Yusuke Aihara, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Division of Biomolecular Organization, Cell Function

Research Interests

  Plants, which appear to be settled with their roots in the ground, sense and respond to environmental stimuli at the molecular and cellular levels. Our research focuses on such a “environmental adaptation” of plants, examining the mechanisms of stimulus perception and signal transduction, as well as the functions of novel small molecules that regulate such signal transduction.
  Recently, we aim to elucidate the molecular function of signaling molecules that control the opening and closing of stomata, the gas-exchange organs in plants. We also develope a method to identify the target proteins of such signaling molecules, applying this method to elucidate the multifaceted physiological actions of the signaling molecules in plant cells.

Research Focus

-　Molecular biology on the compounds that affect stomatal movement
-　Development of Chemical biology-methods in plants in target-identification for signaling molecules
-　Physiological functions of secondary metabolites (natural products) in plants

Recent Publications

• Aihara Y, Maeda B, Goto K, Takahashi K, Nomoto M, Toh S, Ye W, Toda Y, Uchida M, Asai E, Tada Y, Itami K, Sato A, Murakami K, Kinoshita T. (2023)
  Identification and improvement of isothiocyanate-based inhibitors on stomatal opening to act as drought tolerance-conferring agrochemicals.
  Nat. Commun. 15;14(1):2665.
• Aihara Y, Maruyama S, Baird AH, Iguchi A, Takahashi S, Minagawa J. (2019)
  Green fluorescence from cnidarian hosts attracts symbiotic algae.
  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA.Vol 116(6), pp. 2118-2123.
• Aihara Y, Fujimura-Kamada K, Yamasaki T, Minagawa J. (2019)
  Algal photoprotection is regulated by the E3 ligase CUL4-DDB1DET1.
  Nature Plants. Vol 5(1), pp. 34-40.
• *Biquand E, *Okubo N, *Aihara Y, Rolland V, Hayward DC, Hatta M, Minagawa J, Maruyama T, Takahashi S. (2017)
  Acceptable symbiont cell size differs among cnidarian species and may limit symbiont diversity.
  The ISME Journal. Vol 11(7), pp. 1702-1712. (*: Co-first authors)
• Aihara Y, Takahashi S, Minagawa J. (2016)
  Heat Induction of Cyclic Electron Flow around Photosystem I in the Symbiotic Dinoflagellate Symbiodinium.
  Plant Physiology. Vol 171(1), pp522-9.
• Aihara Y, Yamamoto T, Okajima K, Yamamoto K, Suzuki T, Tokutomi S, Tanaka K, Nagatani A. (2012)
  Mutations in N-terminal flanking region of blue light-sensing light-oxygen and voltage 2 (LOV2) domain disrupt its repressive activity on kinase domain in the Chlamydomonas phototropin.
  Journal of Biological Chemistry. Vol 287(13), pp. 9901-9.
• Aihara Y, Tabata R, Suzuki T, Shimazaki K, Nagatani A. (2008)
  Molecular basis of the functional specificities of phototropin 1 and 2.
  The Plant Journal. Vol 56(3), pp. 364-75..

Contact

Office:　Bld C, room 513, (lab: room 520/413)

Tel:　n.d.

Fax:　n.d.

E-mail: y.aihara@opal.kobe-u.ac.jp

URL:　n.d.