高分子 Vol.63 No.6
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特集
用高分子合成出”生命体”
展望
人工细胞的设计与构筑 市桥伯一, 四方哲也
<Abstract> 在试管中重现天然细胞所具有的功能,通过这一过程可对生物进行与以往完全不同角度的理解, 或许能够开辟一片崭新的科技领域. 本文介绍了我们所进行的一些试管研究的成果,讨论了用现在的技术能否设计出与天然细胞同等功能的人工细胞,现在所欠缺的知识为哪般等.
Keywords: Design / Construction / Artificial Cell
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无细胞蛋白质合成系统 松林英明, 上田桌也
<Abstract> 无细胞蛋白质合成系统除了被用为翻译机构的解析和蛋白质制备的工具以外,近年来还被以人工细胞模型的合成为代表的合成生物学的基础技术来应用.本文介绍了以我们开发改良的PURE system为中心,对无细胞蛋白质合成系统的概况及今后的展望进行了阐述.
Keywords: Cell-Free System / Translation / PURE System / Protein Maturation / Unnatural Amino Acids / Ribosome Display
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自我增殖的人工细胞的化学构筑 菅原 正, 铃木健太郎
<Abstract> 由巨型囊泡内部的酵母反应而导致DNA增大,从外部添加构成膜分子的予聚体,导致肥大而进行自我分裂,我们以上述的方法构筑了新型囊泡型人工细胞.本文中我们从分子系统的角度阐述了为何DNA分子可以复制.
Keywords: Giant Vesicle / Artificial Cell / DNA Amplification / Self-reproduction / Vesicular Transport
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话题
通过人工RNA的信息与结构的变换 齐藤博英
<Abstract> Research in the synthetic biology field, which attempts to bring about new technologies by understanding life through the process of “artificially creating” biomolecules and biological systems, is becoming established worldwide. Creating artificial biomolecules that freely control the functions of living cells and applying them to examinations and medical treatments is one of the research goals of this new field. We will use the unique synthetic RNA technologies to tackle these issues. For example, we have succeeded in developing “synthetic RNA switches” that can control translation of desired genes in target mammalian cells. We have also developed a method to control cell fate by using protein-responsive RNA translational ON/OFF switches. Moreover, for the first time we have succeeded in designing and constructing synthetic RNA-protein complexes (RNP)-based nanostructures, providing great potential for nanomedicine and biotechnology applications.
Keywords: RNA / Synthetic Biology / Translation / RNP / Nanotechnology / Human Health Care
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细胞规模的非平衡体系中的自我序化: 自律运动与自律振动反应 泷之上正浩
<Abstract> In natural living systems, we find self-organized dynamic phenomena such as cellular tactic motion, cell division, pattern formation of animal body surface, beating of heart, circadian rhythm, etc. Amazingly, all the dynamic phenomena are realized by autonomous molecular reactions. In general, these phenomena are known to occur in nonequilibrium open systems, which have sustained influx and dissipation of matter and energy into/out of the systems. In recent years, autonomous and dynamic molecular systems such as artificial cells and molecular robots have been developed by learning from the nonequilibrium self-organized phenomena of living systems. Using these molecular systems, we can accelerate understanding of dynamic properties of living systems, and also achieve highly functionalized micro/nano-scaled molecular devices. In this topic, I describe two cell-sized nonequilibrium self-organized phenomena: (i) autonomous motion of cell-sized objects and (ii) spontaneous chemical oscillation in a cell-sized reaction system. We believe that these basic studies will be applied to more complex and highly functionalized molecular systems in the future.
Keywords: Artificial cell / Nonequilibrium / Self-Organization / Molecular Robot / Water-in-Oil Microdroplet
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In vitro 微小血管模型:生物组织结构的设计 松永行子
<Abstract> Conventional preclinical drug evaluation models include a lack of similarity between two-dimensionally cultured systems and in vivo systems, and a discrepancy between animal models and human models. Microtechnologies is a powerful tool to mimic the microenvironment (i.e. chemical and mechanical properties) of the tissues. Therefore, the concept of organ-on-chips was recently proposed to establish in vitro models that precisely recapitulate in vivo characteristics as well as drug response. Here we explain a importance of in vitro tissue models and organ-on-chips, and emphasize need for the in vitro microvasculature models that are deeply involved in various organ/tissue events such as inflammation, metabolism and regeneration.
Keywords: Tissue Engineering / Microfabrication / Microvasculature / Collagen Gel
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氨基酸的种类为何是20种? 网藏和晃, 木贺大介
<Abstract> It is generally accepted that primitive genetic codes employed fewer than 20 amino acids. In other words, biochemistry in a primitive cell was realized by using simplified proteins including only the amino acids that were considered to be used in primitive genetic codes. We wonder whether it is possible to construct such biochemical systems using simplified proteins. In this paper, we will describe previous studies about the number of amino acids in genetic codes and introduce our research in order to answer the question. In our recent study for construction of simplified genetic code, codons for amino acids are reassigned to alanine or serine to reduce a number of amino acids in the engineered code. Simplified genetic codes will provide an effective tool for construction of simplified proteins (A. Kawahara-Kobayashi, et al., Nucl. Acids Res, (2012), K. Amikura, et al., RSC advances, (2013)).
Keywords: Amino Acids / Genetic Code / tRNA / Protein / Evolution / Engineering / Origin of Life
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遗传信息的扩张及其应用技术 平尾一郎, 木本路子, 松永贤一郎
<Abstract> Expansion of the genetic alphabet by an unnatural base pair system could provide a powerful platform for new biotechnology. Recently, we developed unnatural base pairs that exhibit high fidelity in replication as a third base pair, and applied them to an evolutionaly engeneering method. Through the application, we succeeded in the generation of high affinity DNA aptamers containing unnatural bases and proved that unnatural bases significantly augment nucleic acid functionalities.
Keywords: Unnatural Base Pair / Genetic Alphabet Expansion / PCR / DNA Aptamer
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高分子科学与我: 个人独白
自我能力的提高 金 善南
<Abstract> With new idea and own skill, we can develop a new technology. New idea comes up for advanced life with solving inconvenience. To make own skill, we need to make an effort with special training and knowledge. Also, communication with nearby professionals is very helpful.
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高分子科学最新进展
具有特殊结构的金属束: 次微米领域中发现的特殊结构与特性 小西克明
<Abstract> Subnanometer-sized noble metal clusters with defined nuclearity have recently attracted special attention in relation to their unique optical(electronic absorption / luminescence)properties arising from their molecular-like characters. In this article, recent progresses in structure determination of ultrasmall gold and silver clusters by X-ray crystallography is summarized. An example is provided by the crystal structure of thiolate-capped Ag44 cluster, which has a Keplerate-type double-structured silver core and is markedly different from those of the related gold clusters with similar nuclearity. Examples of several diphosphine-coordinated non-spherical gold clusters with core+exo type geometries and their unique optical properties are also presented. Unlike conventional spherical clusters, they exhibit isolated visible absorption bands, indicating that the attachment of metal atoms drastically alters the electronic structures of the cluster moiety.
Keywords: Metal Cluster / Gold / Silver / Crystal Structure / Optical Properties / Geometry
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