Metabolic and Cardiovascular Medicine
Staff
| Professor | TOMIZAWA Kazuhito tomikt(at mark)kumamoto-u.ac.jp |
|---|---|
| Associate Professor | CHUJO Takeshi tchujo(at mark)kumamoto-u.ac.jp |
| Assistant Professor | SATO Kyosuke satok(at mark)kumamoto-u.ac.jp |
Research theme
1.Diseases caused by loss of tRNA modifications
Each tRNA molecule contains >10 chemical modifications that support protein synthesis. > 40 tRNA modification enzyme genes have pathogenic mutations, but the pathogenic mechanisms were unknown. We have been elucidating the pathogenic mechanisms of such “tRNA modopathies” including type 2 diabetes, intellectual disability, and mitochondrial diseases (e.g., JCI 2011, Cell Metab 2015, PLoS Genet 2016, Cell Rep 2018, Cell Rep 2020, NAR 2021, Sci Adv 2021, NAR 2023, NAR 2024).
2.Physiological functions and utilization of modified nucleosides
RNAs are eventually degraded to single nucleosides, and we found that modified nucleosides are actively exported from the cells and finally released in the urine. We have been studying how specific modified nucleosides can activate specific receptors or can be used to detect SARS-CoV-2 and bacterial infections (e.g., Mol Cell 2021, RNA Biol 2021, Biomol 2023, mBio 2024).