Abstract

Theme01：Creation of environmentally recyclable polymer materials based on BC


Figure 1. Cellulose and Bacterial Cellulose (BC)

Cellulose is the most abundant macromolecule in nature, with an estimated annual production on earth of 200 billion tons, dozens of times the annual grain production. Cellulose is a linear polymer (polysaccharide) of β1,4-linked glucose produced by photosynthesis in plants using carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as a raw material, and is a very strong material. Cellulose itself is used in paper and clothing, and its derivatives are used in various applications such as thickeners, filters, and liquid crystal panels. Cellulose cannot be chemically synthesized and is mostly synthesized by plants, but it is also known to be synthesized by bacteria, algae, molds, and animals (ascidians). Cellulose synthesized by bacteria is called bacterial cellulose (BC), which has a unique structure and properties different from those of plant-derived cellulose, and its application to various materials has been investigated or put to practical use.


Figure 2. Creation of environmentally recyclable polymer materials based on BC

In our laboratory, we focus on cellulose produced by bacteria and conduct research to create various functional polymers.

Click the following link to the article
Article 1(Cellulose-synthesizing machinery in bacteria)
Article 2(One-Step Production of Amphiphilic Nanofibrillated Cellulose Using a Cellulose-Producing Bacterium)
Article 3(Therapeutic efficacy of a paclitaxel-loaded nanofibrillated bacterial cellulose (PTX/NFBC) formulation in a peritoneally disseminated gastric cancer xenograft model)
Article 4(Improving the mechanical properties of polycaprolactone using functionalized nanofibrillated bacterial cellulose with high dispersibility and long fiber length as a reinforcement material)
Article 5(Biofabrication of a Hyaluronan/Bacterial Cellulose Composite Nanofibril by Secretion from Engineered Gluconacetobacter)

Theme02：Development New Analytical Methods Based on Bio- and Chemiluminescence



Figure 1(left). BL assay using microfluidic and paper devices
Figure 2(right). Cationic liposome-enhanced firefly BL reaction

Bio/chemiluminescence (BL/CL) is known as a phenomenon in which light is generated by a chemical reaction. The intensity and wavelength of the emission depend on the reactants and reaction field, so it is widely used as a detection method in analytical chemistry. BL/CL reactions have various advantages such as no need for a light source because the light is generated only by mixing reactants and enabling highly sensitive detection of substances. Among them, the luciferin-luciferase reaction, which is famous as the light-generating reaction of fireflies, is not only applied as a quantitative assay of substances in fields such as environment and medicine but also has become an indispensable tool in biochemical research such as reporter assay. Nowadays, not only fireflies but also various species' luminescence reactions are exploited. On the other hand, many artificially constructed chemiluminescent reactions have been developed and applied as analytical methods in various fields. The luminol test, known as bloodstain analysis in criminal investigations, is a prime example.


Figure 3. Fluorescein/peroxidase oscillatory chemiluminescence

Although BL/CL reactions have been used as analytical methods for a long time, there is a need to evolve into higher-performance and general-purpose analytical methods that meet the needs changing with the times. We are aiming to develop a new analytical method focusing on unique reaction fields and luminescence responses while taking advantage of the excellent characteristics of BL/CL.

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