Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences
Tohoku University

Researchers have created a new nanometer-scale proximity labeling system that targets histidine residues quickly, providing a new chemical tool in protein chemical modification.   The results of their research were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society on April 27, 2021.   Protein chemical modification, a technology that introduces functions into the chemical structure of proteins through irreversible strong bonds, is used for the creation of protein-based biomaterials and for drug delivery systems.   In order to carry out modification, protein labeling is necessary. Proximity labeling is one of those techniques. It labels biomolecules located close to a protein of interest which can then also be marked and analyzed.   However, there are only a few chemical reactions that can be applied to protein chemical modification methods. Moreover, there have been very few reports on the selective modification of histidine residues.   In previous electrophilic approaches, the weak nucleophilic nature of histidine residues results in low selectivity for other nucleophilic amino acids.   A gaseous inorganic chemical known as singlet oxygen helped overcome this barrier. Singlet oxygen is a highly reactive chemical species with microsecond-scale lifetimes and nanometer-scale diffusion distances.   The research group employed nucleophiles to capture the electrophilic intermediates produced by the reaction of singlet oxygen with histidine residues. The high reactivity of singlet oxygen led to a rapid and complete reaction.   Conventional histidine labeling methods take several hours to chemically modify the histidine residues of proteins. Yet, this method modified the histidine residues in only a few minutes by visible light irradiation of the photocatalyst under physiological pH conditions.   Corresponding author Dr Shinichi Sato from the Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences at Tohoku University says that their discovery has opened the door to protein analysis research using singlet oxygen. "Using conventional singlet oxygen production methods can potentially develop into a technology that clarifies unexplored intracellular signal transduction and protein-protein interactions."     Publication Details: Title: Proximity Histidine Labeling by Umpolung Strategy Using Singlet Oxygen Authors:Keita Nakane, Shinichi Sato, Tatsuya Niwa, Michihiko Tsushima, Shusuke Tomoshige, Hideki Taguchi, Minoru Ishikawa, and Hiroyuki Nakamura Journal: Journal of the American Chemical Society DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c01626   Press Release: Tohoku University

Tetrodotoxin (TTX), one of the most famous natural toxins, possesses a rare and complex chemical structure. TTX is distributed worldwide in marine animals (such as pufferfish (Fugu), snails and crabs) and terrestrial amphibians (newts and frogs). Despite the high interest in TTX, the biosynthesis remains unresolved.   Dr. Yuta Kudo, Assistant Professor of Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Dr. Mari Yotsu-Yamashita, Professor of Graduate School of Agricultural Science discovered the novel skeletal guanidino compounds from the TTX-bearing newt. The structures were elucidated via detailed chemical analysis. This work is an interdisciplinary and international collaboration with Dr. Charles T. Hanifin, Associate Professor of Department of Biology, Utah State University, Uintah Basin Campus. Based on the structures of novel compounds, the biosynthetic and shunt pathways of TTX in terrestrial organisms were proposed. These results suggests that the branched biosynthetic and shunt pathways of TTX produce the varied guanidino compounds. These results published online in “Organic Letters” on April 8, 2021.     Publication Details Yuta Kudo, Charles T. Hanifin, and Mari Yotsu-Yamashita* (*corresponding author),  "Identification of Tricyclic Guanidino Compounds from the Tetrodotoxin-Bearing Newt Taricha granulosa", Organic Letters DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.1c00916 https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.orglett.1c00916

The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration astounded the world on April 10, 2019, when it released the first-ever image of a black hole that sits at the centre of the M87 galaxy.   Polarized image of the black hole in M87. The lines mark the orientation of polarization, which is related to the magnetic field around the shadow of the black hole. Credit: Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration   Today, the same project has revealed a new view of the black hole that displays how it looks in polarized light, offering astronomers the first chance to measure polarization--a signature of magnetic fields--this close to the edge of a black hole. "This is a key to explaining how the M87 galaxy, located 55 million light-years away, is able to launch energetic jets from its core," said associate professor Kenji Toma from Tohoku University's Frontier Institute for Interdisciplinary Research and a participant in the EHT collaboration's Computation Group. Observing the heart of the M87 galaxy required linking eight telescopes around the world to create a virtual Earth-sized telescope. The resolution is capable of measuring the length of a credit card on the surface of the moon. Optical image of M87 galaxy, East-Asia VLBA Network image of the inner jet, and EHT image of the innermost region of M87 ©︎NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team, EAVN Collaboration, EHT Collaboration Harnessing this technology, the EHT collaboration directly observed the black hole shadow and the ring of light around it, with the new polarized-light image clearly showing that the ring is magnetized. Light becomes polarized when it goes through certain filters, like the lenses of polarized sunglasses, or when it is emitted in hot, magnetized regions of space. Specifically, polarization allows astronomers to map the magnetic field lines at the inner edge of the black hole. Most matter lying near the edge of a black hole falls in. However, some surrounding particles escape moments before capture and are blown far out into space in the form of jets. Astronomers had relied on different models to understand this process, but explanations as to how jets larger than the galaxy get launched from its central region remained elusive. "The newly published polarized images are key to understanding how the magnetic field allows the black hole to 'eat' matter and launch powerful jets," says Yosuke Mizuno, coordinator of the EHT Theoretical Models and Simulations Working Group and T.D. Lee fellow at Tsung-Dao Lee Institute & School of Physics and Astronomy of Shanghai, Jiao Tong University in China. Theoretical analysis found it most probable that spiral magnetic fields that thread the black hole become strong enough to push back on the gas against gravity's pull, regulating the gas fall and the jet ejection. "The observations finally confirm the innermost structure of magnetic fields that strongly support the standard model of the magnetohydrodynamic jet. We expect further investigation together with multi-wavelength radio observations to reveal more about the black hole spin constraints," says Masanori Nakamura, an EHT collaboration member and associate professor at the National Institute of Technology, Hachinohe College, who has been studying the M87 jet for over ten years. The EHT collaboration published the results of the study with two separate papers in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The research involved over 300 researchers from multiple organisations and universities worldwide.   Publication Details: First M87 Event Horizon Telescope Results VII: polarization of the ring Authors: The Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration Journal: The Astrophysical Journal Letters DOI: https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/abe71d   First M87 Event Horizon Telescope Results VIII: Magnetic Field Structure Near The Event Horizon Authors: The Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration Journal: The Astrophysical Journal Letters DOI: https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/abe4de   Related to this result, a paper of analyzing the observation data with ALMA alone is published at the same time as the above two papers. "Polarimetric properties of Event Horizon Telescope targets from ALMA" DOI: https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/abee6a  

Assistant Professor Alimu Tuoheti has published the book "Islam in China: A History of European and American Scholarship" from Gorgias Press.   This book explores the historical development of Chinese Islamic studies in the West in different periods, as first missionaries and then orientalists engaged with the region and sought to understand its Muslim populations. Each period is defined by its own sociological and ideological background, reflecting the development of Sino-foreign relations, the history of cultural exchanges, and more.   Publisher: Gorgias Press Date Published: Feb 22,2021 ISBN： 978-1-4632-4329-6 https://www.gorgiaspress.com/islam-in-china-2

N-heterocycles are ubiquitous compounds widely represented in active pharmaceutical ingredients. Hence, engineered enzymes and synthetic catalysts have been developed respectively. Assist Prof. Yasunori Okamoto at FRIS, Tohoku University, and Prof. Thomas R. Ward at the University of Basel have discovered an organometallic complex catalyzing selective dehydrogenation of N-heterocycles under physiological conditions. The findings were published in ChemCatChem on July 22, 2020. This work was selected as a highly important paper and a cover feature (published on September 18, 2020). Additionally, an interview of Assist. Prof. Okamoto was published in the same journal on 18 August 2020.   Publication details: Holly Jane Davis, Daniel Häussinger, Thomas R. Ward,* and Yasunori Okamoto* (* corresponding author), "A Visible-Light Promoted Amine Oxidation Catalyzed by a Cp*Ir Complex", ChemCatChem 2020, 12, 4512-4516. DOI: 10.1002/cctc.202000488 https://chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cctc.202000488 Author Interview DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.202001146 Cover feature DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.202001353

Assistant professor Joji Kusuyama at FRIS, Tohoku University, and Professor Laurie J Goodyear at Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School review the effects of maternal and paternal exercise on offspring metabolic health in adulthood, the time of life when metabolic diseases typically surface. Their review has published in Nature Metabolism on September 14th, 2020.   Maternal and paternal obesity and type 2 diabetes are recognized risk factors for the development of metabolic dysfunction in offspring, even when the offspring follow a healthful lifestyle. Multiple studies have demonstrated that regular physical activity in mothers and fathers has striking beneficial effects on offspring health, including preventing the development of metabolic disease in rodent offspring as they age. Dr. Kusuyama’s research focuses on the prevention of metabolic dysfunction and congenital diseases in the next generation. This review explains the benefits of maternal and paternal exercise in combating the development of metabolic dysfunction in adult offspring, focusing on offspring glucose homeostasis and adaptations to metabolic tissues. They discuss recent findings regarding the roles of the placenta and sperm in mediating the effects of parental exercise on offspring metabolic health, as well as the mechanisms hypothesized to underlie these beneficial changes.   Publication details: Joji Kusuyama, Ana Barbara Alves-Wagner, Nathan S. Makarewicz, Laurie J. Goodyear, “Effects of maternal and paternal exercise on offspring metabolism”, Nature Metabolism 2020. DOI: 10.1038/s42255-020-00274-7 https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-020-00274-7 SharedIt: https://rdcu.be/b7bC6

Tetrodotoxin (TTX), one of the most famous natural toxins, is distributed worldwide in marine and terrestrial metazoans such as pufferfish, snails, newts and frogs. Its complex chemical structure and potent toxicity have been fascinating scientists in various research fields for a long time. Despite the intense interest in TTX, the biosynthesis remains unresolved.   Dr. Yuta Kudo, Assistant Professor of Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Dr. Mari Yotsu-Yamashita, Professor of Graduate School of Agricultural Science, and coauthor discovered new natural compounds related to tetrodotoxin from the toxic newt. This work is an interdisciplinary and international collaboration with Dr. Charles T. Hanifin, Associate Professor of Department of Biology, Utah State University, Uintah Basin Campus. The biosynthetic and shunt pathway of TTX in terrestrial organisms were proposed based the structures of new compounds and the series of putative biosynthetic intermediates/shunt products of TTX collected in their previous works. These results may provide an insight into the biosynthetic pathway of TTX. The article reporting these results published online in “Journal of Natural Products” on September 8, 2020. This article was also selected to be featured in ACS Editors' Choice to be published as open access.       Publication Details Yuta Kudo, Charles T. Hanifin, Yuichi Kotaki, and Mari Yotsu-Yamashita* (*corresponding author),  "Structures of N-Hydroxy-Type Tetrodotoxin Analogues and Bicyclic Guanidinium Compounds Found in Toxic Newts", Journal of Natural Products DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c00623 https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c00623

A team at FRIS have perfected a new heat treatment technique with rapid heating and asymmetrical cooling processes in metallic glass. This technique enabled the team to induce a gradient of local glassy structure, bringing an apparent work hardening behavior.   Work hardening is the process by which a material is strengthened via plastic deformation and is not generally observed in metallic glasses due to their intrinsic random structure.   Although bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) have attracted much attention owing to their high strength, wide elastic limit and excellent thermoplasticity, a major disadvantage in terms of their mechanical properties has been a lack of ductility due to an intrinsic work softening at room temperature.   A schematic illustration of metallic glass with various relaxation states depending on the cooling rate ⒸTohoku University Dr Wookha Ryu, Assistant Professor Rui Yamada and Professor Junji Saida of the Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences (FRIS) have now successfully produced unique Zr60Cu30Al10 bulk metallic glass with a 2D gradient rejuvenation state, which leads to an excellent ductility and tailored hardening of a monolithic BMG at room temperature.   "We have developed a novel structure controlling technique with asymmetric cryogenic heat treatment and produced a unique glassy structure with the 2D gradient rejuvenation state. The BMG exhibits a tailored hardening behavior throughout the overall plastic deformation stage as well as an excellent ductility at room temperature," said Professor Saida.   A schematic illustration of the asymmetrical rapid cooling methodⒸTohoku University The local free volume concentration related to the rejuvenation state controls the shear band angle and the maximum effective shear stress. Hence, shear band propagation is prohibited and the formation of a complete shear plane transecting the whole specimen is blocked. The generation of plastic strain is accompanied by an increase in the critical shear stress, which results in a sustainable apparent hardening.   The team investigated a tailored hardening mechanism and established an experimental link between the gradient of the rejuvenation state and mechanical properties in Zr-based metallic glass.   The work was published online in NPG Asia Materials on 31 July 2020. Press release was delivered for domestic on 18 August and for international on 27 August 2020 from Tohoku University.   Publication Details: W.H. Ryu, R. Yamada and J. Saida, “Tailored hardening of ZrCuAl bulk metallic glass induced by 2D gradient rejuvenation”, NPG Asia Materials, 2020 DOI: 10.1038/s41427-020-0233-8 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41427-020-0233-8   Press release: https://www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/press/tailored_hardening_zrcual.html https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-08/tu-tho082620.php https://www.tohoku.ac.jp/japanese/2020/08/press20200818-01-glass.html

[Venue] ONLINE – Google Meet   The 23rd FRIS Seminar “Institutional Research and Strategies for High Impact Publications” at 10:00-12:00 on 20th Aug. 2020 To register : https://forms.gle/3CQTMR52qNmpttfS8   The methods of analyzing the citation of publications as indices indicating the research performance of research institutes, organizations, and researcher groups are utilized for research trend analysis, comparative ranking and so on. Prof. Hansen will introduce them and explain points to note when reading the data. And then, Prof. Hansen will suggest how to make an effective publication plan and tips for writing articles to improve the view-counts of articles and citations. Appropriate self-citations will be also discussed. It would be fruitful if the discussion provided hints for fostering an ethical perspective that each researcher could assent. Additionally in this seminar, In ORCID what can be used (in the open recruitment of researchers) and what the researchers should do (account creation, information registration, etc.) will be explained by Prof. Kawamura.  

Number of position and job 6 Assistant Professors (We especially encourage applications from women.) Organization and Department Creative Interdisciplinary Research Division, Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences (FRIS), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan Research field 6 Research categories (1. Material and Energy, 2. Life and Environment, 3. Information and System, 4. Device and Technology, 5. Human and Society, 6. Advanced Basic Science).                                                 Successful applicants will be required to promote interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary sciences. Support 2.5 million JPY (maximum) per year, which is subject to change and is determined by a personal evaluation every year. Especially, the support may be reduced in 2021. (In case of the application of 2020 Leading Initiative for Excellent Young Researchers (LEADER), MEXT, Japan, please see our recruitment in the following URL: https://www.jsps.go.jp/j-le/post_list.html) Required Qualifications PhD degree Starting Date January 1 or April 1, 2021 (subject to negotiation) Term 5 years  (no reappointment) Remuneration An annual salary and allowance will be provided in accordance with Tohoku University’s regulations Remarks Applicants should select one research category in the proposal. Applicants must be requested to select a professor or associate professor in Tohoku University as your mentor. Regarding the role of mentor, please visit the following URL. http://www.fris.tohoku.ac.jp/en/recruit/invitation/ Application deadline Applications should be uploaded until 17:00 (JST) July 28, 2020 Requested Documents (1) Curriculum Vitae (Resume using our provided format). Please be sure to include your photograph, current postal and e-mail addresses, and your phone number in the resume. Format ▶Resume Form_EN_2020.xlsx   (*You can also download from “My Page” after main registration) (2)    List of research activities such as publications (papers, proceedings, books), presentations (note “invited”, if it is an invited presentation), awards, patents, outstanding budget, collaboration, etc.   (3) Brief statement detailing your research results (less than 400 words) (4) Proposal in our provided format Format  ▶Proposal_EN_AssistProf.docx   (*You can also download from “My Page” after main registration) (5) One letter of recommendation (6) Brief introduction of fewer than 5 papers of your research results with the index of ISI impact factor and number of citation. (NOT necessary of copy of each paper) (7) A copy of certification of a candidate of 2020 Leading Initiative for Excellent Young Researchers (LEADER), MEXT, Japan when you have been selected. (If not, it is not necessary.) All documents should be prepared in PDF format and the total file size must not exceed 10 MB. How to Apply (1) Access to the following URL for Pre-registration      https://rct4osp.fris.tohoku.ac.jp/en (2) URL for application form will be informed to your e-mail address after Pre-registration (3) Register and upload your documents in PDF format in “My Page” Others ■ For applying from long-distance areas or overseas After the first screening (examination of application documents), successful candidates will be contacted for an interview (Skype or Zoom interview) around the end of October 2020. Detailed announcements will be informed until the end of September, 2020.   • Tohoku University promotes gender equality and encourages people of varied talents from all backgrounds to apply for positions at the university. • Pursuant to Article 8 of the Act on Securing, Etc. of Equal Opportunity and Treatment between Men and Women in Employment, Tohoku University shall, as a measure for increasing the presence of women among the academic staff, prioritize the hiring of women deemed qualified for each job opening, based on impartial evaluation. • Tohoku University has the largest on-campus childcare system of all Japanese national universities. This network comprises three nurseries: Kawauchi Keyaki Nursery school (capacity: 30) and Aobayama Midori Nursery school (100), both open to all university employees, as well as Hoshinoko Nursery school (120), which is open to employees working on Seiryo Campus. In addition, Tohoku University Hospital runs a childcare room for mildly ill and convalescent children which is available to all university employees. • See the following website for information on these and other programs that Tohoku University runs to assist work-life balance, to support researchers, and to advance gender equality. Tohoku University Center for Gender Equality Promotion website: http://www.tumug.tohoku.ac.jp/ • In cases where the person hired for this position takes childcare leave, the term of employment may be extended by up to the number of days taken off for that leave, if such extension is deemed necessary for educational and/or research purposes. More information from: Professor, Managing and Planning Division, Junji Saida E-mail：@ URL: http://www.fris.tohoku.ac.jp/en/