LAB LOGA page on LabLog, a review site (not the lab's official page)
Plant Diversity Genomics Lab
Machine-translated · View original
The lab studies morphogenesis and transposons using Japanese morning glory mutants.
AboutAbout the lab
Exploring gene function through morning glory mutants
The Plant Diversity Genomics Lab studies genes using the Japanese morning glory, a horticultural plant unique to Japan that is also used as an experimental plant.
Using mutants that have been preserved since the Edo period, the lab investigates genes involved in morphogenesis and the transposons that cause mutations.
As the core institution of the National BioResource Project of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), the lab also collects, preserves, and distributes morning glory strains.
The lab's website introduces it as the "Plant Diversity Genomics Lab, Morning Glory Group."
Key terms
- Transposon
- A DNA sequence that can change its position (transpose) within the genome. In the morning glory, it causes mutations
- Mutant
- An individual whose form or traits differ from those of normal individuals because of a change in a gene
- National BioResource Project
- A program of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). It collects and preserves strains of organisms and provides them for use in research
ResearchResearch themes
The morning glory is a horticultural plant unique to Japan and also an experimental plant; a cultivation boom in the Edo period led to the discovery of many mutants. Using this mutant collection and genome information, the lab studies the genes of morphogenesis and the transposons that cause mutations, and also preserves and distributes strains.
*Illustrative imageGenes for morphogenesis in the morning glory
Using mutants that no longer look like morning glories, the lab investigates the genes responsible for the morphological mutations, using the inserted transposons as clues. It has become clear that many of these mutants have mutations in genes involved in organ polarity.
*Illustrative imageMechanisms of mutation-causing transposons
Most morning glory mutants are caused by transposons (the Tpn family) that became highly active in the Edo period. Transposition is active only in strains of Japanese origin, and the lab is working to elucidate the mechanism.
*Illustrative imagePreservation and distribution of morning glory strains
As the core institution of the National BioResource Project, the lab collects, preserves, and provides seeds and DNA of morning glory strains. It also maintains the research environment, including genome-related information.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Plant Diversity Genomics Lab consist of faculty and master's and undergraduate students.
- Associate ProfessorEiji Nitasaka
VoicesStudent voices
Ratings and reviews reflect the experiences of individual current or former students, not the lab's official views. Whether a lab has reviews, or how many, says nothing about the lab itself.
Students who take part in an interview may receive a thank-you gift worth ¥1,000, regardless of what they say.
Student ratings (0 students)
--
--
--
--
--
--
Student voices answer questions like these
- What's great about this lab?
- What did you learn after joining?
- What's the vibe, and what is the professor like?
- Who is this lab for?
- Where do graduates go?
Your experience can help younger students choose their lab. Your name won't be shown.
Write a lab reviewAnonymous · Your draft is saved if you stopRelatedLabs similar to Plant Diversity Genomics Lab
Plant Physiology LabFaculty of Science, Department of BiologyPlant organelle function and mechanisms of environmental ada…
Evolutionary Genetics LabFaculty of Science, Department of BiologyEvolution and mechanisms of diversity maintenance at the gen…
Cell Function LabFaculty of Science, Department of BiologyNeuroscience and cell biology: neural control of insect move…
Behavioral Neuroscience LabFaculty of Science, Department of BiologyNeural mechanisms of higher brain functions (memory, learnin…The information on this page is compiled by the LabLog team from the lab's public information and interviews. For corrections or removal requests, please contact LabLog, not the lab.
Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Japanese morning glory (Ipomoea nil), Chiba; September 2018 (05)” TANAKA Juuyoh (田中十洋) / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Genes for morphogenesis in the morning glory: “Ipomoea nil Akatsukinoumi1” KENPEI / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Mechanisms of mutation-causing transposons: “Purple variegated flower ( )” Becks / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Preservation and distribution of morning glory strains: “Morning Glory Flowers 34” Yokoyama, Masana, 1833–1908 (author)Hattori, Sessai, 1807–? (artist) / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Plant Physiology Lab): “Lilium stoma L” Jon Houseman / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Evolutionary Genetics Lab): “Researcher beside Vials closed by cotton plugs and filled with Fruit fly larvae” Robert Cudmore from Marseille, France / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Cell Function Lab): “Cell cycle showing G0 G1 arrest” Lucia de Diego Mialdea / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Behavioral Neuroscience Lab): “Mouse Brain (NIH BioArt )” Courtesy of NIAID Ryan Kissinger / Public domain (cropped)
About LabLog
LabLog is a lab review app for students only. Student members at each university interview students in labs and publish what they say. Student voices can only be read by students who sign up with a university email address. Operated by bestiee Inc.
Learn more about LabLog ↗Search engines and AI may reference the basic lab info and rating summaries on this page and the description of LabLog. Student voices are for student members only. Automated collection by programs (scraping, or input to or training of AI) is prohibited under Article 8 of the Terms of Service. If you need data for research or analysis, please contact us.