Molecular Genetics Laboratory

Regulation of transcription, a process of mRNA synthesis from DNA, is a basis of biological phenomena. Our laboratory aims to solve the mechanism of transcriptional control via analyzing transcriptional regulators. The finding that the mediators induce acetylation or deacetylation of histone indicated the important role of histone modification. Recently, epigenetic regulation via methylation of histones or DNA has been focused, because this modification can be maintained for long period. We are analyzing various transcription factors which control cellular proliferation, development, and differentiation. Furthermore, using mice and Drosophila, we are analyzing diseases caused by abnormalities of these transcription factors.

Research Subjects

• Stress-induced epigenome change and diseases
• Study on epigenetics using Drosophila
• Role of oocyte-specific factors in reprogramming

Publications

1. Seong KH, Li D, Shimizu H, Nakamura R & Ishii S.:
   "Inheritance of stress-induced, ATF-2-dependent epigenetic change. "
   Cell, 145, 1049-1061 (2011)
2. Maekawa T, Kim S, Nakai D, Makino C, Takagi T, Ogura H, Yamada K, Chatton B & Ishii S.:
   "Social isolation stress induces ATF-7 phosphorylation and impairs silencing of the 5-HT 5B receptor gene."
   EMBO J., 29, 196-208 (2010)
3. Yamauchi T, Ishidao T, Nomura T, Shinagawa T, Tanaka Y, Yonemura S & Ishii S.:
   "A B-Myb complex containing clathrin and filamin is required for mitotic spindle function."
   EMBO J., 27, 1852-1862 (2008)
4. Jin W, Takagi T, Kanesashi S, Kurahashi T, Nomura T, Harada J & Ishii S.:
   "Schnurri-2 controls BMP-dependent adipogenesis via interaction with Smad proteins."
   Dev. Cell, 10, 461-471 (2006)
5. Kanei-Ishii C, Ninomiya-Tsuji J, Tanikawa J, Nomura T, Ishitani T, Kishida S, Kokura K, Kurahashi T, Ichikawa-Iwata E, Kim Y, Matsumoto K & Ishii S.:
   "Wnt-1 signal induces phosphorylation and degradation of c-Myb protein via TAK1, HIPK2, and NLK."
   Genes Dev., 18, 816-829 (2004)
6. Dai P, Akimaru H & Ishii S.:
   "A Hedgehog-responsive region in the Drosophila wing disc is defined by debra-mediated ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation of Ci."
   Dev. Cell, 4, 917-928 (2003)
7. Shinagawa T & Ishii S.:
   "Generation of Ski-knock down mice by expressing a long double-strand RNA from an RNA polynerase II promoter."
   Genes Dev., 17, 1340-1345 (2003)
8. Tahirov TH, Sato K, Ichikawa-Iwata E, Sasaki M, Inoue-Bungo T, Shiina M, Takata S, Fujikawa A, Morii H, Kumasaka T, Yamamoto M, Ishii S & Ogata K.:
   "Mechanism of c-Myb-C/EBPb cooperation from distantly separated sites on a promoter."
   Cell, 108, 57-70 (2002)
9. Dai P, Shinagawa T, Nomura T, Harada J, Kaul SC, Wadhwa R, Akimaru H, Sasaki H, Colmenares C & Ishii S.:
   "Ski is involved in transcriptional regulation by the repressor and full-length forms of Gli3."
   Genes Dev., 16, 2843-2848 (2002)
10. Okada M, Akimaru H, Hou DX, Takahashi T & Ishii S.:
    "Myb controls G2/M progression by inducing cyclin B expression in the Drosophila eye imaginal disc."
    EMBO J., 21,675-684 (2002)