FY2020 Annual Report

Membranology Unit
Assistant Professor Keiko Kono

Abstract

FY2020 was an unusual year. Due to the COVID-19, we closed the lab for a month. Nonetheless, we deposited one paper in bioRxiv. We welcomed one postdoc and three Ph.D. students; one postdoc departed. We also hosted four rotation students and one intern student.

1. Staff

Dr. Yohsuke Moriyama, Science and Technology Associate
Dr. Yumiko Masukagami, Postdoc
Dr. Shinju Sugiyama, Postdoc
Dr. Nurhanani Binti Razali, Postdoc
Ms. Yuri Matsui, Technician
Mr. Hunter Barbee, Ph.D. Student
Ms. Yatzu Chiu, Ph.D. Student
Mr. Kojiro Suda, Ph.D. Student
Mr. Jan Grašič, Ph.D. Student
Ms. Claire Hoa Levitt, Research Intern
Ms. Hitomi Ohtaki, Research Unit Administrator

Co-supervision

Ms. Aisulu Maipas (Ph.D. Student@ Yamamoto Unit)
Ms. Sara Abdelaal (Ph.D. Student@ Terenzio Unit)
Mr. Masato Hirota (Ph.D. Student@ Ishikawa Unit)

2. Collaborations

2.1 Mechanisms and Consequences of Plasma Membrane Damage

Type of collaboration: Joint research
Researchers:
- Dr. Takeshi Maruyama, TWIns, Waseda University
- Dr. Kazuo Takayama, CiRA, Kyoto University

2.2 Plasma Membrane Damage Response in Naked Mole Rat

Type of collaboration: Joint research
Researchers:
- Dr. Kyoko Miura, Kumamoto University

2.3 Chemical and Optogenetic Manipulation of Plasma Membrane

Type of collaboration: Joint research
Researchers:
- Dr. Tatsuyuki Yoshii, Nagoya Institute of Technology

3. Activities and Findings

Using yeast, human normal fibroblasts, human cancer cells, and mice, we have investigated various cellular responses after plasma membrane damage. We have found that (1) normal cells and cancer cells respond to plasma membrane damage in different modes, and (2) multiple cellular responses are triggerd after plasma membrane damage.

4. Publications

4.1 Journals

Preprint (bioRxiv) “Plasma membrane damage limits replicative lifespan in yeast and human fibroblasts” Kono K #, Johmura Y, Moriyama Y, Masukagami Y, Nishimura K, Barbee H, Takase H, Sugiyama S, Sato Y, Higashiyama T, Nakanishi M#, #: Co-corresponding authors.
"Mechanisms and consequences of plasma membrane damage response" Kono K. Journal of Biological Engineering. 98, 4:181-182. Review. Japanese.

4.2 Books and other one-time publications

Nothing to report

4.3 Oral and Poster Presentations

Kono K. “Down-regulating cortical tension ensures timely chromosome segregation” (2020 June) The 72nd Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for Cell Biology, Online, Symposium
Kono K. “Mechanisms and Consequences of Plasma membrane damage” (2020 June) International Workshop on Mitochondrial Science, Osaka U, International Workshop, Cancelled due to COVID-19
Kono K. “Mechanisms and Consequences of Plasma membrane damage” (2021 Jan) TWIns Life Science Top Runner’s Seminar, Waseda U, Online, Invited Seminar
Kono K. “The lipid functions during cellular senescence revealed by optogenetics” The 8th JST-PRESTO Optogenetics Meeting, Online, Aug 24-25, 2020
Kono K, “The lipid functions during cellular senescence revealed by optogenetics, The 9th JST-PRESTO Optogenetics Meeting, Online, Jan 6-8, 2021