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XB-PERS-3526
Name: Dr. Yoshiaki Azuma
Position: Professor
Research Description:
Role of SUMOylation in mitosis, and the role of posttranslational modification by SUMO on cell division cycle. Posttranslational protein modification modulates the biochemical and cell biological function of the proteins and has essential role to regulate various physiological phenomena. SUMO family of protein is small ubiquitin-related protein that modifies various cellular proteins to be conjugated to substrates in a manner similar to Ubiquitin (SUMO modification). Genetic analysis indicates that SUMO modification is essential for viability in eukaryote. Defect in SUMO modification caused aberrant mitosis in yeast and fruit fly, suggesting the SUMO modification pathway is involved in proper progression of mitosis. I have found that mitotic specific SUMO modification has crucial role in chromosome segregation by using Xenopus egg extracts in vitro cell cycle assay system. My lab will focus on understanding a role of mitotic SUMO modification in respect to chromosome segregation, especially, the function of SUMO modification on DNA topoisomerase II (TopoII), which is a major SUMO modified substrate in mitosis. During mitosis, chromosomes dramatically change their structure to organize proper structure for mitotic chromosome. This event is essential to separate sister chromosomes faithfully in anaphase of mitosis. TopoII is one of the key enzymes to organize proper chromosome structure, thus SUMO modification of TopoII suggested to have important role of regulation of chromosomal structure during mitosis. My lab will utilize Xenopus egg extracts in vitro cell cycle assay to study biochemical and cell biological function of mitotic SUMO modification.
Lab Memberships
Azuma Lab
(Principal Investigator/Director)
Contact Information
Address:
University of Kansas
Department of Molecular Biosciences
1200 Sunnyside Ave. Haworth Hall Rm.3037
Lawrence, KS
66045, USA
Web Page: https://molecularbiosciences.ku.edu/yoshiaki-azuma
Phone: 785-864-7540