Research activity information

• Nov. 2025 Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Academic Paper Award, Multivalent afadin interaction promotes IDR-mediated condensate formation and junctional separation of epithelial cells

  Shuhei Kuno


• Oct. 2023 令和5年度神戸大学医学研究科シグナル伝達医学研究展開センターリトリート「若手道場」, ベストプレゼンテーション賞, アファディンの液体的特性は上皮細胞における細胞間接着の位置決定に働く。

  久野舟平, 大谷哲久, 富樫英


• Feb. 2021 神戸大学医学研究科シグナル伝達医学研究展開センターリトリート「若手道場」, ベストプレゼンテーション賞, 細胞のモザイクパターン形成過程における接着構造の偏在

  久野舟平

• Multivalent afadin interaction promotes IDR-mediated condensate formation and junctional separation of epithelial cells.

  Shuhei Kuno, Ryu Nakamura, Tetsuhisa Otani, Hideru Togashi

  In epithelial cells, cell-cell adhesion is mediated by the apical junctional complex (AJC), which consists of tight junctions (TJs) and adherens junctions (AJs) aligned from the apical to the basal axis. However, the mechanism of AJC formation on the apical side and the separation of these junctions within AJCs are poorly understood. We find that multivalent interactions of afadin with adhesion molecules and the cytoskeleton lead to condensate formation in an intrinsically disordered region (IDR)-dependent manner, which promotes efficient accumulation in the linear AJ during initial junction formation. Furthermore, we observe that afadin and ZO-1 induce different condensate formations in the cell and that these molecules are differentially distributed from each other. These properties of afadin explain how it strictly localizes to AJs in epithelial cells and is involved in regulating the segregation of AJs and TJs within the AJC.

  Lead, Mar. 2025, Cell reports, 44(3) (3), 115335 - 115335, English, International magazine

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal

  Link to Kobe Univ. Repository (Kernel)


• Hearing loss in mice with disruption of auditory epithelial patterning in the cochlea.

  Sayaka Katsunuma, Hideru Togashi, Shuhei Kuno, Takeshi Fujita, Ken-Ichi Nibu

  In the cochlear auditory epithelia, sensory hair and supporting cells are arranged in a checkerboard-like mosaic pattern, which is conserved across a wide range of species. The cell adhesion molecules nectin-1 and nectin-3 are required for this pattern formation. The checkerboard-like pattern is thought to be necessary for auditory function, but has never been examined. Here, we showed the significance of checkerboard-like cellular pattern in the survival and function of sensory hair cells in the cochlear auditory epithelia of nectin-3 knockout (KO) mice. Nectin-3 KO mice showed progressive hearing loss associated with degeneration of aberrantly attached hair cells via apoptosis. Apoptotic hair cell death was due to the disorganization of tight junctions between the hair cells. Our study revealed that the checkerboard-like cellular pattern in the auditory epithelium provides a structural basis for ensuring the survival of cochlear hair cells and hearing function.

  Dec. 2022, Frontiers in cell and developmental biology, 10, 1073830 - 1073830, English, International magazine

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal

• Non-centrosomal Microtubule Organizing Center-dependent Cytoskeletal Crosstalk Produces Physiological Cell Structures.

  Shuhei Kuno, Toshiyuki Ko, Satoshi Kikkawa, Tomiyoshi Setsu, Ryo Nitta

  学術変革領域 (A) クロススケール新生物学第5回領域会議, Feb. 2026, English

  Poster presentation


• Multivalent afadin interaction;promotes IDR-mediated condensate formation;junctional separation of;pi;lial cells

  Shuhei Kuno, Ryu Nakamura, Tetsuhisa Otani, Hideru Togashi

  International Symposium on Cellular Structural Biology, Sep. 2025, English

  Poster presentation


• Non-centrosomal Microtubule Organizing Center-dependent Cytoskeletal Crosstalk Produces Physiological Cell Structures.

  Shuhei Kuno, Satoshi Kikkawa, Tomiyoshi Setsu, Tsuyoshi Imasaki, Takeshi Fukuma, Ryo Nitta

  Joint meeting of JSCB 77th &JSDB 58th, Jul. 2025, Japanese

  Public symposium


• 微小管結合タンパク質MTCL1による微小管安定化の構造基盤の解明

  学術変革領域 (A) クロススケール新生物学第4回領域会議, 2024


• Multivalent Afadin Interaction Promotes IDR-Mediated Condensate Formation and Junctional Separation of Epithelial Cells

  Shuhei Kuno, Ryu Nakamura, Tetsuhisa Otani, Hideru Togashi

  学術変革領域 (A) クロススケール新生物学第3回領域会議, Sep. 2023, English

  Poster presentation


• Three different domains of afadin independently regulate cell intercalation in nectin-dependent mosaic cellular patterning.

  久野舟平, 大谷哲久, 鈴木聡, 富樫英

  第55回 日本発生生物学会 金沢大会, Jun. 2022, English

  Poster presentation


• Three different domains of afadin independently regulate cell intercalation in nectin-dependent mosaic cellular patterning.

  久野舟平, 大谷哲久, 鈴木聡, 富樫英

  第55回 日本発生生物学会 金沢大会, May 2022, English

  Oral presentation


• 細胞のモザイクパターン形成時に見られる非対称な接着構造

  神戸大学医学研究科シグナル伝達医学研究展開センターリトリート, Feb. 2021

  Oral presentation


• モザイク様の細胞パターンは接着分子の非対称な分布が作りだす

  神戸大学医学研究科シグナル伝達医学研究展開センターリトリート, Jan. 2020

  Oral presentation


• ネクチンのヘテロフィリックな相互作用によるモザイク様の細胞パターン形成では接着力と収縮力の偏りが割込みを駆動する

  久野舟平, 勝沼紗矢香, 鈴木聡, 富樫英

  文部科学省 科学研究費補助金新学術領域研究 研究領域提案型「生物の3D形態を構築するロジック」2019年度領域会議, Jun. 2019

  Poster presentation

• 日本発生生物学会

  Apr. 2019 - Present

• The cytoskeletal network bridging cardiac sarcomeres formed by CAMSAP2

  久野 舟平

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists, Kobe University, 01 Apr. 2026 - 31 Mar. 2029


• 心筋サルコメア形成とその不全を表裏一体となす、微小管網形成の分子スイッチのしくみ

  久野 舟平

  公益財団法人榊原記念財団, 榊原記念研究助成金, 第24回榊原記念研究助成, 神戸大学, Sep. 2026 - Aug. 2028, Principal investigator


• Cardiac sarcomere structure by crosstalk between F-actin and non-centrosomal microtubules

  Shuhei Kuno

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up, Kobe University, Jul. 2025 - Mar. 2027, Principal investigator