Cheminformatics and Compound Creation Team

Team Head

Shunji Takahashi

  • D.Sci.
  • Shunji Takahashi
  • Brief resume
    1997
    D.Sci., Chiba University
    1997
    Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Tokyo
    1998
    Research Associate, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University
    2002
    Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Kentucky, USA
    2005
    Postdoctoral Researcher, Antibiotics Laboratory, RIKEN
    2007
    Senior Research Scientist, Antibiotics Laboratory, RIKEN
    2011
    Team Head, Cheminformatics and Compound Creation Team (-current)

Outline

Cheminformatics and Compound Creation Team

We systematically isolate secondary metabolites from microorganisms and derivatize natural products through genetic engineering. We develop systems to construct a chemical library of microbial metabolites with varied structures and biological activities. We are trying to diversify microbial metabolites by modifying gene clusters in microorganisms. In this project, we utilize Streptomyces genome sequence information and a fungal genome sequence database. The structural diversity of our chemical library is also increased by modifying chemicals deposited in our chemical bank. Synthesis of biosynthetic intermediate and modifications of the chemicals are approaches used for the derivatization of our chemical library.

Recent Research Topic

Bioactive compounds produced by microorganisms
Fig. 1: Bioactive compounds produced by microorganisms

Selected Publications

  1. S. Takahashi, et al. Reveromycin A biosynthesis uses RevG and RevJ for stereospecific spiroacetal formation, Nature Chem. Biol. 2011, 7, 461.
  2. N. Kato, et al. Gene disruption and biochemical characterization of verruculogen synthase of Aspergillus fumigates, Chembiochem. 2011, 12, 711.
  3. Y. Sun, et al. P.F. Leadlay In vitro reconstruction of tetronate RK-682 biosynthesis, Nature Chem. Biol. 2010, 6, 99.
  4. T. Nogawa, et al. Verticilactam, a new macrolactam isolated from a microbial metabolite fraction library, Org. Lett. 2010, 12, 4564.
  5. S. Takahashi, et al. Biochemical characterization of a novel indole prenyltransferase from Streptomyces sp. SN-593, J. Bacteriol. 2010, 192, 2839.
  6. H. Osada, C. Hertweck, Exploring the chemical space of microbial natural products, Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol. 2009, 13, 133.
  7. N. Kato, et al. Identification of cytochrome P450s required for fumitremorgin biosynthesis in Aspergillus fumigates, ChemBioChem, 2009, 10, 920.
  8. Y. Hayashi, et al. The asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-cytotrienin a, an ansamycin-type anticancer drug, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 2008, 47, 6657.

Core Members

Principal Investigator add delete
Shunji Takahashi Team Head    
Staff Scientist add delete
Takayuki Motoyama Senior Research Scientist    
Masashi Ueki Senior Research Scientist    
Masae Horinouchi Senior Research Scientist    
Naoki Kato ASI Research Scientist    
Toshihiko Nogawa ASI Technical Scientist    
Postdoctoral Fellow add delete
Choong Soo Yun Contract Researcher    
Yushi Futamura Postdoctoral Researcher    
Suresh Panthee Postdoctoral Researcher    
Student Trainee add delete
Technical Assistant add delete
Hiroshi Takagi Technical Staff I    
Akiko Okano Technical Staff I    
Eri Oowada Technical Staff I    
Kumi Sugino Technical Staff I    
Administrative Assistant add delete
Visiting Research Staff add delete
Other Staff add delete
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