By analyzing RNAs that have been believed as "non-coding", we will identify novel proteins that have been overlooked. In this way, we expect to reveal molecular mechanisms of biological phenomena that have not been well explained so far.
RESEARCH
PROJECT 1
Small Proteins
For a long time, it was thought that only the longest open reading frame (ORF) in messenger RNA, the coding sequence (CDS), was translated into protein. However, it has been suggested that a myriad of small ORFs (unannotated ORFs: uaORFs) may also be translated to produce small proteins. We aim to identify and elucidate the roles of such small proteins by using molecular biology and biochemical techniques.
PROJECT 2
Dissection of pluripotency from the angle of translation regulation
The mechanism of pluripotency has been studied focusing on transcription, which generates mRNA from DNA, and signal transduction, which is a workplace of functional proteins. However, many unknowns still exist, and research from a different angle is needed. Therefore, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of pluripotency by focusing on translation regulation, which acts as a bridge between transcription and signal transduction.
PROJECT 3
Functional RNA regulation
Human pluripotent stem cells express a variety of functional RNAs, including specific types of endogenous retroviruses. We are interested in how these are regulated and involved in differentiation pluripotency. We will address this question by focusing on the mechanism of selective RNA degradation.