Kouichi Funato

Last Updated :2024/05/08

Affiliations, Positions
Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Associate Professor
E-mail
kfunatohiroshima-u.ac.jp
Self-introduction
We are investigating the transport mechanisms that determine the subcellular localization of lipids and their roles in cellular functions at the molecular-genetic level. We are also developing applied researches for mass production of lipids using yeast as a host.

Basic Information

Academic Degrees

  • Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Science, The University of Tokushima
  • Master of Pharmaceutical Science, The University of Tokushima

Educational Activity

  • [Bachelor Degree Program] School of Applied Biological Science : Department of Applied Biological Science : Molecular Agro-Life Science Program
  • [Master's Program] Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life : Division of Integrated Sciences for Life : Program of Food and AgriLife Science
  • [Doctoral Program] Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life : Division of Integrated Sciences for Life : Program of Food and AgriLife Science

Research Fields

  • Agricultural sciences;Agricultural chemistry;Applied microbiology
  • Agricultural sciences;Agricultural chemistry;Applied biochemistry

Research Keywords

  • yeast
  • lipids
  • synthesis
  • traffic
  • funtions

Educational Activity

Course in Charge

  1. 2024, Liberal Arts Education Program1, 3Term, Cell Science
  2. 2024, Liberal Arts Education Program1, 3Term, Food safety and health science
  3. 2024, Undergraduate Education, Intensive, Laboratory Work in General Chemistry
  4. 2024, Undergraduate Education, Second Semester, Graduation Thesis I
  5. 2024, Undergraduate Education, First Semester, Graduation Thesis II
  6. 2024, Undergraduate Education, Second Semester, Graduation Thesis III
  7. 2024, Undergraduate Education, Intensive, Laboratory Work in Molecular Agro-life ScienceIII
  8. 2024, Undergraduate Education, 4Term, Molecular Cell Biology
  9. 2024, Undergraduate Education, 1Term, Cell Technology
  10. 2024, Undergraduate Education, 4Term, Bio-Analytical Science
  11. 2024, Undergraduate Education, 3Term, Reading of Foreign Literature in Molecular Agro-Life Science
  12. 2024, Undergraduate Education, Intensive, (AIMS)Molecular Agro-life Science
  13. 2024, Undergraduate Education, 3Term, Molecular Agro-life Science
  14. 2024, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , 1Term, Exercises in Food andAgriLife Science A
  15. 2024, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , 2Term, Exercises in Food andAgriLife Science A
  16. 2024, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , 3Term, Exercises in Food andAgriLife Science B
  17. 2024, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , 4Term, Exercises in Food andAgriLife Science B
  18. 2024, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , Academic Year, Research for Academic Degree Dissertation in Food andAgriLife Science
  19. 2024, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , 2Term, Applied Molecular Cell Biology I
  20. 2024, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , 4Term, Applied Molecular Cell Biology II
  21. 2024, Graduate Education (Doctoral Program) , Academic Year, Research for Academic Degree Dissertation in Integrated Life Sciences

Research Activities

Academic Papers

  1. Ceramide sorting into non-vesicular transport is independent of acyl chain length in budding yeast, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 202404
  2. Protein sorting upon exit from the endoplasmic reticulum dominates Golgi biogenesis in budding yeast, FEBS Lett., 2024
  3. Membrane contact sites regulate vacuolar fission via sphingolipid metabolism, eLife, 2024
  4. Vacuole membrane contact sites regulate liquid-ordered domain formation during glucose starvation., FEBS Lett., 20230404
  5. Quality-controlled GPI-anchored protein sorting, 95(2), 20230425
  6. Quality-controlled ceramide-based GPI-anchored protein sorting into selective ER exit site, Cell Reports, 39(5), 110768, 202205
  7. The Ceramide Synthase Subunit Lac1 Regulates Cell Growth and Size in Fission Yeast, Int. J. Mol. Sci., 23(1), 303, 2022
  8. Membrane Contact Sites in Yeast: Control Hubs of Sphingolipid Homeostasis, Membranes, 11, 971, 2021
  9. Protocol for measuring sphingolipid metabolism in budding yeast, STAR Protoc., 2021
  10. Structural analysis of the GPI glycan, PLOS ONE, 202109
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  11. Ceramide chain length-dependent protein sorting into selective endoplasmic reticulum exit sites., Sci. Adv., 2020
  12. Tricalbins are required for nonvesicular ceramide transport at ER-Golgi contacts and modulate lipid droplet biogenesis., iScience, 2020
  13. A defect in GPI synthesis as a suggested mechanism for the role of ARV1 in intellectual disability and seizures., Neurogenetics, 2020
  14. Cold-sensitive phenotypes of a yeast null mutant of ARV1 support its role as a GPI flippase., FEBS Lett., 2020
  15. Expression of two glutamate decarboxylase genes in Lactobacillus brevis during gamma-aminobutyric acid production with date residue extract., Biosci Biotechnol Biochem., 84(5), 1069-1072, 2020
  16. Vesicular and non-vesicular lipid export from the ER to the secretory pathway., Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids., 2020
  17. Sphingolipid/Pkh1/2-TORC1/Sch9 Signaling Regulates Ribosome Biogenesis in Tunicamycin-Induced Stress Response in Yeast., Genetics, 2019
  18. Lysophospholipids Facilitate COPII Vesicle Formation., Curr Biol., 28(12), 1950-1958, 20180618
  19. Gamma-aminobutyric acid fermentation with date residue by a lactic acid bacterium, Lactobacillus brevis., J. Biosci. Bioeng., 125(3), 316-319, 201803
  20. Protection mechanisms against aberrant metabolism of sphingolipids in budding yeast., Curr Genet., 64(5), 1021-1028, 2018
  21. Protective role of the HOG pathway against the growth defect caused by impaired biosynthesis of complex sphingolipids in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Mol. Microbiol., 107(3), 363-386, 201802
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  22. Arp2/3 complex and Mps3 are required for regulation of ribosome biosynthesis in the secretory stress response., Yeast, 34(4), 155-163, 201704
  23. Complementation analysis reveals a potential role of human ARV1 in GPI anchor biosynthesis., Yeast, 33, 37-42, 201602
  24. A lipid regulator working at the cleavage furrow, Cell Cycle, 15(10), 1315-1316, 20160518
  25. Neuronal deficiency of ARV1 causes an autosomal recessive epileptic encephalopathy., Hum Mol Genet., 25(14), 3042-3054, 20160715
  26. COPII Coat Composition Is Actively Regulated by Luminal Cargo Maturation, Curr. Biol., 25(2), 152-162, 20150119
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  27. SMY2 and SYH1 suppress defects in ribosome biogenesis caused by ebp2 mutations, Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem., 79(9), 1481-1483, 20150902
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  28. Sphingolipids regulate telomere clustering by affecting the transcription of genes involved in telomere homeostasis, J. Cell Sci., 128(14), 2454-2467, 20150715
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  29. The essential function of Rrs1 in ribosome biogenesis is conserved in budding and fission yeasts, Yeast, 32(9), 607-614, 2015
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  30. Producing human ceramide-NS by metabolic engineering using yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Sci. Rep., 5, 20151117
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  31. Osh proteins regulate COPII-mediated vesicular transport of ceramide from the endoplasmic reticulum in budding yeast, J. Cell Sci., 127(2), 376-387, 20140115
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  32. Metabolic labeling of yeast sphingolipids with radioactive D-erythro-[4,5-3H]dihydrosphingosine., Bio-Protocol (http://www.bio-protocol.org), 3(16), 201308
  33. Perturbation of sphingolipid metabolism induces endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis in budding yeast, Mol. Microbiol., 86(5), 1246-1261, 2012
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  34. The yeast p24 complex regulates GPI-anchored protein transport and quality control by monitoring anchor remodeling, Mol. Biol. Cell, 22(16), 2924-2936, 20110815
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  35. Functional Interactions between Sphingolipids and Sterols in Biological Membranes Regulating Cell Physiology, Mol. Biol. Cell, 20(7), 2083-2095, 2009
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  36. Yeast ARV1 is required for efficient delivery of an early GPI intermediate to the first mannosyltransferase during GPI assembly and controls lipid flow from the endoplasmic reticulum., Mol. Biol. Cell, 19, 2069-2082, 20080501
  37. Ethanol-induced death in yeast exhibits features of apoptosis mediated by mitochondrial fission pathway, FEBS Lett., 581(16), 2935-2942, 20070626
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  38. Sphingoid base is required for translation initiation during heat stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Mol. Biol. Cell, 17(3), 1164-1175, 2006
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  39. Lcb4p is a key regulator of ceramide synthesis from exogenous long chain sphingoid base in Saccharomyces cerevisiae., J. Biol. Chem., 278(9), 7325-7334, 20030228
  40. Biosynthesis and trafficking of sphingolipids in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae., Biochemistry, 41(51), 15105-15114, 20021224
  41. Sphingolipid biosynthesis and traffic in yeast., Seikagaku, 74(4), 317-321, 20020401
  42. Sphingolipids are required for the stable membrane association of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins in yeast., J. Biol. Chem., 277(51), 49538-49544, 20021220
  43. Vesicular and nonvesicular transport of ceramide from ER to the Golgi apparatus in yeast., J. Cell Biol., 155(6), 949-959, 20011210
  44. Sphingoid base synthesis requirement for endocytosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae., EMBO J., 19(12), 2824-2833, 20000615
  45. A Salmonella virulence protein inhibits cellular trafficking., EMBO J., 18(14), 3924-3933, 19990715
  46. A novel plasma factor initiating complement activation on cetylmannoside-modified liposomes in human plasma., Int J Pharm, 164, 91-102, 1998
  47. Enhancing effect of cholesterol on the elimination of liposomes from circulation is mediated by complement activation., Int J Pharm, 156, 27-37, 1997
  48. Sequential actions of Rab5 and Rab7 regulate endocytosis in the Xenopus Oocyte., J. Cell Biol., 136(6), 1227-1237, 19970324
  49. Rab7 regulates transport from early to late endocytic compartments in Xenopus Oocytes., J. Biol. Chem., 272(20), 13055-13059, 19970516
  50. Reconstitution of phagosome-lysosome fusion in streptolysin O-permeabilized cells., J. Biol. Chem., 272(26), 16147-16151, 19970627
  51. Biopharmaceutical evaluation of the liposomes prepared by rehydration of freeze-dried empty liposomes (FDELs) with an aqueous solution of a drug., Biopharm Drug Dispos., 17(7), 589-605, 199610
  52. The complement- but not mannose receptor-mediated phagocytosis is involved in the hepatic uptake of cetylmannoside-modified liposomes in situ., J Drug Target, 2, 141-146, 1994
  53. Plasma factor triggering alternative complement pathway activation by liposomes., Pharm Res., 11, 372-376, 199403
  54. Enhanced hepatic uptake of liposomes through complement activation depending on the size of liposomes., Pharm Res., 11(3), 402-406, 199403
  55. Contribution of complement system on destabilization of liposomes composed of hydrogenated egg phosphatidylcholine in rat fresh plasma., Biochem. Biophys. Acta, 1103, 198-204, 199201
  56. Effect of species differences on complement activation by cetylmannoside-modified liposomes in fresh plasma., Drug Delivery System, 7, 165-168, 1992

Publications such as books

  1. 2006, Sphingolipid Biology, [Sphingolipid Trafficking] pp.123-139, 2006, 0, Scholarly Book, Joint work, 4431341986, 531
  2. 2018, Advances in Industrial Applications of Yeast, Koji-molds, and Lactic Acid Bacteria, 2018, 1月, Joint work, J