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Structural Biochemistry Lab
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A lab that studies protein structures to understand how infection and cancer work.
AboutAbout the lab
Reading protein structures to understand the processes of life
The Structural Biochemistry Lab views life phenomena as a collection of chemical reactions and studies the reactions and interactions carried out by proteins.
Its foundation is structural biology: examining the three-dimensional structures of biological macromolecules, and tracing how molecules interact and how enzymes convert substances.
The phenomena it covers include the battle between the immune system and viruses, carcinogenesis and signal transduction pathways, unusual enzymatic reactions, and phenomena in which the positions of hydrogen atoms are key.
By combining X-ray crystallography, neutron crystallography, electron microscopy, and NMR, the lab aims to connect the reactions carried out by proteins with life phenomena inside cells.
Key terms
- Structural biology
- A field that determines the three-dimensional structures of molecules such as proteins in order to understand how they function
- X-ray crystallography
- A method that crystallizes molecules, exposes them to X-rays, and determines the three-dimensional structure from how the X-rays scatter
- Signal transduction
- The mechanism by which a cell receives a signal from outside, relays it inward, and produces a response
NewsLab news
Paper on MonB published in Nature Chemistry
Student's paper published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry
Student wins the Best Performance Award and the Best Presentation Award
Paper on the measles virus V protein and STAT2 published in J. Virology
Lab's paper published in Science Signaling
ResearchResearch themes
Focusing on biological macromolecules such as proteins, the lab examines their three-dimensional structures and traces their interactions and enzyme-catalyzed conversion of substances. By combining X-ray crystallography, neutron crystallography, electron microscopy, and NMR, it clarifies these phenomena at the molecular level.
*Illustrative imageSwitching the JAK-STAT Pathway On and Off
The JAK-STAT pathway is a major mechanism that transmits cytokine signals into the cell. Abnormal activation of this pathway can cause cancer, while highly pathogenic viruses, conversely, interfere with it. The lab studies the mechanisms of activation and inhibition from the two perspectives of inflammatory and immune diseases and defense against infection.
*Illustrative imageUncovering How Enzyme Reactions Work
Enzymes carry out complex chemical reactions easily, with high stereoselectivity and regioselectivity. The lab studies enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of bioactive natural compounds and in RNA modification, using X-ray crystallography, electron microscopy, and NMR, as well as neutron diffraction.
*Illustrative imageThe Enzyme That Attaches Sulfur to tRNA
Microorganisms that live at high temperatures, such as around hydrothermal vents, add sulfur modifications to tRNA to increase their heat resistance. The lab determines the structure of the complex formed by TtuA, the enzyme responsible for this modification, and TtuB, the protein that donates the sulfur, and investigates the reaction mechanism that uses an iron-sulfur cluster.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Structural Biochemistry Lab consist of faculty members, secretaries, technical staff, graduate students, undergraduate students, and professors emeritus.As of 2026
- ProfessorToyoyuki Ose
- Project Assistant ProfessorAoi Sugiyama
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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: “Lysozyme Protein Crystal in Hanging-Drop Crystallization” Rohit Sharma / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Switching the JAK-STAT Pathway On and Off: “Measles Virus Particle” NIAID / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Uncovering How Enzyme Reactions Work: “1e4m” A2-33 / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- The Enzyme That Attaches Sulfur to tRNA: “MARUM Schwarzer Raucher” MARUM − Zentrum für Marine Umweltwissenschaften, Universität Bremen / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (形態機能学II): “Arabidopsis thal kz1” Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (細胞培養工学研究室
（室蘭臨海実験所） ): “CSIRO ScienceImage 905 Undaria pinnatifida Japanese kelp” division, CSIRO / CC BY 3.0 (cropped) - Related lab (細胞分子機能科学研究室): “Microtubule binding domain fused with GFP-tag reveals microtubule network of HeLa cell line” DrBib / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (植物微生物分子生態学研究室
（RTNakano Lab） ): “-Chlorophytum comosum-02” Wildfeuer / CC BY 2.5 (cropped)
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