Akira Kaji, Ph.D.
Akira Kaji, Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology
Department: Microbiology
Contact information
203 Johnson Pavilion (office)
221 Johnson Pavilion (lab)
3610 Hamilton Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6076
221 Johnson Pavilion (lab)
3610 Hamilton Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6076
Office: 215-898-8828
Fax: 215-573-2221
Fax: 215-573-2221
Email:
KAJI@MAIL.MED.UPENN.EDU
KAJI@MAIL.MED.UPENN.EDU
Publications
Education:
B.S. (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
University of Tokyo, 1953.
Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University, McCollum Pratt Institute (Dr.W. D. McElroy), 1958.
Permanent linkB.S. (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
University of Tokyo, 1953.
Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University, McCollum Pratt Institute (Dr.W. D. McElroy), 1958.
Description of Research Expertise
Research InterestsMechanism of protein biosynthesis.
Key words: Ribosome Recycling Factor, RRF
Description of Research
We have been working on the mechanism of protein sinthesis since 1963. Our major finding so far is discovery of binding of tRNA to programmed ribosomes. This finding was essential for elucidation of genetica code by other laboratories. Another discovery is the fourth step of protein synthesis. We discovered this step in 1970 and are currently working on this step. We discovered that a prtotein called ribosome recycling factor is necessary for this step. This protein is essential to maintain life in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. In collaboration with other laboratories, we determined the structure of RFF and the mode of binding to the ribosome. Currently we are working on the molecular mechanism of the action of this factor. Furthermore, we just started to elucidate this step in eukaryotic cytoplasmic protein synthesis.
Rotation Projects for 2006-2007
Ribosome recycling factor in eukaryotes
Lab personnel:
Dr. Go Hirokawa, Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Natalia Demeshkina, Postdoctoral Fellow
Nobu Iwakura, Graduate Student
Selected Publications
Go Hirokawa, Hachiro Inokuchi, Hideko Kaji, Kazuei Igarashi and Akira Kaji: In vivo effect of inactivation of ribosome recycling factor ---Fate of ribosomes after unscheduled translation downstream of open reading frame. Mol Microbiol 54: 1011-1021, 2004.Moll, I., Hirokawa, G., Kiel, M. C., Kaji, A., and Blasi, U. : Translation initiation with 70S ribosomes: an alternative pathway for leaderless mRNAs. Nucleic Acids Res 32: 3354-3363, 2004.
Agrawal, R. K., Sharma, M. R., Kiel, M. C., Hirokawa, G., Booth, T. M., Spahn, C. M. T., Grassucci, R. A., Kaji, A., and Frank, J. : Visualization of ribosome-recycling factor on the Escherichia coli 70S ribosome: Functional implications. PNAS 101: 8900-05, 2004.
Kiel, M. C., Raj, V. S., Kaji, H., Kaji, A.: Release of ribosome-bound ribosome recycling factor by elongation factor G. J Biol Chem 278: 48041-50, 2003.
Teyssier,E., Hirokawa,G., Tretiakova,A., Jameson,B., Kaji,A., and Kaji, H.: Temperature sensitive mutation in yeast mitochondrial ribosome recycling factor (RRF). Nucleic Acid Research 31: 4218-26, 2003.
Yoshida T., Uchiyama S., Nakano H., Kashimori H., Kijima H., Ohshima T., Saihara Y., Ishino T., Shimahara H., Yoshida T., Yokose K., Ohkubo T., Kaji A., Kobayashi Y.: Solution structure of the ribosome recycling factor from Aquifex aeolicus. Biochemistry 40(8): 2387-96, Feb 27 2001.
Hirokawa, G., Muto, A., Kiel, M. and Kaji, A: The Fourth Step of Protein synthesis: Disassembly of Post Termination Complex. The 3rd International Symposium on Ribosome Engineering, at Tsukuba, Japan. Invited speaker, 45 minutes talk Jan. 2001.
Akira Kaji, Michael Kiel, Aiko Muto, Go Hirokawa and Hideko Kaji: The fourth step of protein biosynthesis catalyzed by ribosome recycling factor, RRF: An ideal target for new antimicrobial agents. 121st National Meeting of Japanese Pharmaceutical Society, Invited speaker for plenary lecture 1, 29A 153: 75, March 2001.
Atarashi K., Kaji A.: Inhibitory effect of heterologous ribosome recycling factor on growth of Escherichia coli. Journal of Bacteriology 182(21): 6154-60, Nov 2000.
Inokuchi Y., Hirashima A., Sekine Y., Janosi L., Kaji A.: Role of ribosome recycling factor (RRF) in translational coupling. EMBO Journal 19(14): 3788-98, Jul 17 2000.