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Research

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BDR researchers coming from diverse research fields are working together to achieve higher goals.

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About Us

About Us

Exploring the scientific foundations of life through interdisciplinary approaches to address society’s problems.

Photo of Team leder, Keiichi Namba

Team Leader
Keiichi Namba* D.Eng.

Laboratory for Supramolecular System Dynamics Research

[Closed Mar. 2022]

*Current email address : keiichi[at]fbs.osaka-u.ac.jp

Please replace [at] with @.

Understanding the structures and mechanisms of biomolecular motors by electron cryomicroscopy

To gain deep understanding of the mechanisms of biomolecular motor protein assemblies, such as bacterial flagella and actomyosins, we make combined use of electron cryomicroscopy and image analysis with X-ray diffraction and optical nanophotometry as well as genetic engineering and protein biochemistry to visualize their three-dimensional structures and dynamics at high-temporal and spatial resolution. We also develop advanced technologies of electron cryomicroscopy and image analysis as well as optical nanophotometry on our own.

Research Theme

  • Structures and functions of biomolecular motor assemblies such as bacterial flagella and actomyosins
  • Technical development in electron cryomicroscopy and image analysis for high-resolution, high-throughput structural analysis

Selected Publications

Fujii T, Matsunami H, Inoue Y, Namba K.
Evidence for the hook supercoiling mechanism of the bacterial flagellum.
Biophysics and Physicobiology 15, 28-32 Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 JST 2018 doi: 10.2142/biophysico.15.0_28

Sakai T, Inoue Y, Terahara N, et al.
A triangular loop of domain D1 of FlgE is essential for hook assembly but not for the mechanical function.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 495, 1789-1794 Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 JST 2018 doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.12.037

Kinoshita M, Namba K, Minamino T.
Effect of a clockwise-locked deletion in FliG on the FliG ring structure of the bacterial flagellar motor.
Genes to cells : devoted to molecular & cellular mechanisms 23(3), 241-247 Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 JST 2018 doi: 10.1111/gtc.12565

Inoue Y, Morimoto YV, Namba K, Minamino T.
Novel insights into the mechanism of well-ordered assembly of bacterial flagellar proteins in Salmonella.
Scientific reports 8(1), 1787 Mon Jan 29 00:00:00 JST 2018 doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-20209-3

Terahara N, Kodera N, Uchihashi T, et al.
Na+-induced structural transition of MotPS for stator assembly of Bacillus flagellar motor.
Science Advances 3, eaao0419 Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 JST 2017 doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aao4119

Pourjaberi SNS, Terahara N, Namba K, et al.
The role of a cytoplasmic loop of MotA in load-dependent assembly and disassembly dynamics of the MotA/B stator complex in the bacterial flagellar motor.
Molecular Microbiology 106, 646-658 Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 JST 2017 doi: 10.1111/mmi.13843

Fukumura T, Makino F, Dietsche T, et al.
Assembly and stoichiometry of the core structure of the bacterial flagellar type III export gate complex.
PLOS Biology 15(8), e2002281(22pp) Sun Oct 01 00:00:00 JST 2017 doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2002281

Kinoshita M, Aizawa S, Inoue Y, et al.
The role of intrinsically disordered C-terminal region of FliK in substrate specificity switching of the bacterial flagellar type III export apparatus.
Molecular Microbiology 105, 572-588 Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 JST 2017 doi: 10.1111/mmi.13718

Hiraoka KD, Morimoto YV, Inoue Y, et al.
Straight and rigid flagellar hook made by insertion of the FlgG specific sequence into FlgE.
Scientific Reports 7, 46723(8pp) Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 JST 2017 doi: 10.1038/srep46723

Terahara N, Noguchi Y, Nakamura S, et al.
Load- and polysaccharide-dependent activation of the Na+-type MotPS stator in the Bacillus subtilis flagellar motor.
Scientific Reports 7, 46081(11pp) Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 JST 2017 doi: 10.1038/srep46081

Renault TT, Abraham AO, Bergmiller T, et al.
Bacterial flagella grow through an injection-diffusion mechanism.
eLife 6, e23136 Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 JST 2017 doi: 10.7554/eLife.23136

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