Laboratories & Administration Office

Laboratory of Protein Crystallography

member

Director Genji KURISU
准教授 Takahide KON
助教 Hideaki TANAKA

連絡先

Tel 81-6-6879-8604
Fax 81-6-6879-8606
E-mail

研究概要

In the 1959 the division of Protein Crystallography was established to elucidate the molecular structure of proteins by X-ray crystal structure analysis. The X-ray method has become the most powerful tool to determine protein structure. One of our aims is to spread the application of this method throughout biological science. Our own research targets are focused on biological macromolecular assemblies and membrane proteins. All of these are long term and important projects.


<Fig.1>
Crystal structure of the hetero-tetrameric catalytic component NB-protein of
DPOR (Dark-operative Protochlorophyllide OxidoReductase).
The [4Fe-4S] clusters are shown in CPK model, and the Pchlide molecules
in stick model. The BchN and BchB subunits in one dimer are colored
in green and blue (Nature 456, 110-114, 2010).


<Fig.2>
Overall structure of rat liver vault. Vaults are the largest cytoplasmic
ribonucleoprotein particles found in numerous eukaryotic species.
X-ray structure reveals that vault particle has 39-fold dihedral symmetry
and shell is made up of 78 identical MVP chains, and a domain structure
suggests a physiological role of the vault (Science 323, 384-388, 2009).

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