Professor, Faculty of Science (Life science/Cell biology)
TAMURA Yasushi

The multifunctional factory of cells: Mitochondria 

Mitochondria are best known for their role as a power plant producing ATP, the energy molecule essential for the cell to live. However, mitochondria actually play multiple roles in producing a variety of substances not only ATP but also amino acids, phospholipids, heme, and iron and sulfur clusters. We are interested in how mitochondria are formed and how their shape, quality and quantity are properly maintained.

Mitochondrial lipid research

Thus far, mitochondrial research has focused on mitochondrial “proteins”, and little attention has been paid to “lipid molecules”, even though they are the main components of mitochondrial membranes. We have been studying the transport mechanisms of mitochondrial membrane lipids and revealed how phospholipids travel between distinct organelle membranes including mitochondria.

From lipid research to interorganelle contact site research

Since organelles are functionally independent, they have been thought to exist independently in space. However, recent studies, including ours, have revealed the existence of contact sites where various organelles bind directly to each other. Interestingly, we found that organelle contact sites play an important role in the lipid transfer between organelle membranes. As these research achievements indicate, we are conducting cutting-edge research that is rewriting textbooks.