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Microbial Genetic Resources Lab
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The lab searches for and studies genetic resources from microorganisms and viruses living in extreme environments.
AboutAbout the lab
Finding, studying, and putting microbial genetic resources to use.
The Microbial Genetic Resources Lab collects and cultures microorganisms such as bacteria, archaea, and phages and other viruses from a variety of environments in Kyushu, including hot springs and pastures, and studies their characteristics and the structures of their genomes and proteins.
The goal is to turn the functions and products of the microorganisms it finds into useful genetic resources that enrich people's lives.
Its research subjects include phages that infect thermophilic bacteria, the relationship between silica and thermophilic bacteria, and lactic acid bacteria and actinomycetes.
Key terms
- Phage
- A virus that infects prokaryotes such as bacteria. Short for bacteriophage.
- Thermophilic bacteria
- Bacteria that live in high-temperature environments such as geothermal areas.
- Silica scale
- A silica deposit that forms in the hot-water transport pipes of geothermal power plants.
ResearchResearch themes
The lab aims to dramatically improve biological production by comprehensively analyzing the distinctive life phenomena of microorganisms, from the atomic and molecular level to the cellular level, and by developing and making advanced use of gene functions. It collects microorganisms from hot springs, pastures, and other places in Kyushu, and studies their characteristics and the structures of their genomes and proteins.
*Illustrative imageDiscovery and analysis of viruses from extreme environments
The lab searches geothermal areas for thermophilic phages and viruses that infect hyperthermophilic archaea, and clarifies their properties, genome structures, and protein structures. It also aims to use them as genetic resources.
*Illustrative imageSilica precipitation caused by thermophilic bacteria
The lab isolated extremely thermophilic bacteria of the genus Thermus from silica scale at a geothermal power plant. When the bacteria are cultured with supersaturated silica, a precipitate forms, and the lab has found a protein that is produced only in the presence of silica.
*Illustrative imageA silica-inducible expression system
Using the mechanism by which Thermus bacteria produce proteins in response to silica, the lab is building a system in Escherichia coli that expresses heterologous proteins when induced by silica. Expression was strongly suppressed while uninduced, and large amounts of recombinant protein were produced upon induction.
*Illustrative imageGenetic resources of lactic acid bacteria and actinomycetes
The lab investigates useful properties of lactic acid bacteria found in lactic acid fermentation products such as silage, and carries out molecular breeding of lactic acid bacteria by developing and improving phage and plasmid vectors. It also studies morphological differentiation and metabolic differentiation in actinomycetes.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Microbial Genetic Resources Lab consist of faculty, research assistants, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2015
- ProfessorKatsumi Katsumi
- Assistant ProfessorYasuhiro Fujino
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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: “Aerial image of Grand Prismatic Spring (view from the south)” Carsten Steger / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Discovery and analysis of viruses from extreme environments: “Crepuscular rays over the steam from hot spring” Brocken Inaglory / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Silica precipitation caused by thermophilic bacteria: “Echinus Geyser (9 August 2011) 1” James St. John / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- A silica-inducible expression system: “Quartz, Tibet” JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 2.5 (cropped)
- Genetic resources of lactic acid bacteria and actinomycetes: “Streptomyces mirabilis NRRL B-2400 (Type Strain)” Agricultural Research Service (NRRL)Culture Collection / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (微生物工学): “Joghurt” No machine-readable author provided. Rainer Zenz assumed (based on copyright claims). / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (食品衛生化学): “LUA, Faculty of Food Technology Food microbiology laboratory” Turaids / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (海洋資源化学): “Seawater and rocks” Deishini Mariam / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (昆虫ゲノム科学): “Bombyx mori larvae, Bornholms Sommerfuglepark 21” Ole Palnatoke Andersen / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
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