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KATO Takaaki
Graduate School of Medicine / Department of Medicine
Assistant Professor

Researcher basic information

■ Research Keyword
  • 構造生物学
  • X線結晶構造解析
  • クライオ電子顕微鏡
  • 膜タンパク質
■ Research Areas
  • Life sciences / Structural biochemistry
■ Committee History
  • Jul. 2026 - Feb. 2027, メディカルトランスフォーメーションセンター (CMX), R8年度CMXリトリート「若手道場」, 実行委員
  • Sep. 2025 - Jan. 2026, Center for Medical Transformation (CMX), Center for Medical Transformation (CMX) Retreat “Wakate Dojo” Chair of the Organizing Committee
  • May 2024 - Oct. 2024, Center for Medical Transformation (CMX), FY2024 CMX Retreat “Wakate Dojo (Young Researchers’ Dojo)”

Research activity information

■ Award
  • Oct. 2025 第9回神戸大学医学部神緑会ヤングインベスティゲーターアワード 優秀賞

■ Paper
  • Ayhan Yurtsever, Tsuyoshi Imasaki, Ryota Kitano, Kien Xuan Ngo, Tomoaki Yagi, Shuhei Kuno, Hanjin Liu, Takaaki Kato, Hideki Shigematsu, Md Fahim Newaz, Yuji Sugita, Takeshi Fukuma, Ryo Nitta
    Abstract Microtubule nucleation is commonly viewed as a γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC)-templated process 1–3 , yet many differentiated cells build extensive non-centrosomal microtubule arrays of unclear origin 4–6 . Although spontaneous tubulin nucleation has long been observed in vitro as a γ-TuRC-independent nucleation process 7–10 , its mechanism and cellular relevance have remained unclear. Here we show that CAMSAP2, a microtubule minus-end-binding protein, links spontaneous nucleation to non-centrosomal microtubule organization. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), high-speed atomic force microscopy (hsAFM), and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that CAMSAP2 lowers the nucleation barrier by straightening tubulin oligomers and promoting lateral protofilament interactions that drive sheet formation and closure into microtubules. hsAFM captures stepwise nucleation and early growth, revealing that tubulin rings can serve as productive intermediates rather than dead-end depolymerization products. CAMSAP2 further self-organizes through liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) to concentrate tubulin and assembly intermediates, thereby promoting efficient microtubule formation at non-centrosomal microtubule-organizing centers. In HeLa cells, dispersed CAMSAP2 condensates act as γ-TuRC-independent microtubule-organizing centers alongside centrosomal asters, supporting a model in which spontaneous nucleation contributes to non-centrosomal microtubule biogenesis.
    openRxiv, May 2026

  • Hanjin Liu, Nao Matsumoto, Toshiyuki Kaneshiro, Takaaki Kato, Hideki Shigematsu, Satoshi Kikkawa, Eriko Nitta, Tsuyoshi Imasaki, Ryo Nitta
    Nov. 2025

  • Hiromichi Okuma, Yumiko Saijo‐Hamano, Hiroshi Yamada, Aalaa Alrahman Sherif, Emi Hashizaki, Naoki Sakai, Takaaki Kato, Tsuyoshi Imasaki, Satoshi Kikkawa, Eriko Nitta, Miwa Sasai, Tadashi Abe, Fuminori Sugihara, Yoshimasa Maniwa, Hidetaka Kosako, Kohji Takei, Daron M. Standley, Masahiro Yamamoto, Ryo Nitta
    Abstract Irgb6 is a priming immune‐related GTPase (IRG) that counteracts Toxoplasma gondii. It is known to be recruited to the low virulent type II T. gondii parasitophorous vacuole (PV), initiating cell‐autonomous immunity. However, the molecular mechanism by which immunity‐related GTPases become inactivated after the parasite infection remains obscure. Here, we found that Thr95 of Irgb6 is prominently phosphorylated in response to low virulent type II T. gondii infection. We observed that a phosphomimetic T95D mutation in Irgb6 impaired its localization to the PV and exhibited reduced GTPase activity in vitro. Structural analysis unveiled an atypical conformation of nucleotide‐free Irgb6‐T95D, resulting from a conformational change in the G‐domain that allosterically modified the PV membrane‐binding interface. In silico docking corroborated the disruption of the physiological membrane binding site. These findings provide novel insights into a T. gondii‐induced allosteric inactivation mechanism of Irgb6.
    Wiley, Nov. 2023, Genes to Cells
    [Refereed]
    Scientific journal
    Link to Kobe Univ. Repository (Kernel)

  • Takaaki Kato, Ui Okada, Li-Wei Hung, Eiki Yamashita, Heung-Bok Kim, Chang-Yub Kim, Thomas C. Terwilliger, Herbert P. Schweizer, Satoshi Murakami
    Lead, Jul. 2023, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
    [Refereed]
    Scientific journal

■ Lectures, oral presentations, etc.
  • Realizing the Full Potential of Polymyxins — Molecular Basis for Potentiation by Antibacterial Adjuvants —
    Takaaki Kato
    第10回 三大学構造生物学研究交流セミナー, Aug. 2026, Japanese
    Oral presentation

  • The Approved Drug TFP Potentiates a Novel Antibacterial Action of Polymyxins to Overcome Drug-Resistant Bacteria
    Takaaki Kato
    第26回日本蛋白質科学会年会, Jun. 2026, Japanese
    Poster presentation

  • クライオ電子顕微鏡による膜蛋白質–化合物複合体の構造解析はどう進めるべきか
    加藤尭彬
    第26回日本蛋白質科学会年会 特定放射光施設ユーザー協同体 （SpRUC） 放射光構造生物学研究会 第 22 回研究会「止まらない構造生物学：SPring-8-II 稼働までの研究環境」, Jun. 2026, Japanese
    [Invited]
    Invited oral presentation

  • Analysis of the action mechanism of Antimicrobial Adjuvants by Cryo- Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Crystallography
    Takaaki kato
    第12回六花の会（旧神戸横浜熊本交流会）, Jun. 2026, Japanese
    [Invited]
    Oral presentation

  • AI-Guided Inhibitor Design and Structural Analysis of Bam complex in Gram-Negative Bacteria
    Takaaki Kato
    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

  • AI-Guided Inhibitor Design and Structural Analysis of Bam complex in Gram-Negative Bacteria
    Takaaki Kato
    第48回 分子生物学会, Dec. 2025, English
    Poster presentation

  • The Approved Drug TFP Potentiates a Novel Antibacterial Action of Polymyxins to Overcome Drug-Resistant Bacteria
    Takaaki Kato
    第９回神緑会ヤングインベスティゲーターアワード（YIA）発表会, Oct. 2025, Japanese
    Poster presentation

  • AI-Guided Inhibitor Design and Structural Analysis of Bam complex in Gram-Negative Bacteria
    Takaaki Kato
    International Symposium on Cellular Structural Biology, Sep. 2025, English
    Poster presentation

  • The mechanism of plant twisting caused by mutations in microtubule biological cluster
    Takaaki Kato
    学術変革領域(A)「クラスター細胞学」第2回領域会議, Jun. 2025, English
    Poster presentation

  • Analysis of the action mechanism of Antimicrobial Adjuvants by Cryo-Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Crystallography
    Takaaki Kato
    The 5th RIKEN BDR-Kobe University Joint Symposium, Feb. 2025, English
    Poster presentation

  • Analysis of the action mechanism of Antimicrobial Adjuvants by Cryo-Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Crystallography
    Takaaki Kato
    第8回 三大学構造生物学研究交流セミナー, Aug. 2024, Japanese
    Oral presentation

  • Analysis of the action mechanism of Antimicrobial Adjuvants by Cryo- Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Crystallography
    Takaaki Kato
    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, May 2024, English
    Poster presentation

  • Cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray Crystallography analysis of the mechanism of action of antimicrobial adjuvants
    Takaaki Kato
    The 46th Annual Meeting Biology Society of Japan, Frontiers of the structural basis of drug investigation targeting membrane proteins and multi-protein complexes, Dec. 2023, English
    [Invited]
    Public symposium

  • Cryo-EM single particle analysis of BAM complex
    Takaaki Kato
    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

  • Analysis of the action mechanism of Antimicrobial Adjuvants by Cryo-Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Crystallography
    Takaaki Kato
    第7回 三大学構造生物学研究交流セミナー, Sep. 2023, Japanese
    Oral presentation

  • Analysis of the action mechanism of Antimicrobial Adjuvants by Cryo- Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Crystallography
    Takaaki Kato
    R5年度CMXリトリート「若手道場」, Feb. 2023, Japanese
    Oral presentation

  • Cryo-EM analysis of Bam complex
    Takaaki Kato
    学術変革領域(A)クロススケール新生物学第２回領域会議, Jul. 2022, English
    Poster presentation

■ Affiliated Academic Society
  • Protein Science Society of Japan
    May 2026 - Present

■ Research Themes
  • 植物における微小管ネットワーク形成制御機構の解明
    加藤 尭彬
    日本学術振興会, 科学研究費助成事業, 若手研究, 神戸大学, 01 Apr. 2024 - 31 Mar. 2028

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