Research
Research Theme
Elucidation of the mechanism of lipid droplet biogenesis and neutral lipid biosynthesis in plants
Plants store neutral lipids, such as triacylglycerols which are utilized as cooking oil or biodiesel, in lipid droplets (LDs). LDs function as storage vesicles also for other neutral lipids, such as phytosterols. Our research group revealed that plant-specific sterols are indispensable for plant development. We are now conducting research to elucidate the relationship between lipid droplet biogenesis and phytosterol biosynthesis.
Elucidation of the carbon metabolism in parasitic plants and its application for their control
Orobanchaceae root parasitic plants cause devastating damage in world agriculture. Especially, the influence directly brings hunger and poverty in Africa. The root parasitic plants are difficult to control because they infect crops underground and are invisible before emergence above ground. Our research group revealed characteristic carbohydrate metabolism during the germination of root parasitic plants and showed that metabolic inhibitors against their carbohydrate metabolism can retard the growth of root parasitic plants. We are now conducting structural optimization of the inhibitors, and analyzing carbon metabolism from hosts to parasites after the attachments.
Analysis of biomolecule transport in heterografted plants and their food safety assessment
New plant breeding techniques (NPBTs), such as genome editing, are new trends in agriculture and plant-based bioproduction. Hetrografting employing transgenic rootstocks with non-transgenic scions which are difficult to transform is one of the NPBTs bringing useful traits to the scions. However, the movements of biomolecules such as metabolites and proteins have not been thoroughly analyzed in the heterografted plants so far. Our research group is now analyzing biomolecule transport in heterografted plants through a multi-omics approach and trying to acquire novel information to be utilized in their food safety assessment.