Molecular Ligand Discovery Research Team

Team Leader

Minoru Yoshida

  • D.Agr.
  • Minoru Yoshida
  • Brief resume
    1986
    Ph.D., University of Tokyo
    1986
    Assistant Professor, University of Tokyo
    1995
    Associate Professor, University of Tokyo
    2002
    Chief Scientist, Chemical Genetics Laboratory, RIKEN (-current)
    2002
    Visiting Professor, University of Tokyo (-current)
    2003
    Visiting Professor, Saitama University (-current)
    2008
    Group Director, Chemical Genomics Research Group, RIKEN (-current)
    2011
    Visiting Professor, Kyoto University (-current)

Outline

Molecular Ligand Discovery Research Team

Identification of novel small-molecular ligands is essential to understanding diverse biological phenomena and to controlling biological systems by chemical methods. Our team focuses on the development of useful molecular ligands that are expected to contribute to advances in the life sciences by employing chemical libraries. In particular, we search for novel active compounds by constructing a variety of phenotypic screening systems using genetically modified mammalian and yeast cells, in vitro screening, and in silico screening, aiming to identify and produce unique molecular ligands that are useful for chemical biology research. As a result, we have discovered SUMOylation inhibitors that have not yet been reported.

Recent Research Topic

Live imaging of histone acetylation using Histac-K12, a fluorescent probe for visualizing histone H4K12 acetylation in living cells
Fig. 1: Live imaging of histone acetylation using Histac-K12, a fluorescent probe for visualizing histone H4K12 acetylation in living cells
Dynamic change in the histone acetylation level in response to a histone deacetylase inhibitor was visualized by using Histac-K12 in living cells and displayed as pseudocolored images. Histac-K12 enables researchers to not only analyze spatial and temporal dynamics of the histone H4K12 acetylation in living cells, but also to evaluate and screen for small molecules that modulate histone acetylation.

Selected Publications

  1. T. Ito, et al. Real-time imaging of histone H4K12-specific acetylation determines the modes of action of histone deacetylase and bromodomain inhibitors, Chem. Biol. 2011, 18, 495.
  2. S. Nishimura, et al. Marine antifungal theonellamides target 3β-hydroxysterol to activate Rho1 signaling, Nature Chem. Biol. 2010, 6, 519.
  3. Y. Yashiroda, et al. A novel yeast cell-based screen identifies flavone as a tankyrase inhibitor, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 2010, 394, 569.
  4. N. M. Islam, et al. Bicyclic peptides as potent inhibitors of histone deacetylases: Optimization of alkyl loop length, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2010, 20, 997.
  5. A. Matsuyama, M. Yoshida, Systematic cloning of an ORFeome using the gateway system, Methods Mol. Biol. 2009, 577, 11.
  6. I. Fukuda, et al. Kerriamycin B inhibits protein SUMOylation, J. Antibiotics 2009, 62, 221.
  7. I. Fukuda, et al. Ginkgolic acid Inhibits protein SUMOylation by blocking formation of the E1-SUMO intermediate, Chem. Biol. 2009, 16, 133.
  8. N. Nishino, et al. Interaction of aliphatic cap group in inhibition of histone deacetylases by cyclic tetrapeptides, Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2008, 16, 437.
  9. A. Suenaga, et al. Estimation of ligand binding free energies of F-ATPase by using molecular dynamics/free energy calculation, J. Comp. Chem. Jp. 2008, 7, 103.
  10. Y. Yashiroda, A. Matsuyama, M. Yoshida, New insights into chemical biology from ORFeome libraries, Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol. 2008, 12, 55.

Core Members

Principal Investigator add delete
Minoru Yoshida Team Leader (Group Director, Chemical Genomics Research Group)    
Staff Scientist add delete
Kam Zhang  (Initiative Research Scientist, Zhang Initiative Research Unit)    
Naoshi Dohmae  (Team Head, Biomolecular Characterization Team)    
Takanori Kigawa  (Deputy Director, RIKEN Systems and Structural Biology Center) 　  
Makoto Taiji  (Core Director, Computational Biology Research Core, RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center) 　  
Kenji Ogawa Senior Research Scientist 　  
Feng Ling Senior Research Scientist (Senior Research Scientist, Chemical Genetics Laboratory)    
Saori Kosono Senior Research Scientist (Senior Research Scientist, Chemical Genetics Laboratory)    
Hideyuki Miyatake Senior Research Scientist (Senior Research Scientist, Biomolecular Characterization Team)    
Akihisa Matsuyama Senior Research Scientist (Senior Research Scientist, Chemical Genetics Laboratory)    
Yoko Yashiroda Senior Research Scientist (Senior Research Scientist, Chemical Genetics Laboratory)    
Akihiro Ito Senior Research Scientist (Senior Research Scientist, Chemical Genetics Laboratory)    
Shigeko Sekido Senior Technical Scientist (Senior Technical Scientist,Chemical Genetics Laboratory)    
Naoya Tochio Research Scientist (Research Scientist, NMR Pipeline Methodology Research Team, RIKEN Systems and Structural Biology Center)    
Takehiro Suzuki Technical Scientist (Technical Scientist, Biomolecular Characterization Team)    
Postdoctoral Fellow add delete
Hiroki Kobayashi Postdoctoral Researcher    
Ayako Tokumitsu Postdoctoral Researcher    
Yuichi Nakajima Postdoctoral Researcher    
Yasushi Takemoto Visiting Researcher    
Student Trainee add delete
Technical Assistant add delete
Reika Okamoto Technical Staff I    
Mikako Hirohama Technical Staff I    
Atsushi Hashimoto Technical Staff II    
Noemi Ko Technical Staff II    
Satoko Maeda Technical Staff II    
Rong Niu Technical Staff II    
Administrative Assistant add delete
Visiting Research Staff add delete
Other Staff add delete

( ) indicates primary affiliation in RIKEN.

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