Research Themes

RESEARCH

Plant Chemistry and Chemical Biology

A distinctive feature of our research is that we pursue chemical biology using plants as our subject system. One of the major attractions of plant chemical biology is that the effects of synthesized compounds can be observed in a visible and tangible manner. In contrast to biological phenomena that have been clarified through genetic approaches, we explore compounds that produce comparable effects, as well as effects that cannot be achieved through genetics alone. Through this work, we aim to elucidate plant life functions and contribute to plant science and agricultural applications.

— MAIN RESEARCH THEME 01–03

Three Main Research Themes

Based on plant-centered chemical biology, we analyze biological functions by observing the visible effects of synthesized compounds. In addition to reproducing phenomena previously revealed by genetic approaches, we search for compounds that induce effects unattainable through genetics alone. Through these efforts, we aim to elucidate molecular mechanisms and contribute to plant science and agricultural applications.

01

THEME 01

Chemical Control of Plant Reproduction

One of the major challenges in plant science is the labor and time required for crossing. This is especially true in fruit trees and other perennial plants, where the long juvenile phase before flowering limits the speed from basic research to breeding. By applying chemical compounds at the seedling stage to control reproduction and flowering, we aim to establish methods that accelerate breeding. This is also important foundational research that may contribute to the creation of plants adapted to climate change.

  • Reproduction control
  • Flowering
  • Labor-saving in crossing
  • Chemical compounds
  • Accelerated breeding

02

THEME 02

Precise Control of Plant Hormone Signaling

Plants sense environmental information and transmit responses throughout the body via plant hormones. However, it is not easy to analyze in detail how diverse hormones function at the receptor level. Using the bump-hole approach, we have designed modified receptors and their corresponding ligands to construct artificial receptor-ligand pairs that induce signaling independently of natural pairs. Through this strategy, we are developing new technologies for the precise control of hormone action.

  • Plant hormones
  • Receptors
  • Bump-hole approach
  • Ligand design
  • Signal transduction

03

THEME 03

Mechanisms and Control of Chloroplast Degradation

Chloroplasts, which are responsible for photosynthesis, are sometimes actively degraded as part of environmental adaptation. We have discovered that chloroplast degradation involving autophagy consists of two pathways: a “partial degradation pathway,” which transports a portion of the chloroplast, and an “entire degradation pathway (chlorophagy),” which removes damaged chloroplasts. We further aim to clarify unresolved mechanisms such as chloroplast recognition and transport by integrating plant science, cell biology, and chemical biology, and to explore the potential of control technologies that could ultimately lead to improved yield and quality.

  • Chloroplasts
  • Autophagy
  • Partial degradation
  • Chlorophagy
  • Yield and quality