Internal Seminar: Yanagida Unit Unit

Join us for May's second Internal Seminar Series on May 15, from 17:30 to 18:00 in B250. This month's first seminar features the G0 Cell Unit (Mitsuhiro Yanagida).

G0 Cell Unit (Mitsuhiro Yanagida)

Speaker : Kenichi Sajiki

Title : Metabolomic Analysis of Fission Yeast at the Onset of Nitrogen Starvation And More

Abstract : In this study, we conducted time course metabolomic analysis using S.pombe cells immediately after nitrogen starvation. We semi-quantitatively measured 75 distinct metabolites, 60% of which changed their level over 2-fold within one hour. The most significant changes occurred during the first 15 min after nitrogen source removal, are the rapid increase of trehalose, 2-oxoglutarate, and succinate, and the sharp decline of purine biosynthesis intermediates. At 30–60 min, free amino acids decreased, although several modified amino acids, including trimethylated amino acids, increased. The fast shut-off of purine biosynthesis and the sharp rise of 2-oxoglutarate and succinate may be caused by the depletion of NH4Cl from the culture medium. Glutamate dehydrogenase catalyzes the reaction of 2-oxoglutarate and NH4Cl to synthesize glutamate and subsequently succinate. The gene gdh1+ encoding glutamate dehydrogenase is essential for S. pombe enter the G0 phase under nitrogen starvation. The level change of key metabolites such as 2-oxoglutarate, succinate and glutamate, may represent an important mechanistic step to trigger subsequent cellular regulations under nitrogen starvation.
During the remaining time, I would like to introduce an art exhibition "Kitagama x OIST: Tradition and Science," for which, we tried to analyze scientifically time-proven techniques of Okinawan pottery making.