Tohru Sano

emb-5, a gene required for the correct timing of gut precursor cell division during gastrulation in Caenorhabditis elegans, encodes a protein similar to the yeast nuclear protein SPT6

The emb-5 gene is required for the correct timing of division of gut precursor cells during gastrulation in Caenorhabditis elegans. We have now characterized the molecular structure of emb-5. The predicted emb-5-encoded protein (EMB-5) possesses an extremely acidic amino-terminus and overall similarity to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae nuclear protein SPT6, which has been shown to affect the transcription of a variety of genes and suggested to play a role in chromatin assembly or modification. EMB-5 may function in the control of cell cycle timing by modulating chromatin structure and consequently affects morphogenesis of C. elegans.

Planar Ultra-Filtration Chip for Rapid Plasma Separation by Diffusion

Plasma can be extracted in two seconds with a planar ultra-filtration chip without using centrirugation. The planar structure of the chip makes it suitable for mass production by indenting on plastic, and, the chip requires no extra equipment for separation. The chip is thus applicable to disposable devices for ‘point-of-care’ blood testing.

Size Exclusion Chromatography with Patterned Nano-Pillar Array

We report a new approach to performing biomolecule separation with the nano-fabricated channel. The channel has the alternating regions with space and stripe patterned with nano-pillar array. We can demonstrate the DNA molecule separation in the type of the size-exclusion chromatography for the first time. High resolution and multiple functions for biomolecule separation should be achievable with this approach because of the high controllability of pillar shape and the high designability of pillar pattern.

CePKC: Protein kinase C (C. elegans) (TPA-1)

The chapter discusses the protein kinase C ( and the subunit structure and isoforms, domain structure, and amino acid sequence. The tpa-1 gene mediates the action of tumor-promoting phorbol esters in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Analysis of cDNA clones for tpa-1 predicts a protein (TPA-1) of 557 amino acids, which is homologous to protein kinase C in other animals. Like mammalian PKCs, TPA-1 has a C-terminal kinase domain and tandem Cys-rich repeats in the N-terminal region, which may represent the phorbol ester-binding region. Just N-terminal to the first Cys-rich repeat is a putative pseudosubstrate site. TPA-1 is homologous to PKC isoforms in other species (PKC, DmPKC, ScPKC). TPA-1 may be assayed using histone HI as for mammalian PKC.