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Microbial Cell Mechanisms Lab
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The lab explores the symbiosis between gut bacteria and humans through human milk oligosaccharides and bifidobacteria.
AboutAbout the lab
Why can gut bacteria and humans live together in symbiosis?
The Microbial Cell Mechanisms Lab (Katayama Group) studies the symbiotic relationship between the bacteria living in the human gut and their human host.
The lab calls compounds through which the host and gut bacteria influence each other's functions "symbiogenic factors," and focuses on the relationship between bifidobacteria and human milk oligosaccharides, one such factor.
Associate Professor Katoh studies gut bacterial enzymes that degrade mucin glycans, and Assistant Professor Sasaki reported in January 2026 on how bifidobacteria from gum-feeding primates use gum-derived carbohydrates.
The lab is part of the Graduate School of Life Sciences, and students join it at the graduate level.
Key terms
- Symbiogenic factors
- Small-molecule compounds produced by the host or gut bacteria that influence each other's functions across biological kingdoms. A term coined by the lab
- Human milk oligosaccharides
- Sugar chains found in human breast milk. Infants cannot break them down themselves, and bifidobacteria in the gut use them
- Transporters
- Proteins in the cell membrane that take substances such as sugars into the cell
- Mucin glycans
- Sugar chains attached to mucin, a component of the mucus covering the surface of the intestine
NewsLab news
The name of the field has changed from Molecular Response Mechanisms to Microbial Cell Mechanisms
A student won a Poster Award at the 44th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Carbohydrate Research
A lab member won an Excellent Presentation Award at the Japan Society for Lactic Acid Bacteria 2025 Annual Meeting
A lab member won a Young Researcher Excellent Presentation Award at the Japan Society for Lactic Acid Bacteria 2024 Annual Meeting
ResearchResearch themes
Studies have shown at the molecular level that gut bacteria are involved in controlling obesity and inflammation, and even in behavior. Using symbiogenic factors, which sustain the symbiosis between the host and gut bacteria, as a clue, the lab aims to clarify this symbiotic relationship and to develop methodologies for building better ones.
Symbiosis between human milk oligosaccharides and bifidobacteria
Infants cannot break down human milk oligosaccharides, but bifidobacteria have mechanisms to take them up and degrade them. The lab studies these oligosaccharides as symbiogenic factors that are key to the symbiosis and coevolution of humans and bifidobacteria.
How bifidobacteria use sugars
Even among bifidobacteria, the way human milk oligosaccharides are taken up and degraded differs from strain to strain. The lab has identified the transporters and enzymes involved in this utilization, characterized their properties, and connected the findings to applications. It aims to identify what is still unknown and to reveal the whole picture of how these sugars are used.
Symbiosis research extended to the host side
Until now, the lab has mainly studied the genes, enzymes, and utilization pathways on the bifidobacterial side. It is now extending its research to the host (human) side, focusing on symbiogenic factors that support two-way exchange across species.
Gut bacterial enzymes that degrade mucin glycans
The lab studies how bifidobacteria degrade the mucin glycans of intestinal mucus. It has published papers on the pathway that degrades sulfated mucin glycans and on enzymes of B. bifidum, a species of bifidobacteria.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Microbial Cell Mechanisms Lab include faculty members, postdoctoral researchers, JSPS International Research Fellows, and doctoral and master's students.As of 2026
- ProfessorTakane Katayama
- Associate ProfessorToshihiko Katoh
- Assistant ProfessorYuki Sasaki
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