PLANT LIPID RESEARCH TEAM
Concepts
Lipids to understand Plant Life
Lipids are one of the most predominant yet diverse compounds in biological systems, which show dynamic molecular profiles in time and space throughout the life cycle. Lipids are essential components of cellular membranes or energy storage, and are also emerging signal mediators regulating plant function. Using multiple model species of seed plant and green microalgae, our team investigates on the dynamic molecular profiles of lipid diversity at spatiotemporal resolution to address how lipids regulates plant growth and development under the changing environment. Our findings will resolve outstanding or totally unknown problems in plant sciences from the lipid biology viewpoint, and also provide a knowledge-based solution to the metabolic engineering that efficiently converts CO2 to energy-dense lipids with industrial or commercial values. We hope our basic plant lipid research contributes to the global goals of sustainable development.
Approaches
Lipids are not genetically encoded. Lipid profiles are established and maintained by the metabolism and its regulation, so understanding the molecular mechanism of metabolism is utmost importance to addressing how lipids regulate plant growth and development. As a proof of comprehensive understanding of the metabolism and function, we carry out metabolic engineering in plants to freely manipulate the metabolic pathway and produce the compound of our interest with societal and economic values under favorable growth condition.
METABOLISM
FUNCTION
ENGINEERING
Methodology
Tempered approaches from cutting-edge omics to established biochemistry
Lipids are to be investigated multilaterally. Our experimental approach should be chosen according to the scientific goal but not from the existing laboratory skills, so as not to limit the potential of project’s expansion. On top of a wide range of experimental techniques we encompass from modern systems approaches to established biochemistry, we keep acquiring new skills so that we can always apply the best approach to address any given scientific problems.
Application
Lipids for the sustainable development goals
Lipids are the most energy-dense carbon compounds synthesized from CO2 fixed by the photosynthesis. Using a range of plant and microbial species, we apply our collective understanding of the basic mechanism to create a competitive strategy of knowledge-based metabolic engineering. We aim to provide an on-demand solution to produce quality oil for different industries from foods to biofuels, thereby contributing to our sustainable life and planet.