Applied Enzymology and Biochemistry

Structure and Function of Useful Enzymes from Microorganisms

Staffs

	Professor：Kenji INAGAKI, Ph. D. E-mail： kinagaki＠（@cc.okayama-u.ac.jp） Application of Microbial Enzymes for Biosensor and Diagnosis
	Professor：Takashi TAMURA, Ph. D. E-mail： tktamura＠（@cc.okayama-u.ac.jp Application of Microbial Enzymes for Bioenergy Development

Research Topics

This laboratory works on microbial enzymes with protein engineering and genetic engineering at the molecular level. Collaborations with companies and academic organizations are conducted to disseminate our scientific outcomes oriented to diagnostic utility, environmental contribution, and wide application to foods and cosmetics.

Microbes that can survive under extreme environments have unique and useful enzymes in their cells. We are focusing on the exploitation of those highly acid-tolerant and/or highly thermostable enzymes, which are allowed to be produced in E. coli cells through genetic engineering, and for structure elucidation by X-ray crystallography.

Microbial enzymes can be used for many applications in the medicinal field. Some enzymes can induce apoptosis highly specifically to cancer cells. Enzymes that can be used for the diagnosis of liver functions with much higher sensitivity than the conventional chemical analysis. We study microbial enzymes related to some human diseases and for application to medicinal purposes.

A novel approach to designing and modifying enzyme structures is being developed in this laboratory by exploiting the ability of cutting-edged computer chemistry. Molecular dynamics and quantum chemistry are introduced into real world bench chemistry, and the mathematical profession and speculation are put into practice by protein engineering and experimental evaluation.

Publications

・ Fukuda, K., T. Tamura, H. Ito, S. Yamamoto, K. Ochi, K. Inagaki: Production improvement of antifungal, antitrypanosomal nucleoside sinefungin by rpoB mutation and optimization of resting cell system of Streptomyces incarnatus NRRL 8089 J. Biosci. Bioeng. 109, 469-465 (2010)
・ Arima, J., C. Sasaki, C. Sakaguchi, H. Mizuno, T. Tamura, A. Kashima, H. Kusakabe, S. Sugio, and K. Inagaki: Structural characterization of L-glutamate oxidase from Streptomyces sp. X-119-6. FEBS Journal, 276, 3894-3903 (2009)
・ Imada, K., T. Tamura, R. Takenaka, I. Kobayashi, K. Namba, and K. Inagaki, Structure and quantum chemical analysis of NAD+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase: Hydride transfer and co-factor specificity, Proteins, 70, 63-71 (2008)
・ Takahata, M., T. Tamura, K. Abe, H. Mihara, S. Kurokawa, Y. Yamamoto, R. Nakano, N. Esaki, and K. Inagaki: Selenite assimilation into formate dehydrogenase H depends on thioredoxin reductase in Escherichia coli, J. Biochem. 143, 467-473 (2008)
・ Kudou, D., S. Misaki, M. Yamashita, T. Tamura, N. Esaki, and K. Inagaki, The role of cysteine 116 in the active site of the antitumor enzyme L-methionine -lyase from Pseudomonas putida, Biosci. Biotech. Biochem., 72, 1722-1730 (2008)