中野 賢太郎　博士（理学）
Nakano　Kentaro　　Ph.D. 		筑波大学大学院 生命環境科学研究科
生物科学専攻
教授
オフィス：生物農林学系B棟710
実験室：生物農林学系D棟408
連絡先：TEL&FAX 029-853-6642
knakano@biol.tsukuba.ac.jp

担当講義

<生物学類>　基礎生物学実験、細胞学実験、専門語学など
<大学院>　分子細胞生物学セミナー、分子細胞生物学研究法など

研究内容

生命の根源的な基本構成単位である「細胞」の構造と振舞いについて理解する。特に、細胞質分裂、細胞形態の形成機構、細胞内物質輸送、ファゴサイトーシス（食胞の形成と輸送、成熟）などの現象を、細胞骨格とオルガネラ膜の時空間的なダイナミクスの観点から研究を進めている。

実験系をシンプルにするために、研究材料には単細胞真核生物である分裂酵母 Schizosaccharomyces pombe と繊毛虫テトラヒメナ Tetrahymena thermophila を用いている。両生物とも全ゲノムが解読済みであり、培養や保管が簡便である。分裂酵母は、比較的に単純な細胞骨格構造とオルガネラ膜をもつことから、作業仮説に基づく精緻な分子レベルの解析に最適である。これまでに、細胞極性や細胞質分裂に関わる Rho ファミリー低分子量 GTPase の機能解析や、アクチン細胞骨格の調節因子の解析を行った。

一方、テトラヒメナは単細胞生物であるにも関わらずヒトに匹敵する遺伝子数をもち、進化的に高度に発達した細胞である。生物進化の過程で、多細胞生物が個々の細胞をユニットとする分業体制の獲得により高度な生命機構を維持するのに対して、テトラヒメナはたった１つの細胞内にオリジナリティーの高いオルガネラを兼ね備えてきた。すなわち、栄養源獲得のために口部装置と細胞肛門で結ばれる盛んなファゴサイトーシスの経路、効率の良い増殖と生殖のために大核と小核の分化、活発な運動を可能とする繊毛、そして細胞体を維持するための複雑な微小管ネットワークとアルベオラーサックなどである。つまり、テトラヒメナは究極に発達した真核細胞といえる。動物や植物、菌類とは異なるプロティストとしてのテトラヒメナを研究することは、細胞の系統発生的な多様性を理解するために不可避である。最近、急速に研究が進んでいるマラリアやトリパノソーマ、リューシマニアなどの寄生原虫や藻類の細胞機能とテトラヒメナのものとを比較・検討することで、おそらく、従来のモデル生物である酵母、線虫、ハエ、マウスなどの解析からでは予想しえない細胞内現象が発見されると期待できる。

主な解析手法は、顕微鏡を用いた細胞内の生体分子の４次元解析、遺伝子操作、遺伝学や生化学などである。

リンク

生物学類学生による教員紹介インタビュー

研究成果

* : Corresponding author

  1. Rikuri Morita, Masak Takaine, Osamu Numata and Kentaro Nakano*. (2017) Molecular dissection of the actin-binding ability of the fission yeast α-actinin, Ain1, in vitro and in vivo. J Biochem.
  2. Yasuharu Kushida, Masak Takaine, Kentaro Nakano, Toshiro Sugai, Krishna Kumar Vasudevan, Mayukh Guha, Yu-yang Jiang, Jacek Gaertig and Osamu Numata* (2016) Kinesin-14 Is Important for Chromosome Segregation during Mitosis and Meiosis in the Ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. J Eukaryot Microbiol., Vol. 64, 293-307
  3. Tsuyoshi Yasuda, Masak Takaine, Osamu Numata and Kentaro Nakano* (2016) Anillin-related protein Mid1 regulates timely formation of the contractile ring in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces japonicus. Genes Cells, vol. 21, 594-607.
  4. Akira Doi, Ayako Kita, Yuki Kanda, Takaya Uno, Keita Asami, Ryosuke Satoh, Kentaro Nakano and Reiko Sugiura* (2015) Geranylgeranyltransferase Cwg2-Rho4/Rho5 module is implicated in the Pmk1 MAP kinase-mediated cell wall integrity pathway in fission yeast. Genes Cells, vol. 20, 310-323.
  5. Yasuharu Kushida, Masak Takaine, Kentaro Nakano, Toshiro Sugai and Osamu Numata*. (2015) Analysis of localization of γ-tubulin during conjugation of ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila using confocal lazar-scanning microscope. Zoological Sci., vol. 32, 25-32.
  6. Masak Takaine, Kazuki Imada, Osamu Numata, Taro Nakamura and Kentaro Nakano. (2014) The meiosis-specific nuclear passenger protein is required for proper assembly of forespore membrane in fission yeast. J. Cell Sci., vol. 127, 4429-4442.
  7. Masak Takaine*, Osamu Numata and Kentaro Nakano* (2014) Fission yeast IQGAP maintains F-actin-independent localization of myosin-II in the contractile ring. Genes Cells, vol. 19, 161-176.
  8. Yuhta Shimizu, Yasuharu Kushida, Shuhei Kiriyama, Kentaro Nakano* and Osamu Numata* (2013) Formation of division furrow and its ingression can progress under the inhibitory condition of actin polymerization in ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis. Zoological Sci., vol. 30, 1044-1049.
  9. Nanami Shiozaki, Kentaro Nakano*, Yasuharu Kushida, Taro QP Noguchi, Taro QP Uyeda, Dorota Wloga, Drashti Dave, Krishna K. Vasudevan, Jacek Gaertig and Osamu Numata (2013) ADF/cofilin is not essential but critically important for actin activities during phagocytosis in Tetrahymena thermophila. Eukaryot. Cell, vol. 12, 1080-1086.
  10. Ayako Kikuchi, Kogiku Shiba, Tetsuo Ozawa, Kentaro Nakano, Kazuo Inaba and Osamu Numata* (2012) Black tea high-molecular-weight polyphenol increases motility of sea urchin sperm by activating mitochondrial respiration. Biosci. Biotech. Biochem. vol. 76, 2321-2324.
  11. Kentaro Nakano*, Mika Toya, Aki Yoneda, Yukiko Asami, Akira Yamashita, Naomi Kamasawa, Masako Osumi and Masayuki Yamamoto (2011) Pob1 Ensures Cylindrical Cell Shape by Coupling Two Distinct Rho Signaling Events During Secretory Vesicle Targeting. Traffic, vol. 12, 726-739.
  12. Maki Sugita, Yoshinori Iwataki, Kentaro Nakano and Osamu Numata* (2011) Unique sequences and predicted functions of myosins in Tetrahymena thermophila. Gene, vol. 480, 10-20.
  13. Anupama Goyal, Masak Takaine, Viesturs Simanis and Kentaro Nakano* (2011) Dividing the spoils of growth and the cell cycle: The fission yeast as a model for the study of cytokinesis. Cytoskeleton, vol. 68, 69-88.
  14. Yasuharu Kushida, Kentaro Nakano and Osamu Numata* (2011) Amitosis requires γ-tubulin-mediated microtubule assembly in Tetrahymena thermophila. Cytoskeleton, vol. 68, 89-96.
  15. Yumiko Saito-Nakano, Tohru Nakahara, Kentaro Nakano, Tomoyoshi Nozaki and Osamu Numata* (2010) Marked amplification and diversification of products of ras genes from rat brain, Rab GTPases, in the ciliates Tetrahymena thermophila and Paramecium tetraurelia. J Eukaryot Microbiol, vol. 57, 389-399.
  16. Kentaro Nakano*, Hidekazu Kuwayama, Masato Kawasaki, Osamu Numata and Masak Takaine (2010) GMF is an evolutionarily developed Adf/cofilin-super family protein involved in the Arp2/3 complex-mediated organization of the actin cytoskeleton. Cytoskeleton, vol. 67, 373-382.
  17. Nanami Shiozaki, Kentaro Nakano , Masak Takaine, Hiroshi Abe and Osamu Numata* (2009) Usual and unusual biochemical properties of ADF/cofilin-like protein Adf73p in ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, vol. 390, 54-59.
  18. Masak Takaine, Osamu Numata and Kentaro Nakano* (2009) Fission yeast IQGAP arranges actin filaments into the cytokinetic contractile ring. EMBO J, vol. 28, 3117-3131.
  19. Maki Sugita, Kentaro Nakano , Mayuko Sato, Kiminori Toyooka and Osamu Numata* (2009) The roles of actin cytoskeleton and microtubules for membrane recycling of a food vacuole in Tetrahymena thermophila. Cell Motil Cytoskeleton, vol. 66, 371-377.
  20. Hisashi Tatebe, Kentaro Nakano , Rachel Maximo, and Kazuhiro Shiozaki* (2008) Pom1 DYRK Regulates Localization of the Rga4 GAP to Ensure Bipolar Activation of Cdc42 in Fission Yeast. Current Biology, vol. 18, 322-330.
  21. Kentaro Nakano* and Issei Mabuchi (2006) Actin-capping protein is involved in controlling organization of actin cytoskeleton together with ADF/cofilin, profilin and F-actin crosslinking proteins in fission yeast. Genes Cells, vol. 11 893-905.
  22. Kentaro Nakano* and Issei Mabuchi (2006) Actin-depolymerizing protein Adf1 is required for formation and maintenance of the contractile ring during cytokinesis in fission yeast. Mol. Biol. Cell., vol. 17, 1933-1945.
  23. Kentaro Nakano*, Fumihide Bunai and Osamu Numata (2005) Stg1 is a novel SM22/transgelin-like actin-modulating protein in fission yeast. FEBS Lett. vol. 579, 6311-6316.
  24. Tadashi Mutoh, Kentaro Nakano and Issei Mabuchi* (2005) Rho1-GEFs Rgf1 and Rgf2 are involved in formation of cell wall and septum, while Rgf3 is involved in cytokinesis. Genes Cells, vol. 10, 1189-1202.
  25. Kentaro Nakano*, Ritsuko Arai and Issei Mabuchi (2005) Small GTPase Rho5 is a functional homologue of Rho1, which controls cell shape and septation in fission yeast. FEBS Lett. vol. 579, 5181-5186.
  26. Kentaro Nakano*, Tadashi Mutoh, Ritsuko Arai and Issei Mabuchi (2003) The small GTPase Rho4 is involved in controlling cell morphology and septation in fission yeast. Genes Cells vol. 8, 357-370.
  27. Kentaro Nakano*, Jun Imai, Ritsuko Arai, Akio Toh-e, Yasushi, Matsui and Issei Mabuchi (2002) The small GTPase Rho3 and the diaphanous/formin For3 function in polarized cell growth in fission yeast. J. Cell Sci., vol. 115, 4629-4639.
  28. Kentaro Nakano*, Kazuomi Satoh, Akeshi Morimatsu, Masaaki Ohnuma and Issei Mabuchi (2001) Interaction among fimbrin, a capping protein, and an actin-depolymerizing factor in organization of the fission yeast actin cytoskeleton. Mol. Biol. Cell vol. 12, 3515-3526.
  29. Kentaro Nakano*, Tadashi Mutoh and Issei Mabuchi (2001) Characterization of GTPase-activating proteins for the function of the Rho-family small GTPases in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Genes Cells vol. 6, 1031-1042.
  30. Mika Toya, Fumio Motegi, Kentaro Nakano, Issei Mabuchi and Masayuki Yamamoto* (2001) Identification and functional analysis of the gene for type I myosin in fission yeast. Genes Cells vol. 6, 187-199.
  31. Teresa M. Calonge, Kentaro Nakano, Manuel Arellano, Ritsuko Arai., Satoshi Katayama, Takashi Toda, Issei Mabuchi and Pilar Perez* (2000). Schizosaccharomyces pombe Rho2p GTPase regulates cell wall α-glucan biosynthesis through the protein kinase Pck2p. Mol. Biol. Cell. vol. 11, 4393-4401.
  32. Fumio Motegi, Kentaro Nakano and Issei Mabuchi* (2000) Molecular mechanism of myosin-II assembly at the division site in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. J. Cell Sci., vol. 113, 1813-1825.
  33. Lee G. Sayers, Satoshi Katayama, Kentaro Nakano, Harry Mellor, Issei Mabuchi, Takashi Toda and Peter J. Parker* (2000) Rho-dependence of Schizosaccharomyces pombe Pck2. Genes to Cells, vol. 5, 17-27.
  34. Yukako Nishimura, Kentaro Nakano and Issei Mabuchi* (1998) Localization of Rho GTPase in sea urchin eggs. FEBS Lett. vol. 441, 121-126.
  35. Ritsuko Arai, Kentaro Nakano and Issei Mabuchi* (1998) Subcellular localization and possible function of actin, tropomyosin, and actin-related protein 3 (Arp3) in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Eur. J. Cell Biol., vol. 76, 288-295.
  36. Dai Hirata, Kentaro Nakano, Mikiko Fukui, Hiroshi Takenaka, Tokichi Miyakawa and Issei Mabuchi* (1998) Genes that cause aberrant cell morphology by overexpression in fission yeast: a role of a small GTP - binding protein Rho2 in cell morphogenesis. J. Cell Sci., vol. 111, 149-159.
  37. Kentaro Nakano*, Ritsuko Arai and Issei Mabuchi (1997) The small GTP-binding protein, Rho1, is a multi-functional protein that is involved in the regulation of actin localization, cell polarity, and septum formation in the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Genes to Cells, vol. 2, 679-694.
  38. Fumio Motegi, Kentaro Nakano, Chikako Kitayama, Masayuki Yamamoto and Issei Mabuchi* (1997) Identification of Myo3, a second type-II myosin heavy chain in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. FEBS Lett., vol. 420, 161-166.
  39. Kentaro Nakano* and Issei Mabuchi (1995) Isolation and sequencing of two cDNA clones encoding Rho proteins from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Gene, vol. 155, 119-122.
  40. Kazuo Kobayashi, Kazuaki Shoji, Taizen Shimizu, Kentaro Nakano, Tsutomu Sato and Yasuo Kobayashi* (1995) Analysis of a suppressor mutation ssb (kinC) of sur0B20 (spo0A) mutation in Bacillus subtilis reveals that kinC encodes a histidine protein kinase. J. Bacteol. vol. 177, 176-182.