GO TOP

Field

Molecular and Chemical Life Science :
Molecular and Network Genomics

Research

JAPANESE
Associate Professor (Cross Appointment) ITO-INABA Yasuko
Campus Katahira campus
Laboratory Plant Reproductive System
Website https://www.itoinaba.com/
Researchmap
J-Global
 
I was born in Aichi prefecture, and I entered Tohoku University. After I got a master’s degree at Tohoku University, I moved to Tokyo, and entered the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Tokyo. After getting PhD, I had worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Iwate University for five years. After that, I moved to Miyazaki due to my husband’s transfer. But fortunately, I was able to get a job here as a tenure-track (TT) assistant professor. After a five-years training period as a TT assistant professor, I was promoted to my current position (Miyazaki University, Associate Professor).
Career
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Agricultural and Life Science, The University of Tokyo, Japan, 2005. Thesis: “Molecular mechanisms of ABC transporter, LolCDE, involved in the lipoprotein translocation in E. coli” (Advisor: Prof Hajime Tokuda).
M.S., Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Japan, 2002. Thesis: “Characterization of a multidomain xylanase, xylanase 5, of Paenibacillus sp. Strain W-61” (Advisor: Prof Yoshiyuki Kamio).
B.S., Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Japan, 2000.
 
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Associate Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Japan, 2017.4-present.
Assistant Professor, Organization for Promotion of Tenure Track, University of Miyazaki, Japan, 2012.4-2017.3.
Postdoctoral Research Associate supported by Fumi Yamamura Memorial Foundation for Female Natural Scientists, 2011.4-2012.3.
Research Associate, Cryobiofrontier Research Center, Iwate University, Japan, 2006.6-2010.3.
Postdoctoral Research Associate, The 21st Century Center of Excellence program, Iwate University, Japan, 2005.4-2006.5.
Selected Publications
(*corresponding author)
  1. *Ito-Inaba, Y., Sato, M., Sato, M.P., Kurayama, Y., Yamamoto, H., Ohata, M., Ogura, Y., Hayashi, T., Toyooka, K., Inaba, T. Alternative oxidase capacity of mitochondria in microsporophylls may function in cycad thermogenesis. Plant Physiology, Vol. 180, pp. 743-756, 2019.
  2. *Ito-Inaba, Y., Masuko-Suzuki, H., Maekawa, H., Watanabe, M., Inaba, T. Characterization of two PEBP genes, SrFT and SrMFT, in thermogenic skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus renifolius). Scientific Reports, 6, article number: 29440, 2016.
  3. *Ito-Inaba, Y., Masuko, H., Watanabe, M. and Inaba, T. Isolation and gene expression analysis of a papain-type cysteine protease in thermogenic skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus renifolius). Bioscience, Biotechnology, and. Biochemistry., Vol. 76 , pp. 1990 – 1992, 2012.
  4. *Ito-Inaba, Y., Hida, Y., Matsumura, H., Masuko, H., Yazu, F., Terauchi, R., Watanabe, M. and Inaba, T. The gene expression landscape of thermogenic skunk cabbage suggests critical roles for mitochondrial and vacuolar metabolic pathways in the regulation of thermogenesis. Plant, Cell and Environment., Vol. 35, pp. 554-566, 2012.
  5. *Ito-Inaba, Y., Hida, Y. and Inaba, T. What is critical for plant thermogenesis? Differences in mitochondrial activity and protein expression between thermogenic and non-thermogenic skunk cabbages. Planta, Vol. 231, pp. 121-130, 2009.
  6. *Ito-Inaba, Y., Sato, M., Masuko, H., Hida, Y., Toyooka, K., Watanabe, M. and Inaba, T. Developmental changes and organelle biogenesis in the reproductive organs of thermogenic skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus renifolius). Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol. 60, pp. 3909-3922, 2009.
Activities in Academic Societies
Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry, The Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists, American Society of Plant Biologists

Recent Activities

Floral thermogenesis has been detected in dozens of plant species and has been proposed to play crucial roles in spreading odor to attract pollinators and protecting the inflorescences from freezing damage. Our long lasting interest is to fully characterize the molecular mechanism underlying thermogenesis in the reproductive organs of plants. Currently, we are investigating the mechanism by which plants increase cellular respiration and mitochondrial biogenesis for heat production. We also aim to explore the molecular mechanism linking temperature sensing and flowering. The primary goal of our research is to provide methodologies for controlling cellular respiration, temperature sensing, and flowering, allowing us to grow plants under abiotic stress conditions and improve crop production.
 

Message to Students

I graduated from Tohoku University. As a cross-appointment teacher, I am looking forward to seeing all the students of Tohoku University.

Research