In segment 2 of the Human Glycome Atlas Project (HGA), we are aiming for the comprehensive analysis of N-, O-, and glycosphingolipid (GSL)-glycans, glycosaminoglycans (GAG), and free oligosaccharides, the generation of a human glycome catalog (total human plasma glycome), and the construction of resulting knowledgebase called TOHSA. In this section, we introduce the glycomic techniques used to elucidate the GSL-glycome in human serum and plasma. ...and more
In the second article of the Rare Sugars Series, rare sugars were shown to be producible using various enzymes (e.g., aldose isomerase, ketose 3-epimerase, polyol dehydrogenase), and the Izumoring was introduced as a key element in a strategy for comprehensive production of rare six-carbon hexoses by combining their enzymatic reactions. In this article, we describe the use of ketose 3-epimerase for producing the rare sugar D-allulose (=D-psicose) from naturally abundant D-fructose, and the use of L-rhamnose isomerase for producing the rare sugar D-allose from the thus-produced D-allulose. Currently, there are no “rare sugar producing enzymes” that catalyze the production of rare sugars, that is, sugars found in low abundance in a natural environment. However, enzymes capable of catalyzing the conversion of non-rare sugars to rare sugars exist in nature. We characterized some microbial enzymes that we successfully used to produce rare sugars, and the results are reported below. ...and more
We propose the establishment of a new material cycle utilizing cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) derived from waste materials. We aim to add value to agricultural products, reduce management costs by increasing the efficiency of waste plastic reuse, and improve attractiveness to young people by presenting a new model of greenhouse horticulture. We will form a recycling-oriented sustainable society through Japanese-style agricultural-industrial collaboration. ...and more
In the electrospinning of agarose in solution, we explored and optimized the solvent conditions, and succeeded in preparing nanofibers with a diameter of 68 ± 33 nm in the presence of hexafluoroisopropanol/water (92.5/7.5, v/v) used as solvent. These results suggest that control of solvent hydrogen bonding is important for nanoscale materialization of agarose materials. ...and more
