Terasaka Laboratory
Earth-Life Science Institute
Institute of Future Science, Institute of Science Tokyo
Origin of life and biotechnology by RNA and protein evolution
Virus-mimic nucleocapsid
Viruses have a structure in which the genetic material (DNA or RNA) is encapsulated in a protein capsule, and some viruses also have lipid bilayer. It has been proposed that viruses have evolved in concert with living organisms through repeated infection and multiplication in cells. Investigating the origin of viruses is very important in the study of the origin of life. Our laboratory aims to reconstruct the evolution of viruses on the primitive earth, mainly using synthetic biology and directed evolution. Recently, we have succeeded in reproducing the coevolutionary process of protein capsule and RNA in the laboratory, using self-assembling proteins derived from bacteria as model molecules. We are also studying the evolution of virus-mimetic molecules with diverse functions. In addition to reproducing the evolutionary process of primitive viruses, we also aim to develop biotechnologies that mimic viral functions.
Evolution of virus-like nucleocapsid from bacterial protein
Protein translation in picoliter droplet
Cell free translation system
Various translation factors including ribosomes synthesize proteins in cells. By controlling the factors in the cell-free translation system, it is possible to synthesize highly functional molecules that cannot be synthesized in the cell and to prepare a wide variety of proteins in a short time. Our laboratory use such technologies to create highly functional molecules for medical and material applications, and to conduct experiments on the evolution of primitive proteins, peptides, and RNA. We also aim to develop technologies such as the development of novel high-throuput screening systems.
Aminoacylation ribozyme
Research topics not listed here are also in progress.
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RNA-based Primitive translation
In the current central dogma of living organisms, three types of biological macromolecules, DNA, RNA, and proteins (amino acids), are responsible for the storage of genetic information, messenger, and functions. Since the discovery of RNA (ribozyme) with catalytic function, the RNA world hypothesis that RNA played all roles in primitive organisms has been widely supported. However, ribozymes that catalyze such reactions do not exist in modern world. In our laboratory, we aim to reconstruct the RNA world (especially the primitive translation system) by artificial ribozymes using molecular evolutionary engineering and chemical biology methods. Recent achievements include the development of ribozymes that mimic natural aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases by evolving T-box riboswitches that recognize tRNA conformations and successfully function in cell-free translation systems.