Kentaro Nakano Ph.D. Doctoral Program in Structural Biosciences,
Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences,
University of Tsukuba
Office: B710 Agricultural and Biosciences Building
Lab： D408 Agricultural and Biosciences Building
Mailing address： 1-1-1 Tennohdai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
TEL&FAX 81(29)-853-6642
knakano@biol.tsukuba.ac.jp

Research interest

We are interesting in how organization of cytoskeletons and membrane dynamics are controlled cooperatively in eukaryote. Following cellular events are being investigated. Fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe and ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila are used for our study.

Keywords

Cytokinesis / Cell polarity / Cytoskeleton / Membrane traffic / Phagocytosis

Publications

* : 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.