The BioTechnology Institute (BTI) and the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST) have held collaborative symposia since the year 2000, and a formal exchange program established prior to that has enhanced communications between researchers at the two institutions. These international connections provide an opportunity for technological as well as cultural learning experiences.
Researchers from BTI and NAIST met once again on Monday, September 22nd, 2008, to exchange notes on advances in their work and on new areas of exploration and insight.
Fresh from a significant finding on how riboflavin levels in certain bacteria play a role in their conversion of organic compounds to electricity, BTI researchers Daniel Bond and Jeffrey Gralnick addressed related aspects of their research into the development of microbial fuel cells. Bond spoke about his efforts to measure, control and maintain electron transfer by bacteria growing on electrodes using different conductive enzyme catalysts. Gralnick, described his study of anaerobic and extracellular respiration of insoluble metals by the bacterium Shewanella oneidensis. Their collective research has shown that bacteria growing on metal electrodes naturally produce riboflavin and that riboflavin levels are related to the rate of electron transfer.
Other BTI presenters also picked up on the theme of biofuel applications in their research. Friedrich Srienc began with the question "can we compute a cell?" in analyzing both rational and experimental approaches to developing a minimal cell with catalytic activity dedicated to the synthesis of a specific product - such as optimized ethanol. And, in addition to describing his use of bacteria in the degradation of environmental contaminants, Larry Wackett described his research into bacterial production of hydrocarbons through biocatalysis.
New BTI faculty member Burckhard Seelig talked about his method of generating new protein enzymes from scratch-enzymes not found in nature through the use of mRNA display technology to generate libraries of proteins that are covalently linked to their coding mRNA. He described it as a form of enzyme engineering where mutations are introduced through directed evolution assisted by computational approaches.
NAIST researchers have specialized in this type of analysis and documentation
of enzyme reactions, as well as the documentation of metabolic pathways and other molecular
mechanisms. Professor Shigehiko Kanaya of the Department of Bioinformatics,
noted advances in his work with metabolytes and his online KNAPSACK database -
and the development and advancement of two additional databases, including a gene
classifier and the new "Lunch Box" database of edible organisms.
Hirotada Mori, professor in the Graduate School of Biological Sciences,
described the changing nature of his work on another NAIST database. Building on
an extensive genome sequencing of E.coli, he has worked with this bacterium to
construct comprehensive experimental resources such as a plasmid clone library
and a single gene deletion library to assist in advancing fundamental biology.
Another newcomer to the conference, assistant professor Ko Kato talked about
how to express useful foreign genes more effectively in plant cells. His research
involves the study of transgene-silencing as a translational enhancer and the
introduction of a more suitable transcriptional terminator.
As leader of the NAIST delegation, professor Hiroshi Takagi brought together
several different aspects of NAIST research in his discussion of the applications of
his own research into microbial production of amino acids. Takagi has worked with E. coli bacteria
to synthesize cysteine, an amino acid important in food processing, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.
The BTI-NAIST Research Collaboration Symposium promises continued development of resources and applications for the work of researchers at both institutions.
