The signal transduction and function of a particular biomolecule may vary due to additional factors within a cell. Examples include complex formation with other molecules, embedded mutant subtypes, and the choice of interacting signal transmitters. Looking into the three-dimensional structure of a protein best explains these diverse outcomes in a biomolecule.
Our team’s research focuses on revealing the structure and function of membrane proteins using a variety of structure determination techniques, such as lipid cubic phase (LCP) crystallization, XFEL, and cryogenic electron microscopy (Cryo-EM). With Cryo-EM techniques having significantly advanced in recent years, it is now possible to identify biomolecule structures at a high resolution similar to that of X-ray crystallography. The relationship between structure and function can now be confirmed with detail at a molecular level.
Furthermore, we are using structural biology to advance the development of gene editors (Zinc finger nucleases, TALENs, and CRISPR/Cas9). Here, our ultimate goal is to develop genetic, general purpose scissors that can be applied to various fields. Our approach involves designing gene editors with reduced off-target effects, increased on-target activity, and reduced molecular size.
Given that "Seeing is believing," we aim to clarify the correlation between molecular structures and functions. We are trying to understand biomolecular structure variations in depth, through actual molecular bonding and engineering, rather than sole structural predictions.