Freely modify and utilize proteins.
Life (Saitama University Research Seed Collection 2025-25 p.115)
Keywords: in vitro protein synthesis, enzymes, membrane receptors, membrane transporters, transcription factors, protein engineering, biomolecular engineering
Many proteins in living organisms need to adopt precise structures to function as high-performance nanomachines. In vitro protein synthesis systems are an excellent technology for producing high-performance proteins. For example, animal proteins can be produced in vitro without killing the animals. Even in the case of infectious microorganisms and viruses that are dangerous to handle directly, as long as the DNA sequence information is available, it is possible to produce the desired protein in a safe environment. Currently, research is focused on membrane proteins and enzyme proteins, which are considered difficult to study in terms of their functions. Many membrane proteins are also drug targets, making them important for pharmaceutical and pesticide research. Additionally, many of them play crucial roles in controlling the transport of nutrients and metabolites into and out of cells as membrane transporters, and elucidating these functions has significant academic value. Enzyme proteins are ideal catalysts that can efficiently produce compounds found in nature at room temperature and pressure. By improving them in vitro, that is, through molecular evolution, it is also possible to create enzymes with more advanced functions.
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Yuzuru Tozawa, Professor Graduate School of Science and Technology, Department of Life Sciences, Field of Molecular Biology 【Recent Research Themes】 ● Research on the creation of enzyme proteins for industrial use ● Functional analysis of membrane proteins using flat lipid membrane nanodisks ● Challenge of in vitro reconstitution of natural rubber biosynthesis systems ● Development of technology for utilizing plant proteins that maintain seed formation ability at high temperatures
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【Appeal Points to the Industry】 ● High-quality production of proteins that are difficult to reproduce functionally in conventional recombinant systems. ● Membrane proteins can be produced in a functional form by adding specific lipid membrane conditions. ● Enzyme proteins, which are prone to losing activity, can be stably synthesized. ● International patent applications related to the use of modified enzyme genes are available. 【Examples of Practical Applications and Utilization】 ● Discovery and utilization of multiple herbicide resistance genes from Japanese rice (reported in Science magazine in 2019). ● Successful development of rice with improved levels of the rare amino acid tryptophan. ● Successful construction of an in vitro reconstitution system for chloroplast and mitochondrial membrane transporters. ● Elucidation of the functions of mitochondrial membrane transporters in amoebic dysentery and tropical malaria.
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The Saitama University Open Innovation Center is a center that functions as a liaison office for industry-academia-government collaboration. It consists of three departments: the Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration Department, the Intellectual Property Department, and the Startup Support Department, each staffed with coordinators well-versed in various fields. The center's activities include solving technical challenges in companies, supporting the implementation of joint research, and conducting technology transfer aimed at introducing and utilizing Saitama University's intellectual property.