NISHII Ichiro

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Profile and Settings

• Name (Japanese)

  Nishii

• Name (Kana)

  Ichiro

Degree

• PhD, Osaka University

Research Interests

• 生殖細胞体細胞分化
• 形態形成運動
• 多細胞シートの変形
• 多細胞化
• ボルボックスとその近縁種
• germ-soma differentiation
• morphogenesis
• folding of multicellular sheet
• multicellularity
• Volvox and volvocine algae

Research Experience

• Sep. 2014, Sep. 2021, Nara Women's University, 研究院 自然科学系, Associated Prof, Japan
• 2013, Aug. 2014, National University of Singapore, Department of Biology, Assistant Professor, Singapore
• Sep. 2011, Aug. 2014, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, Basic Sciences, Principal Investigator, Singapore
• Apr. 2011, Sep. 2011, Nara Women's University, Faculty of Science, Associate Professor (non-tenure), Japan
• Apr. 2010, Mar. 2011, Nara Women's University, Faculty of Science, Assistant Professor (non-tenure), Japan
• Apr. 2009, Mar. 2010, Nara Women's University, Faculty of Science, Instructor (part-time), Japan
• Apr. 2004, Mar. 2009, RIKEN, Unit leader, Japan
• Sep. 1999, Mar. 2004, Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Biology, Research Associate, United States
• Sep. 1999, Aug. 2001, JSPS, Overseas Research Fellowships, United States
• Apr. 1999, Aug. 1999, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 溶液学研究部門, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Japan
• Oct. 2021, 9999, Nara Women's University, Faculty Division of Natural Sciences, Professor, Japan

Education

• Apr. 1995, Mar. 1999, Osaka University, Graduate School of Science, Physiology, PhD, Japan
• Apr. 1993, Mar. 1995, Osaka University, Graduate School of Science, Physiology, MSc, Japan
• Apr. 1989, Mar. 1993, Osaka University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Japan

Academic Contribution

• The 11th NWU-UOL Minisymposium on Biosciences, Competition etc, Nara Women's University, 04 Mar. 2024, 04 Mar. 2024, True

Ⅱ．研究活動実績

Published Papers

• Refereed, Planta, Springer Verlag, 3D reconstruction of endoplasmic reticulum in a hydrocarbon-secreting green alga, Botryococcus braunii (Race B), Reiko Suzuki; Ichiro Nishii; Shigeru Okada; Tetsuko Noguchi, Main conclusion: Based on 3D sections through cells of Botryococcus braunii, the structure of three domains of endoplasmic reticulum, and their spatial and functional relationships to other organelles are clarified. Oil production by photosynthetic microalgae has attracted attention since these oils can be converted into renewable, carbon-neutral fuels. The green alga B. braunii accumulates large amounts of hydrocarbons, 30–50% of cell dry weight, in extracellular spaces rather than its cytoplasm. To advance the knowledge of hydrocarbon biosynthesis and transport pathways in this alga, we utilized transmission EM combined with rapid freezing and image reconstruction. We constructed detailed 3D maps distinguishing three ER domains: rdER with ribosomes on both sides, rsER with ribosomes on one side, and sER without ribosomes. The rsER and sER domains were especially prominent during the oil body formation and oil secretion stages. The ER contacted the chloroplasts, oil bodies, or plasma membrane via the rsER domains, oriented with the ribosome-free surface facing the organelles. We discuss the following transport pathway for hydrocarbons and their precursors in the cytoplasm: chloroplast → endoplasmic reticulum (ER) → oil bodies → ER → plasma membrane → secretion. This study represents the first 3D study of the three-domain classification (rdER, rsER and sER) of the ER network among eukaryotic cells. Finally, we propose the novel features of the ERs in plant cells that are distinct from the latest proposed model for the ERs in mammalian cells., 01 Mar. 2018, 247, 3, 663, 677, Scientific journal, 10.1007/s00425-017-2811-8

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• Refereed, G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS, GENETICS SOCIETY AMERICA, Sequence of the Gonium pectorale Mating Locus Reveals a Complex and Dynamic History of Changes in Volvocine Algal Mating Haplotypes, Takashi Hamaji; Yuko Mogi; Patrick J. Ferris; Toshiyuki Mori; Shinya Miyagishima; Yukihiro Kabeya; Yoshiki Nishimura; Atsushi Toyoda; Hideki Noguchi; Asao Fujiyama; Bradley J. S. C. Olson; Tara N. Marriage; Ichiro Nishii; James G. Umen; Hisayoshi Nozaki, Sex-determining regions (SDRs) or mating-type (MT) loci in two sequenced volvocine algal species, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Volvox carteri, exhibit major differences in size, structure, gene content, and gametolog differentiation. Understanding the origin of these differences requires investigation of MT loci from related species. Here, we determined the sequences of the minus and plus MT haplotypes of the isogamous 16-celled volvocine alga, Gonium pectorale, which is more closely related to the multicellular V. carteri than to C. reinhardtii. Compared to C. reinhardtii MT, G. pectorale MT is moderately larger in size, and has a less complex structure, with only two major syntenic blocs of collinear gametologs. However, the gametolog content of G. pectorale MT has more overlap with that of V. carteri MT than with C. reinhardtii MT, while the allelic divergence between gametologs in G. pectorale is even lower than that in C. reinhardtii. Three key sex-related genes are conserved in G. pectorale MT: GpMID and GpMTD1 in MT-, and GpFUS1 in MT+. GpFUS1 protein exhibited specific localization at the plus-gametic mating structure, indicating a conserved function in fertilization. Our results suggest that the G. pectorale-V. carteri common ancestral MT experienced at least one major reformation after the split from C. reinhardtii, and that the V. carteri ancestral MT underwent a subsequent expansion and loss of recombination after the divergence from G. pectorale. These data begin to polarize important changes that occurred in volvocine MT loci, and highlight the potential for discontinuous and dynamic evolution in SDRs., May 2016, 6, 5, 1179, 1189, Scientific journal, 10.1534/g3.115.026229

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• Refereed, PLANT AND CELL PHYSIOLOGY, OXFORD UNIV PRESS, A Receptor-Like Kinase, Related to Cell Wall Sensor of Higher Plants, is Required for Sexual Reproduction in the Unicellular Charophycean Alga, Closterium peracerosum-strigosum-littorale Complex, Naoko Hirano; Yuka Marukawa; Jun Abe; Sayuri Hashiba; Machiko Ichikawa; Yoichi Tanabe; Motomi Ito; Ichiro Nishii; Yuki Tsuchikane; Hiroyuki Sekimoto, Here, we cloned the CpRLK1 gene, which encodes a receptor-like protein kinase expressed during sexual reproduction, from the heterothallic Closterium peracerosum-strigosum-littorale complex, one of the closest unicellular alga to land plants. Mating-type plus (mt(+)) cells with knockdown of CpRLK1 showed reduced competence for sexual reproduction and formed an abnormally enlarged conjugation papilla after pairing with mt(-) cells. The knockdown cells were unable to release a naked gamete, which is indispensable for zygote formation. We suggest that the CpRLK1 protein is an ancient cell wall sensor that now functions to regulate osmotic pressure in the cell to allow proper gamete release., Jul. 2015, 56, 7, 1456, 1462, Scientific journal, 10.1093/pcp/pcv065

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• Refereed, ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS, ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV, Colony sheath formation is accompanied by shell formation and release in the green alga Botryococcus braunii (race B), Yuki Uno; Ichiro Nishii; Satoshi Kagiwada; Tetsuko Noguchi, Botryococcus braunii race B is a promising candidate for renewable biofuel production. Its colony organization is unique. Cells are connected by extracellular biopolymers containing hydrocarbons at their basolateral regions, enclosed by a retaining wall, and form a sphere inside a colony sheath composed of polysaccharide fibrils. This unique colony structure is a key for the hydrocarbon production and storage, but how the colony forms remains unknown. We studied ultrastructure of colony sheath and its formation process by rapid freezing and freeze-substitution electron microscopy. Fibrils of colony sheath extend from the retaining wall and are branched, and repel India ink. The sheath formation starts in mitosis and completes during the following daughter cell maturation. In this process, the older retaining wall and thin layers at the cell apex are released as shells and new fibrils formed on the new retaining wall extend into and merge with the pre-existing colony sheath. Its formation also accompanied by the hydrocarbon secretion and accumulation at the basolateral region. The fibrils of colony sheath that extend from a cell wall are replaced by new fibrils after each cell division, while fibrils in the extracellular biopolymers accumulate to form the remaining part of sheath, without replacement. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved., Mar. 2015, 8, 214, 223, Scientific journal, 10.1016/j.algal.2015.02.015

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• Refereed, PLoS ONE, Transformation of lipid bodies related to hydrocarbon accumulation in a green alga, Botryococcus braunii (race B), Reiko Suzuki; Naoko Ito; Yuki Uno; Ichiro Nishii; Satoshi Kagiwada; Sigeru Okada; Tetsuko Noguchi, The colonial microalga Botryococcus braunii accumulates large quantities of hydrocarbons mainly in the extracellular space most other oleaginous microalgae store lipids in the cytoplasm. Botryococcus braunii is classified into three principal races (A, B, and L) based on the types of hydrocarbons. Race B has attracted the most attention as an alternative to petroleum by its higher hydrocarbon contents than the other races and its hydrocarbon components, botryococcenes and methylsqualenes, both can be readily converted into biofuels. We studied race B using fluorescence and electron microscopy, and clarify the stage when extracellular hydrocarbon accumulation occurs during the cell cycle, in a correlation with the behavior and structural changes of the lipid bodies and discussed development of the algal colony. New accumulation of lipids on the cell surface occurred after cell division in the basolateral region of daughter cells. While lipid bodies were observed throughout the cell cycle, their size and inclusions were dynamically changing. When cells began dividing, the lipid bodies increased in size and inclusions until the extracellular accumulation of lipids started. Most of the lipids disappeared from the cytoplasm concomitant with the extracellular accumulation, and then reformed. We therefore hypothesize that lipid bodies produced during the growth of B. braunii are related to lipid secretion. New lipids secreted at the cell surface formed layers of oil droplets, to a maximum depth of six layers, and fused to form flattened, continuous sheets. The sheets that combined a pair of daughter cells remained during successive cellular divisions and the colony increased in size with increasing number of cells. Copyright © 2013 Suzuki et al., 05 Dec. 2013, 8, 12, e81626, Scientific journal, 10.1371/journal.pone.0081626

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• Refereed, PLoS ONE, Distribution of the Sex-Determining Gene MID and Molecular Correspondence of Mating Types within the Isogamous Genus Gonium (Volvocales, Chlorophyta), Takashi Hamaji; Patrick J. Ferris; Ichiro Nishii; Yoshiki Nishimura; Hisayoshi Nozaki, Background:Isogamous organisms lack obvious cytological differences in the gametes of the two complementary mating types. Consequently, it is difficult to ascertain which of the two mating types are homologous when comparing related but sexual isolated strains or species. The colonial volvocalean algal genus Gonium consists of such isogamous organisms with heterothallic mating types designated arbitrarily as plus or minus in addition to homothallic strains. Homologous molecular markers among lineages may provide an "objective" framework to assign heterothallic mating types.Methodology/Principal Findings:Using degenerate primers designed based on previously reported MID orthologs, the "master regulator" of mating types/sexes in the colonial Volvocales, MID homologs were identified and their presence/absence was examined in nine strains of four species of Gonium. Only one of the two complementary mating types in each of the four heterothallic species has a MID homolog. In addition to heterothallic strains, a homothallic strain of G. multicoccum has MID. Molecular evolutionary analysis suggests that MID of this homothallic strain retains functional constraint comparable to that of the heterothallic strains.Conclusion/Significance:We coordinated mating genotypes based on presence or absence of a MID homolog, respectively, in heterothallic species. This scheme should be applicable to heterothallic species of other isogamous colonial Volvocales including Pandorina and Yamagishiella. Homothallism emerged polyphyletically in the colonial Volvocales, although its mechanism remains unknown. Our identification of a MID homolog for a homothallic strain of G. multicoccum suggests a MID-dependent mechanism is involved in the sexual developmental program of this homothallic species. © 2013 Hamaji et al., 16 May 2013, 8, 5, e64385, Scientific journal, 10.1371/journal.pone.0064385

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• Refereed, PLOS ONE, PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE, Mitochondrial and Plastid Genomes of the Colonial Green Alga Gonium pectorale Give Insights into the Origins of Organelle DNA Architecture within the Volvocales, Takashi Hamaji; David R. Smith; Hideki Noguchi; Atsushi Toyoda; Masahiro Suzuki; Hiroko Kawai-Toyooka; Asao Fujiyama; Ichiro Nishii; Tara Marriage; Bradley J. S. C. Olson; Hisayoshi Nozaki, Volvocalean green algae have among the most diverse mitochondrial and plastid DNAs (mtDNAs and ptDNAs) from the eukaryotic domain. However, nearly all of the organelle genome data from this group are restricted to unicellular species, like Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and presently only one multicellular species, the similar to 4,000-celled Volvox carteri, has had its organelle DNAs sequenced. The V. carteri organelle genomes are repeat rich, and the ptDNA is the largest plastome ever sequenced. Here, we present the complete mtDNA and ptDNA of the colonial volvocalean Gonium pectorale, which is comprised of similar to 16 cells and occupies a phylogenetic position closer to that of V. carteri than C. reinhardtii within the volvocine line. The mtDNA and ptDNA of G. pectorale are circular-mapping AT-rich molecules with respective lengths and coding densities of 16 and 222.6 kilobases and 73 and 44%. They share some features with the organelle DNAs of V. carteri, including palindromic repeats within the plastid compartment, but show more similarities with those of C. reinhardtii, such as a compact mtDNA architecture and relatively low organelle DNA intron contents. Overall, the G. pectorale organelle genomes raise several interesting questions about the origin of linear mitochondrial chromosomes within the Volvocales and the relationship between multicellularity and organelle genome expansion., Feb. 2013, 8, 2, e57177, Scientific journal, 10.1371/journal.pone.0057177

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• Refereed, CRYOLETTERS, CRYO LETTERS, AMIDIC AND ACETONIC CRYOPROTECTANTS IMPROVE CRYOPRESERVATION OF VOLVOCINE GREEN ALGAE, Atsushi Nakazawa; Ichiro Nishii, A number of volvocalean green algae species were subjected to a two-step cryopreservation protocol with various cryoprotectants. Potential cryoprotectants were methanol (MeOH), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), N,N-dimethylacetamide, N-methylformamide, and hydroxyacetone (HA). We confirmed prior reports that MeOH was effective for cryopreserving Chlamydomonas, but did not work well for larger volvocaleans such as Volvox. In contrast, DMF and HA were effective for both unicellular and multicellular representatives. When we used a cold-inducible transposon to probe Southern blots of Volvox DNA samples taken before and after storage for one month in LN, we could detect no differences, indicating that the genome had remained relatively stable and that the transposon had not been induced by the cryopreservation procedure. We believe these methods will facilitate long-term storage of several volvocine algal species, including Volvox strains harboring transposon-induced mutations of developmental interest., May 2012, 33, 3, 202, 213, Scientific journal
• Not Refereed, PHYCOLOGIA, INT PHYCOLOGICAL SOC, Embryogenesis and cell positioning in Platydorina caudata (Volvocaceae, Chlorophyta), Hitoshi Iidai; Ichiro Nishii; Sao Inuye, The colony formation of Platydorina caudata (Volvocaceae, Chlorophyta) was studied in detail using time-lapse video and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. A unique feature of P. caudata, a horseshoe-shaped flattened colony comprising 16 cells arranged in a single twisted layer, is formed by 'intercalation', the rearrangement of embryo cells within the colony, which proceeds subsequent to the embryo inversion that brings flagellar ends of cells from the concave to the convex surface. Cell fate is precisely decided in colony formation, suggesting that intercalation is a precisely regulated process in which given cells are intercalated into particular parts of the colony. The presence of flask-shaped cells with an elongated stalk and cytoplasmic bridges during the inversion process strongly suggests that a similar mechanism known in Volvox is also involved in the colony formation of Platydorina., Sep. 2011, 50, 5, 530, 540, Scientific journal, 10.2216/10-80.1

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• Not Refereed, CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY, CURRENT BIOLOGY LTD, Volvox: Simple steps to developmental complexity?, Ichiro Nishii; Stephen M. Miller, Volvox Chlamydomonas, and their close relatives - collectively the volvocine green algae - comprise an excellent system for investigating the origins of developmental complexity Over a relatively short period of time Volvox evolved an impressive suite of developmental traits including asymmetric cell division, multicellularity with germ-soma division of labor, embryonic morphogenesis, and oogamy Recent molecular genetic analyses of important developmental genes and comparative analyses of the fully sequenced Volvox and Chlamydomonas genomes have provided important insights into how these and other traits came to be Surprisingly the acquisition of much of the developmental innovation in this family seems to have involved relatively minor tinkering with the ancestral unicellular blueprint, Dec. 2010, 13, 6, 646, 653, 10.1016/j.pbi.2010.10.005

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• Not Refereed, SCIENCE, AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE, Genomic Analysis of Organismal Complexity in the Multicellular Green Alga Volvox carteri, Simon E. Prochnik; James Umen; Aurora M. Nedelcu; Armin Hallmann; Stephen M. Miller; Ichiro Nishii; Patrick Ferris; Alan Kuo; Therese Mitros; Lillian K. Fritz-Laylin; Uffe Hellsten; Jarrod Chapman; Oleg Simakov; Stefan A. Rensing; Astrid Terry; Jasmyn Pangilinan; Vladimir Kapitonov; Jerzy Jurka; Asaf Salamov; Harris Shapiro; Jeremy Schmutz; Jane Grimwood; Erika Lindquist; Susan Lucas; Igor V. Grigoriev; Ruediger Schmitt; David Kirk; Daniel S. Rokhsar, The multicellular green alga Volvox carteri and its morphologically diverse close relatives (the volvocine algae) are well suited for the investigation of the evolution of multicellularity and development. We sequenced the 138-mega-base pair genome of V. carteri and compared its similar to 14,500 predicted proteins to those of its unicellular relative Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Despite fundamental differences in organismal complexity and life history, the two species have similar protein-coding potentials and few species-specific protein-coding gene predictions. Volvox is enriched in volvocine-algal-specific proteins, including those associated with an expanded and highly compartmentalized extracellular matrix. Our analysis shows that increases in organismal complexity can be associated with modifications of lineage-specific proteins rather than large-scale invention of protein-coding capacity., Jul. 2010, 329, 5988, 223, 226, Scientific journal, 10.1126/science.1188800

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• Not Refereed, SCIENCE, AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE, Evolution of an Expanded Sex-Determining Locus in Volvox, Patrick Ferris; Bradley J. S. C. Olson; Peter L. De Hoff; Stephen Douglass; David Casero; Simon Prochnik; Sa Geng; Rhitu Rai; Jane Grimwood; Jeremy Schmutz; Ichiro Nishii; Takashi Hamaji; Hisayoshi Nozaki; Matteo Pellegrini; James G. Umen, Although dimorphic sexes have evolved repeatedly in multicellular eukaryotes, their origins are unknown. The mating locus (MT) of the sexually dimorphic multicellular green alga Volvox carteri specifies the production of eggs and sperm and has undergone a remarkable expansion and divergence relative to MT from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, which is a closely related unicellular species that has equal-sized gametes. Transcriptome analysis revealed a rewired gametic expression program for Volvox MT genes relative to Chlamydomonas and identified multiple gender-specific and sex-regulated transcripts. The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor homolog MAT3 is a Volvox MT gene that displays sexually regulated alternative splicing and evidence of gender-specific selection, both of which are indicative of cooption into the sexual cycle. Thus, sex-determining loci affect the evolution of both sex-related and non-sex-related genes., Apr. 2010, 328, 5976, 351, 354, Scientific journal, 10.1126/science.1186222

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• Refereed, JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC, IDENTIFICATION OF THE MINUS MATING-TYPE SPECIFIC GENE MTD1 FROM GONIUM PECTORALE (VOLVOCALES, CHLOROPHYTA)1, Takashi Hamaji; Patrick J. Ferris; Ichiro Nishii; Hisayoshi Nozaki, Gonium pectorale O. F. Mull. (Volvocales, Chlorophyta), a colonial 8- or 16-cellular alga, is phylogenetically important as an intermediate form between isogametic unicellular Chlamydomonas and oogamous Volvox. We identified the mating-type specific gene GpMTD1, from G. pectorale, the first homologue of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii MTD1 (CrMTD1). The GpMTD1 gene was found to be present only in the minus mating-type locus and was expressed specifically in the gametic phase as is the case for CrMTD1, suggested to participate in development of the minus gametes. This gene is useful as a probe in analyzing the bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library for resolving genomic structures of the mating-type loci in isogamous and oogamous colonial volvocaleans., Dec. 2009, 45, 6, 1310, 1314, Scientific journal, 10.1111/j.1529-8817.2009.00744.x

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• Not Refereed, PLANT CELL, AMER SOC PLANT BIOLOGISTS, Controlled Enlargement of the Glycoprotein Vesicle Surrounding a Volvox Embryo Requires the InvB Nucleotide-Sugar Transporter and Is Required for Normal Morphogenesis, Noriko Ueki; Ichiro Nishii, Here, we report our analysis of a mutant of Volvox carteri, InvB, whose embryos fail to execute inversion, the process in which each Volvox embryo normally turns itself inside-out at the end of embryogenesis, thereby achieving the adult configuration. The invB gene encodes a nucleotide-sugar transporter that exhibits GDP-mannose transport activity when expressed in yeast. In wild-type embryos, the invB transcript is maximally abundant before and during inversion. A mannoside probe (fluorescent concanavalin A) stains the glycoprotein-rich gonidial vesicle (GV) surrounding wild-type embryos much more strongly than it stains the GV surrounding InvB embryos. Direct measurements revealed that throughout embryogenesis the GV surrounding a wild-type embryo increases in size much more than the GV surrounding an InvB embryo does, and the fully cleaved InvB embryo is much more tightly packed within its GV than a wild-type embryo is. To test the hypothesis that the restraint imposed by a smaller than normal GV directly causes the inversion defect in the mutant, we released InvB embryos from their GVs microsurgically. The resulting embryos inverted normally, demonstrating that controlled enlargement of the GV, by a process in which requires the InvB nucleotide-sugar transporter, is essential to provide the embryo sufficient space to complete inversion., Apr. 2009, 21, 4, 1166, 1181, Scientific journal, 10.1105/tpc.109.066159

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• Not Refereed, KAGAKU TO SEIBUTSU, Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry, Molecular Mechanism of Morphogenesis in Volvox Embryos, NISHII Ichiro, きれいな球状をした緑藻ボルボックスは，生物の教科書にもよく掲載されており，名前と形を連想できる方は多いかもしれない．現在，モデル生物としてゲノム配列の解析が行なわれているボルボックスの発見は，レーウェンフックまで遡る．ここでは，この種の研究の歴史と生活環を紹介し，そしてボルボックス胚の形態形成運動の分子機構について紹介する．, 2009, 47, 3, 176, 184, 10.1271/kagakutoseibutsu.47.176

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• Refereed, GENETICS, GENETICS, Idaten Is a New Cold-Inducible Transposon of Volvox carteri That Can Be Used for Tagging Developmentally Important Genes, Noriko Ueki; Ichiro Nishii, A cold-inducible transposon called Jordan has previously been used to tag and recover genes controlling key aspects of Volvox development, including the process called inversion. In a search for additional genes, we isolated 17 new inversionless mutants from cultures grown at 24 degrees (the temperature that activates Jordan transposition). These mutants were stable at 32 degrees, but generated revertants at 24 degrees. DNA blots revealed that one mutant had a transposon unrelated to Jordan inserted in invA ("inversiontess A"). This new transposon, which we named Idaten, has terminal inverted repeats (TIRs) beginning with CCCTA, and upon insertion it creates a 3-bp target-site duplication. It appears to belong to the CACTA superfamily of class II DNA transposons, which includes En/Spm. No significant open reading frames were in the Idaten sequence, but we retrieved another element with Idaten-type TIRs encoding a protein similar to the En/Spm transposase as a candidate for an Idaten-specific transposase. We found that in five of the new inversionless strains we could not find any Jordan insertions causing the phenotype to possess insertions of an Idaten family member in a single locus (invC). This clearly indicates that Idaten is a potentially powerful alternative to Jordan for tagging developmentally important genes in Volvox., Nov. 2008, 180, 3, 1343, 1353, Scientific journal, 10.1534/genetics.108.094672

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• Refereed, GENETICS, GENETICS, Identification of the minus-dominance gene ortholog in the mating-type locus of Gonium pectorale, Takashi Hamaji; Patrick J. Ferris; Annette W. Coleman; Sabine Waffenschmidt; Fumio Takahashi; Ichiro Nishii; Hisayoshi Nozaki, The evolution of anisogamy/oogamy in the colonial Volvocales might have Occurred in all ancestral isogamous colonial organism like Gonium pectorale, The unicellular, close relative has a mating-type (MT) locus harboring several mating-type-specific genes, including one involved in mating-type determination and another involved in the function of the tubular Mating structure in only one of the two isogamates. In this Study, as the first, step in identifying the G. pectorale MT locus, we isolated from G. pectorale the ortholog of the C. reinhardtii mating-type-determining minus-dominace (CrMID) gene, which is localized only in the MT- locus. 3'- and 5'-RACE RT-PCR using degenerate primers identified a CrMID-orthologous 164-amino-acid coding gene (GpMID) containing a lencine-zipper RWP-RK domain near the C-terminal, as is the case with CrMID. Genomic Southern blot analysis showed that GpMID was coded only in the minus strain of G. pectorale. RT-PCR revealed that GpMID expression increased during nitrogen starvation. Analysis of F-1 progeny suggested that GpMID and isopropylmalate dehydratase LEUIS are tightly linked, suggesting that they are harbored in a chromosomal region under recombinational suppression that is comparable to the C. reinhardtii MT locus. However, two other genes present in the C. reinhardtii MT locus are not linked to the G. pectorale LEUIS/MID, suggesting that the gene content of the volvocalean MT loci is not static over time. Inheritance of chloroplast and mitochondria genomes in G. pectorale is uniparental from the plus and minus parents, respectively, as is also the case in C. reinhardtii., Jan. 2008, 178, 1, 283, 294, Scientific journal, 10.1534/genetics.107.078618

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• Not Refereed, 藻類, ボルボックスの分子生物学 ー最近の進展ー, 西井 一郎, 2008, 56, 25, 28
• Refereed, JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EVOLUTION, SPRINGER, The VARL gene family and the evolutionary origins of the master cell-type regulatory gene, regA, in Volvox carteri, Leonard Duncan; Ichiro Nishii; Alexandra Harryman; Stephanie Buckley; Alicia Howard; Nicholas R. Friedman; Stephen M. Miller, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Volvox carteri, and their relatives in the family Volvocaceae provide an excellent opportunity for studying how multicellular organisms with differentiated cell types evolved from unicellular ancestors. While C. reinhardtii is unicellular, V. carteri is multicellular with two cell types, one of which resembles C. reinhardtii cytologically but is terminally differentiated. Maintenance of this "somatic cell" fate is controlled by RegA, a putative transcription factor. We recently showed that RegA shares a conserved region with several predicted V. carteri and C. reinhardtii proteins and that this region, the VARL domain, is likely to include a DNA-binding SAND domain. As the next step toward understanding the evolutionary origins of the regA gene, we analyzed the genome sequences of C. reinhardtii and V. carteri to identify additional genes with the potential to encode VARL domain proteins. Here we report that the VARL gene family, which consists of 12 members in C. reinhardtii and 14 in V. carteri, has experienced a complex evolutionary history in which members of the family have been both gained and lost over time, although several pairs of potentially orthologous genes can still be identified. We find that regA is part of a tandem array of four VARL genes in V. carteri but that a similar array is absent in C. reinhardtii. Most importantly, our phylogenetic analysis suggests that a proto-regA gene was present in a common unicellular ancestor of V. carteri and C. reinhardtii and that this gene was lost in the latter lineage., Jul. 2007, 65, 1, 1, 11, Scientific journal, 10.1007/s00239-006-0225-5

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• Refereed, CURRENT GENETICS, SPRINGER, Orthologs and paralogs of regA, a master cell-type regulatory gene in Volvox carteri, L Duncan; Nishii, I; A Howard; D Kirk; SM Miller, The multicellular green alga Volvox carteri forma nagariensis has only two cell types: terminally differentiated somatic cells and reproductive cells. The regA gene maintains the terminally differentiated state of the somatic cells, apparently by repressing transcription of genes required for chloroplast biogenesis and thereby preventing cell growth. Because the RegA protein sequence bore no obvious motifs, we are attempting to identify regions of functional importance by searching for strongly conserved domains in RegA orthologs. Here we report the cloning and characterization of regA from the most closely related known taxon, V. carteri f. kawasakiensis. Given the closeness of the relationship between these two formas, their regA genes are surprisingly different: they differ in the number of introns and by several lengthy indels, and they encode proteins that are only 80% identical. We also serendipitously discovered a paralogous gene immediately upstream of each regA locus. The two regA genes, both upstream paralogs and several genes in Chlamydomonas (the closest unicellular relative of Volvox) encode a conserved region (the VARL domain) that contains what appears to be a DNA-binding SAND domain. This discovery has opened up a new avenue for exploring how regA and the terminally differentiated state that it controls evolved., Jul. 2006, 50, 1, 61, 72, Scientific journal, 10.1007/s00294-006-0071-4

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• Not Refereed, 蛋白質核酸酵素, 共立出版, ボルボックス胚の形態形成運動と細胞分化の仕組み, 西井 一郎, 2004, 49, 9, 1253, 1264

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• Refereed, CELL, CELL PRESS, A kinesin, InvA, plays an essential role in Volvox morphogenesis, Nishii, I; S Ogihara; DL Kirk, In Volvox carted adults, reproductive cells called gonidia are enclosed within a spherical monolayer of biflagellate somatic cells. Embryos must "invert" (turn inside out) to achieve this configuration, however, because at the end of cleavage the gonidia are on the outside and the flagellar ends of all somatic cells point inward. Generation of a bend region adequate to turn the embryo inside out involves a dramatic change in cell shape, plus cell movements. Here, we cloned a gene called invA that is essential for inversion and found that it codes for a kinesin localized in the cytoplasmic bridges that link all cells to their neighbors. In invA null mutants, cells change shape normally, but are unable to move relative to the cytoplasmic bridges. A normal bend region cannot be formed and inversion stops. We conclude that the InvA kinesin provides the motile force that normally drives inversion to completion., Jun. 2003, 113, 6, 743, 753, Scientific journal, 10.1016/S0092-8674(03)00431-8

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• Not Refereed, 実験医学, ボルボックスの形態形成運動に必須な新規キネシンInvAの働き, 西井 一郎, 2003, 21, 2557, 2559
• Not Refereed, Biohistory, ボルボックスで見る多細胞生物の形作り, 西井 一郎, 2003, 39, 80, 85
• Not Refereed, DEVELOPMENT GROWTH & DIFFERENTIATION, BLACKWELL PUBLISHING ASIA, Volvox carteri as a model for studying the genetic and cytological control of morphogenesis, DL Kirk; Nishii, I, The green alga Volvox carteri has a very simple and regular adult form that arises through a short sequence of well-defined morphogenetic steps. A mature gonidium (asexual reproductive cell) initiates a stereotyped sequence of rapid cleavage divisions that will produce all of the cells found later in an adult. A predictable subset of these divisions are asymmetric and result in production of a small set of germ cells in a precise spatial pattern. Throughout cleavage, all intracellular components are held in predictable spatial relationships by a cytoskeleton of unusually regular structure, while neighboring cells are also held in fixed spatial relationships by an extensive network of cytoplasmic bridges that form as a result of incomplete cytokinesis. As a result of these two orienting mechanisms combined, dividing cells are arranged around the anterior-posterior axis of the embryo with precise rotational symmetry. These relationships are maintained by the cytoplasmic bridge system when the embryo that was inside out at the end of cleavage turns right-side out in the gastrulation-like process of inversion. Inversion is driven by a cytoskeleton-mediated sequence of cell shape changes, cellular movements and coordinated contraction. Then, by the time the cytoplasmic bridges begin to break down shortly after inversion, a preliminary framework of extracellular matrix (ECM) has been formed. The ECM traps the cells and holds them in the rotational relationships that were established during cleavage, and that must be maintained in order for the adult to be able to swim. Transposon tagging is now being used to clone and characterize the genes regulating these morphogenetic processes., Dec. 2001, 43, 6, 621, 631, 10.1046/j.1440-169X.2001.00612.x

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• Refereed, JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, ACADEMIC PRESS LTD, Identification of the phospholipid-binding site of human beta(2)-glycoprotein I domain V by heteronuclear magnetic resonance, M Hoshino; Y Hagihara; Nishii, I; T Yamazaki; H Kato; Y Goto, To understand the mechanism of the interaction between human beta (2)-glycoprotein I (beta (2)-GPI) and negatively charged phospholipids, we determined the three-dimensional solution structure of the fifth domain of beta (2)-GPI by heteronuclear multidimensional NMR. The results showed that the molecule is composed of well-defined four anti-parallel beta -strands and two short alpha -helices, as well as a long highly flexible loop. Backbone dynamic analysis demonstrated significant mobility of the flexible loop on a subnanosecond time scale. Structural modeling of the nicked fifth domain, in which the Lys317-Thr318 peptide bond was specifically cleaved, revealed the importance of this long C-terminal loop for the interaction between beta (2)-GPI and negatively charged phospholipids. A titration experiment with the anionic surfactant SDS showed that this highly mobile loop, as well as the short beta -hairpin between betaC and betaD strands, which is rich in positively charged residues, specifically interact with the surfactant. The mobile loop, together with the surrounding positively charged residues, probably construct the binding site for negatively charged phospholipids such as cardiolipin. (C) 2000 Academic Press., Dec. 2000, 304, 5, 927, 939, Scientific journal, 10.1006/jmbi.2000.4243

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• Refereed, DEVELOPMENT, COMPANY OF BIOLOGISTS LTD, Actomyosin contraction of the posterior hemisphere is required for inversion of the Volvox embryo, Nishii, I; S Ogihara, During inversion of a Volvox embryo, a series of cell shape changes causes the multicellular sheet to bend outward, and propagation of the bend from the anterior to the posterior pole eventually results in an inside-out spherical sheet of cells. We use fluorescent and electron microscopy to study the behavior of the cytoskeleton in cells undergoing shape changes. Microtubules are aligned parallel to the cell's long axis and become elongated in the bend. Myosin and actin filaments are arrayed perinuclearly before inversion. In inversion, actin and myosin are located in a subnuclear position throughout the uninverted region but this localization is gradually lost towards the bend. Actomyosin inhibitors cause enlargement of the embryo. The bend propagation is inhibited halfway and, as a consequence, the posterior hemisphere remains uninverted. The arrested posterior hemisphere will resume and complete inversion even in the presence of an actomyosin inhibitor if the anterior hemisphere is removed microsurgically. We conclude that the principal role of actomyosin in inversion is to cause a compaction of the posterior hemisphere; unless the equatorial diameter of the embryo is reduced in this manner, it is too large to pass through the opening defined by the already-inverted anterior hemisphere., May 1999, 126, 10, 2117, 2127, Scientific journal
• Refereed, JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, ACADEMIC PRESS (LONDON) LTD, THERMODYNAMIC STABILITY OF THE MOLTEN GLOBULE STATES OF APOMYOGLOBIN, NISHII, I; M KATAOKA; Y GOTO, Whereas horse apomyoglobin is fully unfolded at pH 2 in the absence of salt, addition of a salt such as sodium chloride or sodium trichloroacetate stabilizes the molten globule state. Thermal unfolding of the salt-stabilized molten globule states of horse apomyoglobin at pH 2 measured by far-UV circular dichroism occurs not only on heating (i.e. heat-denaturation) but also on cooling (i.e. cold-denaturation). This demonstrates that a hydrophobic interaction contributes to the stability of the molten globule state and suggests that the unfolding transition can be represented by a cooperative two-state mechanism. To clarify the mechanism of conformational transition, we investigated the thermal unfolding of the chloride-stabilized molten globule state by differential scanning calorimetry; We observed a broad but distinct excess heat capacity peak, which is consistent with the unfolding transition measured by circular dichroism. To further characterize the molten globule states, we examined by far-UV circular dichroism the denaturant-induced unfolding transitions of the molten globule states stabilized by sodium chloride or sodium trichloroacetate. The urea-induced unfolding transitions of the molten globule states were explained by the two-state mechanism. The guanidine-hydrochloride-induced unfolding experiments clarified that the trichloroacetate-stabilized molten globule state is distinct from the chloride-stabilized one and that the former involves additional helical segment(s). These results support a view that the thermal unfolding of the molten globule states at pH 2 can be approximated by a two-state transition. However, several results suggested that a combined mechanism incorporating the two-state transition and a gradual structural change would be more general in describing the conformational transition of the molten globule states., Jul. 1995, 250, 2, 223, 238, Scientific journal, 10.1006/jmbi.1995.0373

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• Refereed, JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, ACADEMIC PRESS (LONDON) LTD, STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE MOLTEN GLOBULE AND NATIVE STATES OF APOMYOGLOBIN BY SOLUTION X-RAY-SCATTERING, M KATAOKA; NISHII, I; T FUJISAWA; T UEKI; F TOKUNAGA; Y GOTO, Compactness and shape are two of the critical properties that describe the degree of protein folding. Solution X-ray scattering is an effective technique for measuring these properties quantitatively. Structural characteristics of various conformational states of horse myoglobin were studied in terms of size and shape by solution X-ray scattering. The radius of gyration for native holomyoglobin was 17.5 Angstrom, while that of the apomyoglobin native state was 19.7 Angstrom. Corresponding to the increase in the radius of gyration, the largest dimension of the molecule also increased from 47.5 Angstrom to 62.5 Angstrom. Both states are globular in shape. The scattering profiles in the high angle region suggest that the apomyoglobin native state has a distinct tertiary structure, and that packing of alpha-helices in the apomyoglobin native state would be looser than that of holomyoglobin. These observations indicate that the native state of apomyoglobin is expanded from that of holomyoglobin, and that the conformations of the two are not identical. The radii of gyration for the acid-unfolded state and the denaturant-unfolded state were 30 Angstrom and 35 Angstrom, respectively; Both unfolded states have chain-like conformations without any tertiary structures. The radius of gyration and the largest dimension of the molten globule stabilized by trichloroacetate were 23.1 Angstrom and 72.5 Angstrom, respectively The molten globule is expanded from the native state although it is globular, and is much more compact than the unfolded state. The bimodal distance distribution function and scattering profile at high-angle region suggest that the structure of the apomyoglobin molten globule contains a core comprising a cluster of multiple alpha-helices and flaring tail(s), which would be a common structural property of the compact denatured state appearing during the folding process. The compactness of each conformational state is highly correlated with the extent of formation of the alpha-helix., May 1995, 249, 1, 215, 228, Scientific journal, 10.1006/jmbi.1995.0290

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• Refereed, BIOCHEMISTRY, AMER CHEMICAL SOC, COLD DENATURATION OF THE MOLTEN GLOBULE STATES OF APOMYOGLOBIN AND A PROFILE FOR PROTEIN-FOLDING, NISHII, I; M KATAOKA; F TOKUNAGA; Y GOTO, Protein folding is a process in which an extended polypeptide chain acquires compact packing through the formation of specific secondary and tertiary structures and hydrophobic interactions. Although much attention has been paid to secondary and tertiary structures, there is no definitive view about the relationship between these structures, compactness, and hydrophobic interactions during the process of protein folding. We show here that the molten globule intermediates of horse apomyoglobin exhibit cold denaturation in addition to heat denaturation, which indicates that the heat capacity change upon unfolding is positive and significant. This demonstrates a small but distinct contribution of hydrophobic interactions to the stability of the molten globule state. We determined the radius of gyration of the various conformational states of horse apomyoglobin and holomyoglobin by measuring small angle X-ray scattering. By comparing the conformational states in terms of secondary structure, radius of gyration, and change in heat capacity upon unfolding, we constructed a folding profile. The profile shows that the protein becomes more compact with formation of the secondary structure, but does not form substantial hydrophobic interactions until a later rate-limiting stage when tight packing of the protein side chains occurs. A very similar profile was also obtained with horse cytochrome c. We propose that the folding profile obtained with these proteins will be common to many globular proteins., Apr. 1994, 33, 16, 4903, 4909, Scientific journal, 10.1021/bi00182a019

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• Refereed, BIOCHEMISTRY, AMER CHEMICAL SOC, ACID-INDUCED UNFOLDING AND REFOLDING TRANSITIONS OF CYTOCHROME-C - A 3-STATE MECHANISM IN H2O AND D2O, Y GOTO; Y HAGIHARA; D HAMADA; M HOSHINO; NISHII, I, Whereas the salt-dependent conformational transition of acid-denatured horse ferricytochrome c at pH 2 is approximated by a two-state mechanism from the acid-unfolded state to the molten globule state [Kataoka, M., Hagihara, Y., Mihara, K., & Goto, Y. (1993) J. Mol. Biol. 229, 591-596], the corresponding transition in D2O has been proposed to involve a noncompact, alpha-helical intermediate state (the pre-molten globule state)[Jeng, M.-F., & Englander, S. W. (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 221, 1045-1061]. To examine the proposed difference in the conformational transitions, we carried out the HCl and DCl titrations of cytochrome c in H2O and D2O, respectively, measured by far-UV circular dichroism, tryptophan fluorescence, and Soret absorption. In both D2O and H2O, unfolding from the native state to the acid-unfolded state and subsequent refolding to the molten globule state were observed. In either solvent, the conformational transitions were well approximated by a minima.1 three-state mechanism consisting of the native, molten globule, and acid-unfolded states. Thus, our results did not substantiate the presence of a pre-molten globule state in D2O. Acetylation of amino groups of cytochrome c is known to stabilize the molten globule state at pH 2. On the basis of the three-state mechanism, we constructed a conformational phase diagram for the effect of pH and the degree of acetylation. This phase diagram was similar to that of the pH- and salt-dependent conformational transition of cytochrome c, suggesting that the effects of acetylation on the conformational states are similar to those of salt., Nov. 1993, 32, 44, 11878, 11885, Scientific journal, 10.1021/bi00095a017

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• Refereed, Journal of plant research, Isolation and characterization of 4-hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-enyl diphosphate reductase gene from Botryococcus braunii, race B., Hidenobu Uchida; Koremitsu Sumimoto; Tomoka Oki; Ichiro Nishii; Eiichi Mizohata; Shigeki Matsunaga; Shigeru Okada, The B race of a green microalga Botryococcus braunii Kützing produces triterpene hydrocarbons that is a promising source for biofuel. In this algal race, precursors of triterpene hydrocarbons are provided from the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway. The terminal enzyme of this pathway, 4-hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-enyl diphosphate reductase (HDR) is regarded as one of the key enzymes that affect yields of products in terpene biosynthesis. In order to better understand the MEP pathway of the alga, cDNA and genomic clones of HDR were obtained from B. braunii Showa strain. B. braunii HDR (BbHDR) is encoded on a single copy gene including a 1509-bp open reading frame that was intervened by 6 introns. The exon-intron structure of BbHDR genes did not show clear relation to phylogeny, while its amino acid sequence reflected phyla and classes well. BbHDR sequence was distinctive from that of the HDR protein from Escherichia coli in the residues involved in hydrogen-bond network that surrounds substrate. Introduction of BbHDR cDNA into an E. coli HDR deficient mutant resulted in recovery of its auxotrophy. BbHDR expression level was upregulated from the onset of liquid culture to the 24th day after inoculation with a 2.5-fold increase and retained its level in the subsequent period., Sep. 2018, 131, 5, 839, 848, Scientific journal, False, 10.1007/s10265-018-1039-4

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MISC

• Not Refereed, PHYCOLOGIA, INT PHYCOLOGICAL SOC, BIOSYNTHESIS AND ACCUMULATION OF HYDROCARBONS AND POLYSACCHARIDES IN A COLONIAL GREEN ALGA, BOTRYOCOCCUS BRAUNII RACE B, R. Suzuki; Y. Uno; I. Nishii; S. Kagiwada; T. Noguchi, Jul. 2013, 52, 4, 109, 109, Summary international conference
• Not Refereed, PHYCOLOGIA, INT PHYCOLOGICAL SOC, MORPHOGENESIS IN THE ASEXUAL EMBRYO OF PLATYDORINA CAUDATA (CHLOROPHYCEAE), H. Iida; I. Nishii; I. Inouye, Jul. 2009, 48, 4, 47, 47, Summary international conference
• Not Refereed, PHYCOLOGIA, INT PHYCOLOGICAL SOC, GENOMIC ANALYSIS ON MATING TYPE LOCI IN THE COLONIAL VOLVOCALEAN ALGAE GONIUM PECTORALE AND PLEODORINA STARRII, T. Hamaji; I. Nishii; H. Nozaki, Jul. 2009, 48, 4, 38, 38, Summary international conference
• Not Refereed, PHYCOLOGIA, INT PHYCOLOGICAL SOC, INVD, A NOVEL PHOSPHOPROTEIN, IS INVOLVOED IN CELL SHAPE CHANGE IN MORPHOGENESIS OF VOLVOX EMBRYO, H. Toyooka; K. Ishida; A. Nakazawa; H. Sekimoto; H. Nozaki; I. Nishii, Jul. 2009, 48, 4, 131, 131, Summary international conference
• Not Refereed, GENES & GENETIC SYSTEMS, GENETICS SOC JAPAN, Characterization of genes required for morphogenesis of Volvox embryo, Ichiro Nishii; Hiroko Toyooka; Noriko Ueki; Jun Kadota; Koichi Ishida, Dec. 2007, 82, 6, 513, 513, Summary international conference
• Not Refereed, JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, Molecular analysis on the mating type locus of gonium pectorale (volvocales, chlorophyta), T. Hamaji; F. Takahashi; Nishii, I; H. Nozaki, Dec. 2007, 43, 3, 4, Summary international conference
• Not Refereed, MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL, AMER SOC CELL BIOLOGY, A kinesin-like protein encoding gene, invA, is required for the cellular movements that drive inversion of Volvox embryos, Nishii, I; DL Kirk, Nov. 2002, 13, 149A, 149A, Summary international conference
• Not Refereed, DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, ACADEMIC PRESS INC, The invA gene of Volvox encodes a novel kinesin that is required for inversion of the embryo., Nishii, I; DL Kirk, Jul. 2001, 235, 1, 197, 197, Summary international conference
• Not Refereed, MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL, AMER SOC CELL BIOLOGY, Role of actomyosin in multicellular deformation: Inversion of Volvox embryos., Nishii, I; S Ogihara, Dec. 1996, 7, 2219, 2219, Summary international conference

Books etc

• Cytoplasmic Bridges in Volvox and Its Relatives, “Cell-Cell Channels”, 2005, Not Refereed, 0387360581
• 図解 植物の形と光の吸収-光吸収のEcomorphology- II.ミクロな受光量の調節機構 葉緑体の光定位運動と細胞骨格, 細胞工学別冊 植物細胞工学シリーズ11、植物の環境応答 -生存戦略とその分子機構-（全216頁）, 1999, Not Refereed

Presentations

• Vienna Biocenter PhD Symposium ‘THINK ALTERNATIVE Insights from Unconventional model organisms’, Volvox as a simple model for elucidating the evolution of morphogenesis in the early stage, 2011
• JSDB-GFE Joint meeting of Developmental Biology, Dresden, Germany, Tracing evolutionary steps of morphogenesis from Chlamydomonas to Volvox, 2011
• The 3rd NIBB-TLL-MPIZ Joint Symposium 2011 “Cell Cycle and Development”, Evolution and Development of Volvox, 2011
• Mechanics of Cells and Tissues: Sensing, Generating and Coordinating Forces in Biological Systems (Organizers: J. Howard & J. Theriot) Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds International Titisee Conferences, Titisee, Germany, Morphogenesis in green algae: how Volvox embryo turns inside-out, 2010
• International GCOE Symposium Morphogenesis and Signaling - From Proteins, Organelles to Organisms - (Organizers: K. Hatta, H. Yoshida, H. Nishitani, M. Sakaguchi), Cell shape change and cell migration turn embryos inside-out in morphogenesis of Volvox, 2010
• 2010年度藻類談話会（オーガナイザー 京都大学 幡野恭子）, ボルボックスのゲノム配列から見えてきた単細胞生物から多細胞生物への進化機構, 2010
• Mechanics of Cells and Tissues: Sensing, Generating and Coordinating Forces in Biological Systems (Organizers: J. Howard & J. Theriot) Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds International Titisee Conferences, Titisee, Germany, Morphogenesis in green algae: how Volvox embryo turns inside-out, 2010
• International GCOE Symposium Morphogenesis and Signaling - From Proteins, Organelles to Organisms - (Organizers: K. Hatta, H. Yoshida, H. Nishitani, M. Sakaguchi), Cell shape change and cell migration turn embryos inside-out in morphogenesis of Volvox, 2010
• EMBO Conference Series on Morphogenesis and Dynamics of Multicellular Systems, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany, Genes controlling cell shape change, migration and ECM required for turning Volvox embryo inside-out, 2009
• EMBO Conference Series on Morphogenesis and Dynamics of Multicellular Systems, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany, Genes controlling cell shape change, migration and ECM required for turning Volvox embryo inside-out, 2009
• ナショナルバイオリソースプロジェクト「藻類」ワークショップ 藻類の凍結保存技術（オーガナイザー 国立環境研究所 笠井文絵）, 群体性緑藻ボルボックス変異株の凍結保存に向けて, 2008
• The 13th International Conference of Cellular and Molecular Biology on Chlamydomonas (EMBO Workshop),, invD and invE genes control the change in cell shape that is required for inversion of Volvox embryos, 2008
• The 13th International Conference of Cellular and Molecular Biology on Chlamydomonas (EMBO Workshop),, invD and invE genes control the change in cell shape that is required for inversion of Volvox embryos, 2008
• ナショナルバイオリソースプロジェクト「藻類」ワークショップ藻類の多様性と分子生物学（オーガナイザー 国立環境研究所 笠井文絵）, ボルボックス胚の形態形成運動「インバージョン」, 2007
• 微生物研究会 〜微生物の潜在能力を探る〜（オーガナイザー 理研 古園さおり）, トランスポゾンによる変異体を用いたボルボックス胚の形作りの解析, 2007
• 日本遺伝学会第79回大会ミニシンポジウム「藻類：分子遺伝学の新しいモデル実験系」（オーガナイザー 名古屋大学 石浦正寛）, ボルボックス胚の形態形成運動に働く遺伝子の解析, 2007
• Volvox Meeting, Idaten, a novel transposon, has been used to identify a gene controlling the change in cell shape that is required for inversion of Volvox embryos, 2007
• 第６回クラミドモナスワークショップ（オーガナイザー 高知工科大学 大濱武）, JGIのゲノム情報の利用について −簡単に自分のパソコンで解析するやり方−, 2007
• Volvox Meeting, Idaten, a novel transposon, has been used to identify a gene controlling the change in cell shape that is required for inversion of Volvox embryos, 2007
• The 12th International Conference on the Cell and Molecular Biology of Chlamydomonas, Recent progress in Volvox research and expanding the molecular understanding of inversion of the V. carteri embryo, 2006
• 奈良先端科学技術大学院大学COE学生企画セミナー「不思議なカタチに魅せられて」, 研究材料としてのボルボックスという生き物, 2006
• 日本分子生物学会2006フォーラム「分子生物学の未来」シンポジウムBehavior of Individual Cells during Morphogenesis, Isolation and characterization of mutants deficient in morphogenesis of the Volvox embryo, 2006
• The 12th International Conference on the Cell and Molecular Biology of Chlamydomonas, Recent progress in Volvox research and expanding the molecular understanding of inversion of the V. carteri embryo, 2006
• 日本分子生物学会2006フォーラム「分子生物学の未来」シンポジウムBehavior of Individual Cells during Morphogenesis, Isolation and characterization of mutants deficient in morphogenesis of the Volvox embryo, 2006
• NAIST-CDB 国際シンポジウム「分節研究から発生生物学の普遍原理へ」（オーガナイザー 奈良先端大学 高橋淑子）, Cellular and molecular mechanism of cell-sheet folding process in inversion of Volvox embryo, 2005
• NAIST-CDB 国際シンポジウム「分節研究から発生生物学の普遍原理へ」（オーガナイザー 奈良先端大学 高橋淑子）, Cellular and molecular mechanism of cell-sheet folding process in inversion of Volvox embryo, 2005
• 京阪奈国際高等研「分化全能性−普遍性と特異性−」, ボルボックスの生殖細胞決定機構, 2004
• 日本分子生物学会年会ワークショップ「発生現象の再発見」（オーガナイザー 京都大学 藤森俊彦）, ボルボックス胚の形態形成運動を駆動する遺伝子InvA, 2004
• 独立行政法人産業技術総合研究所 人間系特別研究体 第96回人間系セミナー, ボルボックスの形態形成運動に必須なキネシン遺伝子の働き, 2003
• Workshop“Building the Cell II: Development of Complex Structures in Simple Cells”, American Society For Cell Biology, 2002 Annual Meeting, San Francisco, USA, Folding a multicellular sheet in the morphogenesis of Volvox, 2002
• Minisymposium “Cytoskeletal Processes During Development" American Society For Cell Biology, 2002 Annual Meeting, San Francisco, USA, A kinesin-like protein is required for the cellular movements that drive inversion of Volvox embryos”, 2002
• Workshop“Building the Cell II: Development of Complex Structures in Simple Cells”, American Society For Cell Biology, 2002 Annual Meeting, San Francisco, USA, Folding a multicellular sheet in the morphogenesis of Volvox, 2002
• Minisymposium “Cytoskeletal Processes During Development" American Society For Cell Biology, 2002 Annual Meeting, San Francisco, USA, A kinesin-like protein is required for the cellular movements that drive inversion of Volvox embryos”, 2002
• R. Suzuki; Y. Uno; I. Nishii; S. Kagiwada; T. Noguchi, PHYCOLOGIA, BIOSYNTHESIS AND ACCUMULATION OF HYDROCARBONS AND POLYSACCHARIDES IN A COLONIAL GREEN ALGA, BOTRYOCOCCUS BRAUNII RACE B, Jul. 2013, Jul. 2013, Jul. 2013, INT PHYCOLOGICAL SOC
• H. Toyooka; K. Ishida; A. Nakazawa; H. Sekimoto; H. Nozaki; I. Nishii, PHYCOLOGIA, INVD, A NOVEL PHOSPHOPROTEIN, IS INVOLVOED IN CELL SHAPE CHANGE IN MORPHOGENESIS OF VOLVOX EMBRYO, Jul. 2009, Jul. 2009, Jul. 2009, INT PHYCOLOGICAL SOC
• T. Hamaji; I. Nishii; H. Nozaki, PHYCOLOGIA, GENOMIC ANALYSIS ON MATING TYPE LOCI IN THE COLONIAL VOLVOCALEAN ALGAE GONIUM PECTORALE AND PLEODORINA STARRII, Jul. 2009, Jul. 2009, Jul. 2009, INT PHYCOLOGICAL SOC
• H. Iida; I. Nishii; I. Inouye, PHYCOLOGIA, MORPHOGENESIS IN THE ASEXUAL EMBRYO OF PLATYDORINA CAUDATA (CHLOROPHYCEAE), Jul. 2009, Jul. 2009, Jul. 2009, INT PHYCOLOGICAL SOC
• T. Hamaji; F. Takahashi; Nishii, I; H. Nozaki, JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Molecular analysis on the mating type locus of gonium pectorale (volvocales, chlorophyta), Dec. 2007, Dec. 2007, Dec. 2007, BLACKWELL PUBLISHING
• Ichiro Nishii; Hiroko Toyooka; Noriko Ueki; Jun Kadota; Koichi Ishida, GENES & GENETIC SYSTEMS, Characterization of genes required for morphogenesis of Volvox embryo, Dec. 2007, Dec. 2007, Dec. 2007, GENETICS SOC JAPAN
• Nishii, I; DL Kirk, MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL, A kinesin-like protein encoding gene, invA, is required for the cellular movements that drive inversion of Volvox embryos, Nov. 2002, Nov. 2002, Nov. 2002, AMER SOC CELL BIOLOGY
• Nishii, I; DL Kirk, DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, The invA gene of Volvox encodes a novel kinesin that is required for inversion of the embryo., Jul. 2001, Jul. 2001, Jul. 2001, ACADEMIC PRESS INC
• Nishii, I; S Ogihara, MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL, Role of actomyosin in multicellular deformation: Inversion of Volvox embryos., Dec. 1996, Dec. 1996, Dec. 1996, AMER SOC CELL BIOLOGY
• 的場 悠希; 西井 一郎, 日本藻類学会第48回大会, トランスポゾンタギング法を用いた Volvox carteri 形態異常株の単離とExp変異体の解析, Poster presentation, 23 Mar. 2024, 22 Mar. 2024, 25 Mar. 2024
• Toshinobu Suzaki; Hideki Ishida; Maho Shimada; Kousei Yamamoto; Liudmyla Gaponova; Hideyuki Iriko; Terue Harumoto; Yasuhiro Fukuda; Ichiro Nishii; Mikihiko Arikawa; Masashi M. Hayakawa; Rina Higuchi, 医学生物学電子顕微鏡技術学会第 39 回学術講演会, Application of water freeze-drying method to biological materials, Oral presentation, 17 Sep. 2023, 15 Sep. 2023, 17 Sep. 2023