Visiting Associate Professor Shintaro IWASAKI
Since Nobel prize laureate Francis Crick has proposed in 1950s, the central dogma of life: DNA makes RNA makes protein, has been most basic principle in life. We are investigating “translation”, which lies at the core of central dogma, focusing how translation is control and how its control impacts on life, by following two major approaches.
Analysis with Next-Generation Sequencer
Recent development of next-generation deep sequencer allows us to identify and measure the RNA in cells. Using this technology, we are using “ribosome profiling”, which allows one to survey which RNAs are translated and which codons are decoded by ribosome, among transcriptome comprehensively. Indeed, this technique is revolutionizing our understanding of translation dynamics in cells.
Simultaneously, we also use the other deep-sequencing based technologies to investigate RNA-protein interaction, which regulates translation. Combining those techniques, we tackle to reveal ternary relationship among RNA, RNA-binding protein, and translation.
Classical Biochemical Methods toward detailed mechanism
Translation is complicated and multistep reaction. Simultaneously, those steps are targets of regulation. To understand the mechanism of translation control, we need to dissect the reaction into fundamental processes. We used conventional but super powerful biochemistry to address molecular mechanism of RNA and its translation.
Our approaches encourage ones to learn both wet experiment and dry analysis. Anybody is welcome to stop by our lab anytime. Let’s tackle to the mystery of RNA and translation together!
