The 146th Annual Meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (Osaka)

Organizer: Eita Sasaki (Grad. Sch. Pharm. Sci., Keio Univ.), Takahiro Mori (Grad. Sch. Pharm. Sci. UTokyo)

Protein self-assembly within cells plays a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency of enzymatic reactions and regulating reaction specificity. In eukaryotic cells, liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) involving proteins and nucleic acids is well known. Meanwhile, specialized metabolites produced by plants and microorganisms serve as invaluable natural molecular resources for drug discovery. However, the mechanisms by which the enzymes responsible for their biosynthesis self-assemble into functional complexes within cells have only recently begun to be elucidated.
This symposium, organized by researchers participating in Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (B) "Tokka Metabolon (Metabolons in Natural Product Biosynthesis)", will introduce the latest findings on enzyme complex formation involved in specialized metabolite biosynthesis. In addition, the speakers will present unique technologies for visualizing and controlling protein–protein interactions and molecular evolution. This symposium aims to cultivate an interdisciplinary community that will form the foundation of future pharmaceutical sciences based on protein self-assembly.