Maiki TAMURA Assistant Professor (Research fellowship-PD)

Maiki TAMURA
Assistant Professor (Research fellowship-PD)

Researchmap

• Institute for Advanced Academic Research / Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences

• Keywords

  Structural biology, Nuclear magnetic resonance（NMR）, In-cell NMR, Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation (LLPS)

• Professional Memberships

  The Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Society of Japan

Research Theme

Elucidation of the intracellular liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) mechanism of proteins by in-cell NMR analysis

Abstract

Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation (LLPS) is the phenomenon where liquids separate into two phases like water and oil. Recent research reported that LLPS has occurred within our cells to form liquid droplets containing proteins and polynucleotides. These droplets are considered to play a crucial role in regulating cellular functions. Moreover, many proteins involved in droplet formation are implicated in the formation of aggregates, which leads to several neurodegenerative disorders through LLPS. Therefore, understanding the regulatory mechanisms of droplet formation inside cells will contribute to developing the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

The Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) technique employed in my research group allows for the analysis of specific atoms in proteins under solution, providing insights into diverse molecular interactions and dynamics that are unobtainable through other methods. Additionally, an advanced application known as in-cell NMR introduces stable isotope-labeled target proteins into cells, enabling the selective analysis of the protein of interest in the native intracellular environment. My research focuses on the in-cell NMR analysis of proteins involved in droplet formation, aiming to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of droplet formation within cells and the onset of neurodegenerative disorders.