Group
Our Laboratory comprises four primary
research groups that approach the evolution of a life from various
viewpoints.
Cichlid Group
Elucidation of the molecular
mechanisms of speciation
Speciation is considered to be the driving force for biodiversity during
evolution.
There are several mechanistic models for speciation, but the
genes that participate in speciation have not been identified.
This research group uses the diverse species of cichlid fishes in the Great
Lakes of East Africa as a model to study speciation.
We want to identify genes that
participated in the speciation of these fishes and apply this knowledge to the
molecular mechanism of speciation.
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Phylogeny Group
Inference of phylogenetic relationships based on retroposon insertions
SINEs are very similar to retroposons.
We noted that SINEs might be used as
powerful synapomorphies (derived characteristics that are shared between taxa)
in reconstructing phylogenetic trees based on SINE insertion events.
SINE
insertion analysis yields reliable phylogenetic relationships without the
statistical error that usually accompanies other standard nucleotide sequence
analysis.
To date, we have used SINE insertion analysis to shed light on
phylogenetic relationships among various mammals (whales, river dolphins,
even-toed ungulates, and others) and fishes (salmons and cichlids). |
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Mechanism Group
Elucidation of the mechanism of retrotransposition
Eukaryotic genomes contain a variety of retroposons. Retroposons are
transposable elements that replicate via a "copy and paste" mechanism.
Specifically, retroposon RNA is reverse transcribed into cDNA that is
subsequently integrated into the genome at a new location.
This unique
amplification mechanism is termed retrotransposition. In addition, retroposons
comprise a significant portion of eukaryotic genomes.
For instance,
retroposons occupy more than 30% of the human genome.
Our retrotransposition
group is investigating the mechanism by which retroposon amplification occurs,
and is also working to elucidate the contribution of retroposons to the
evolution of eukaryotic genomes. |
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Brain Group
Exapted retroposons contributed to mammalian brain evolution
Molecular mechanism of mammalian brain evolution has not been elucidated
yet.
We have demonstrated that retroposons have acquired a function of
mammalian-specific enhancer and drive the expression of developmental genes in
mammalian brain.
In this group, analyzes detailed functions of enhancers are
analyzed in detail.
We also aim to identify other retroposons involved in
brain evolution. |
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