Curriculum Vitae

PERSONAL INFORMATION

  • Ken Yokawa, PhD（陽川　憲）
  • e-mail: yokawaken@mail.kitami-it.ac.jp
  • Place of Birth: Kobe, Japan
  • Link to my Researchmap (Japanese)

EDUCATION

  • Graduate school of Environmental Engineering, Kitakyushu University (PhD)
  • Graduate school of Information, Production and Systems, Waseda University (ME.)
  • Faculty of Biological Science, Department of Science, Hiroshima University (BSci)

CURRENT POSITION

  • Assistant Professor, Kitami Institute of Technology, Hokkaido, Japan

CURRENT RESEARCH INTERESTS

  • Plant root response to light
  • Function of membrane as an interface between outside and inside of life
  • Basic physical or chemical reactions that control fundmental biological rules
  • Keywords; Membrane trafficking, endocytic vesicle recycling, Reactive oxygen species, plant hormone, phototropism
  • Research essay "Sense of Plants" (only in Japanese) click

PREVIOUS TOPICS

  • Metal-bound redox-related proteins (especially Prions) and reactive oxygen species (Biochemistry)
  • Monitoring of photochemical oxidant using model plants and databases (Data-management and fieldwork)
  • Computational simulation of plant cells based on mathematical models (Computer science)
    etc...

PUBLICATIONS

  1. Yokawa K, Kagenishi T, Baluska F (2018) Anesthetics, Anesthesia and Plants. Trends in Plant Science 24(1): 12-14. click
  2. Yokawa K, Baluska F (2018) Fish and plant sentience: anesthetized plants and fishes cannot respond to stimuli. Animal Sentience 21(6). click
  3. Yokawa K, Baluska F (2018) Sense of space: Tactile sense for exploratory behavior of roots. Communicative & Integrative Biology e1440881. click
  4. Yokawa K*, Kagenishi T*, Pavlovic A, Gall S, Weiland M, Mancuso S, Baluska F (2017) Anesthetics stop diverse plant organ movements, affect endocytic vesicle recycling, ROS homeostasis, and block action potentials in Venus flytraps. (*Equal contribution) Annals of Botany 122(5): 747-756. click
  5. Qu Y, Liu S, Bao W, Xue X, Ma Z, Yokawa K, Baluška F, Wan Y (2017) Expression of root genes in Arabidopsis seedlings grown by standard and improved method. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 18: E951. click
  6. Inokuchi R, Yokawa K, Kawano T. (2017) Fluorometric analyses of metal-binding motif occupancy with copper in histatins 5 and 8 required for generation of superoxide anion. International Journal of Biological Sciences (in press)
  7. Chan Z*, Yokawa K*, Kim WY*, Song CP*. (2016) ROS: the key message during plant abiotic stress response. (*Equal contribution) Frontiers in Plant Science 7: 1536. click
  8. Baluška F, Yokawa K, Mancuso S, Baverstock K. (2016) Understanding of anesthesia – Why consciousness is essential for life and not based on genes. Communicative & Integrative Biology 9(6): e1238118. click
  9. Suzuki H*, Yokawa K*, Nakano S, Yoshida Y, Fabrissin I, Okamoto T, Baluška F, Koshiba T. (2016) Root cap-dependent gravitropic U-turn of maize root requires light-induced de novo auxin biosynthesis via YUC-pathway in root apex. (*equal contribution) Journal of Experimental Botany 67: 4581-4591. click
  10. Yokawa K, Kagenishi T, Baluška F. (2016) UV-B induced generation of reactive oxygen species promotes formation of BFA-induced compartments in cells of Arabidopsis root apices. Frontiers in Plant Science 6: 1162. click
  11. Yokawa K, Baluška F. (2016) TOR complex: switch for emergency in root behavior. Plant Cell Physiology 57: 14-18. click
  12. Kagenishi T, Yokawa K, Baluška F. (2016) MES buffer affects Arabidopsis root apex zonation and root growth by suppressing superoxide generation in root apex. Frontiers in Plant Science 7: 79. click
  13. Yokawa K, Baluška F. (2016) Plant roots as excellent pathfinders: root navigation based on plant specific sensory systems and sensorimotor circuits. In: Advances in Unconventional computing, Volume 2: Prototypes, Models and Algorithms, pp. 677-685, Springer. click
  14. Kagenishi T, Yokawa K, Baluška F. (2016) Dynamic regulation of endocytic vesicle recycling and PIN2 localization in Arabidopsis roots under varying light qualities. Environmental Control in Biology 54: 51-55. click
  15. Zerrouk ZI, Benchabane M, Khelifi L, Yokawa K, Ludwig-Müller J, Baluška F. (2016) A Pseudomonas strain isolated from date-palm rhizospheres improves root growth and promotes root formation in maize exposed to salt and aluminum stress. Journal of Plant Physiology 191: 111-119. click
  16. Manoli A, Trevisan S, Voigt B, Yokawa K, Baluška F, Quaggiotti S. (2016) Nitric oxide-mediated maize root apex responses to nitrate are regulated by auxin and strigolactones. Frontiers in Plant Science 6: 1269. click
  17. Kawano T, Kagenishi T, Kadono T, Bouteau F, Hiramatsu T, Lin C, Tanaka K, Tanaka L, Mancuso S, Uezu K, Okobira T, Furukawa H, Iwase J, Inokuchi R, Baluška F, Yokawa K. (2015) Production and removal of superoxide anion radical by artificial metalloenzymes and redox- active metals. Communicative & Integrative Biology 8(6): e1000710. click
  18. Yokawa K, Baluška F. (2015) C. elegans and Arabidopsis thaliana show similar behavior: ROS induce escape tropisms both in illuminated nematodes and roots. Plant Signaling and Behavior 10(11): e1073870. click
  19. Mo M, Yokawa K, Wan Y, Baluška F. (2015) How and why do roots sense light under the soil surface? Frontiers in Plant Science 6: 775. click
  20. Wu D, Shen H, Yokawa K, Baluška F. (2015) Overexpressing OsPIN2 enhanced aluminium internalization by elevating vesicular trafficking in rice root apex. Journal of Experimental Botany 66 (21): 6791-6801. click
  21. Yokawa K, Baluška F. (2014) Pectins, ROS homeostasis and UV-B responses in plant roots. Phytochemistry 112: 80-83. click
  22. Yokawa K, Fasano R, Kagenishi T, Baluška F. (2014) Light as factor to plant roots – case of root halotropism. Frontiers in Plant Science 5: 718. click
  23. Yokawa K, Koshiba T, Baluška F. (2014) Light-dependent control of redox balance and auxin biosynthesis in plants. Plant Signaling and Behavior 9. pii: e29522. click
  24. Wu D, Shen H, Yokawa K, Baluška F. (2014) Alleviation of aluminium-induced cell rigidity by overexpression of OsPIN2 in transgenic rice roots. Journal of Experimental Botany 65 (18): 5305-5315. click
  25. Grémiaux A, Yokawa K, Mancuso S, Baluška F. (2014) Plant anesthesia supports similarities between animals and plants: Claude Bernard's forgotten studies. Plant Signaling and Behavior 9(1). pii: e27886. click
  26. Yokawa K, Derrien-Maze N, Mancuso S, Baluška F. (2014) Binary decisions in maize root behavior: Y-maze system as tool for unconventional computation in plants. International Journal of Unconventional Computing 10(5-6): 381-391. click
  27. Yokawa K, Kagenishi T, Baluška F. (2013) Root photomorphogenesis in laboratory-maintained Arabidopsis seedlings. Trends in Plant Science 18: 117-119. click
  28. Xu W, Ding G, Yokawa K, Baluška F, Li Q, Liu Y, Shi W, Liang J, Zhang J. (2013) An improved agar-plate method for studying root growth and response of Arabidopsis thaliana. Scientific Reports 3: 1273 doi:10.1038/srep01273 click
  29. Yokawa K, Baluška F. (2013) UV-B perception in plant roots. In: Climate change and abiotic tolerance, Wiley, Germany.
  30. Inokuchi R, Yokawa K, Okobira T, Uezu K, Kawano T. (2013) Fluorescence measurements revealed two distinct modes of metal binding by histidine-containing motifs in prion-derived peptides, Current Topics in Peptide & Protein Research 13: 111 - 118. click
  31. Yokawa K, Kagenishi T, Furukawa H, Kawano T. (2012) Comparison the superoxide-generating activities of plant peroxide and the action of prion-derived metallopeptides: Towards the development of artificial redox enzymes. Current Topics in Peptide & Protein Research 12: 35-50. click
  32. Goto K, Kadono T, Yokawa K, Kawano T. (2011) Model toxicity assay for amino acid derivatives using green paramecia: Comparison of natural amino acids and N-acetylated non-protein amino acids. Current Topics in Peptide & Protein Research 12: 29-34. click
  33. Yokawa K, Kagenishi T, Kawano T, Mancuso S, Baluška F. (2011) Illumination of Arabidopsis roots induces immediate burst of ROS production. Plant Signaling and Behavior 6(10): 1460-1464. click
  34. Yokawa K, Kagenishi T, Kawano T. (2011) Prevention of oxidative DNA degradation by copper-binding peptides. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry 75(7): 1377-1379. click
  35. Yokawa K, Kagenishi T, Kawano T. (2011) Superoxide generation catalyzed by the ozone-inducible plant peptides analogous to prion octarepeat motif. Plant Signaling and Behavior 6(4): 477-482. click
  36. Yokawa K, Kadono T, Suzuki Y, Suzuki T, Uezu K, Kawano T. (2011) DNA-mediated sensitive detection and quantification of rare earth ions using polymerase chain reaction. Sensors and Materials 23(4): 219-228. click
  37. Kagenishi T, Yokawa K, Kadono T, Uezu K, Kawano T. (2011) Copper-binding peptides from human prion protein and newly designed peroxidative biocatalysts. Zeitschrift für Naturforschung 66(3-4): 182-190. click
  38. Okobira T, Kadono T, Kagenishi T, Yokawa K, Kawano T, Uezu K. (2011) Copper-binding peptide fragment-containing membrane as a biocatalyst by radiation-induced graft polymerization. Sensors and Materials 23(4): 207-218.
  39. Yokawa K, Kagenishi T, Kawano T. (2010) Cypridina luciferin analog, CLA as a probe for the enzymatic reaction of superoxide generation catalyzed by copper-binding hexapeptide found in chicken prion protein. Luminescence 25(2): 139.
  40. Yokawa K, Kagenishi T, Kawano T. (2009) Effects of water salinity on the cold-induced suspended animation and irreversible damages in Oryzias lapipes: Experimental eco-physiology predicting the seasonal changes in limnological fish distribution. Journal of Environmental Engineering and Management 19(4): 195-200. click
  41. Yokawa K, Kagenishi T, Kawano T. (2009) Thermo-stable nature of aromatic monoamine-dependent superoxide-generating activity of human prion-derived Cu-binding peptides. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry 73(5): 1218-1220. click
  42. Yokawa K, Kagenishi T, Goto K, Kawano T. (2009) Free tyrosine and tyrosine-rich peptide-dependent superoxide generation catalyzed by a copper-binding, threonine-rich neurotoxic peptide derived from prion protein. International Journal of Biological Sciences 5: 53-63. click
  43. Kagenishi T, Yokawa K, Kuse M, Isobe M, Bouteau F, Kawano T. (2009) Prevention of copper-induced calcium influx and cell death by prion-derived peptide in suspension-cultured tobacco cells. Zeitschrift für Naturforschung 64(5-6): 411-417. click
  44. Kagenishi T, Yokawa K, Lin C, Tanaka L, Tanaka K, Kawano T. (2009) Chemiluminescent and bioluminescent analyses of plant cell responses to reactive oxygen species produced by newly developed water conditioning apparatus equipped with titania-coated photocatalytic fibers Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. ISBN-13 978-981-283-957-2, pp. 27-30.
  45. Yokawa K, Kagenishi T, Kawano T. (2009) Use of Cypridina luciferin analog for assessing the monoamine oxidase-like superoxide-generating activities of two peptide sequences corresponding to the helical copper-binding motif in human prion protein and its model analog. Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. ISBN-13 978-981-283-957-2, pp. 27-30.
  46. Yokawa K, Kawano T. (2007) Lack of Correlation between the Rates of Local Industrial and Household Energy Consumptions and the Seasonal Outbreaks of Tropospheric Photochemical Oxidants in Two Japanese Cities. ITE Letters on Batteries, New Technologies & Medicine 8(6): 708-712.
  47. Yokawa K. (2007) An Approach for the Computational Simulation of Plant Cell Responses to Environmental Stimuli by Using NEURON. ITE Letters on Batteries, New Technologies & Medicine 8(4): 83-87.
  48. Lin C, Kadono T, Suzuki T, Yoshizuka K, Furuichi T, Yokawa K, Kawano T. (2006) Mechanism for temperature-shift-responsive acute Ca2+ uptake in suspension-cultured tobacco and rice cells. Cryobiology and Cryotechnology 52(2): 83-89.
  49. Yokawa K, Suzuki N, Kawano T. (2004) Ethanol-enhanced singlet oxygen-dependent chemiluminescence interferes with the monitoring of biochemical superoxide generation with a chemiluminescence probe, Cypridina luciferin analog. ITE Letters on Batteries, New Technologies & Medicine 5(1): 49-52.

REVIEWED CONFERENCE TALKS & INVITED SEMINARS

Representative list

  1. Yokawa K “Anesthetized plants and animals: what happens in cells?” Anatomie a fyziologie rostlin, Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic, November 2015 (Invited Seminar) click
  2. Yokawa K “Revisiting the Tanada Effect: Rapid Light Responses of Roots” Julisu Sachs 2015, University of Bonn, Oct 2015 (Invited lecture) click
  3. Yokawa K, “Anesthesia and Plants” International Symposium on Plant Signaling and Behavior 2015, Paris, France, July 2015 click
  4. Yokawa K, “Volatile ether induces ROS/calcium spikes and light escape-like tropism of roots” International Symposium on Plant Signaling and Behavior 2014, New Delhi, India, Mar 2014 click
  5. Yokawa K, Baluška F. “UV-B induced generation of reactive oxygen species and endocytic vesicle recycling in cells of Arabidopsis roots” 2nd Annual Meeting of UV4Growth COST-Action FA0906, Mikulov, Czech Republic, April 2013
  6. Yokawa K “The role of peptides involved in the production of reactive oxygen species in plants” Anatomie a fyziologie rostlin, Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic, April 2010 (Invited Seminar) click
  7. Yokawa K “Ozone-inducible glycine-rich peptides as plant prions?” 5th International Symposium of Plant NeuroBiology 2009, Florence, Italy, May 2009
  8. Yokawa K “Use of Cypridina luciferin analog for assessing the monoamine oxidase-like superoxide-generating activities of two peptide sequences corresponding to the helical copper-binding motif in human prion protein and its model analog” 15th International Symposium on Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence, Shanghai, China, May 2008 (Invited Speech)

BOOK TRANSLATION

  • Joint translation from English to Japanese Book
    ”Artificial Photosynthesis -From Basic Biology to Industrial Application-” Anthony F. Collings and Christa Critchley (Editor), pp. 324, 2006, Wiley（ISBN:978-4-86043-186-0）click (English) click (Japense)

    Chapter 10, Mimicking Bacterial Photosynthesis.
    Chapter 14, Defining the Inefficiencies in the Chemical Mechanism of the Photosynthetic Enzyme Rubisco by Computational Simulation.
    Chapter 17, Greenhouse Gas Technologies: A Pathway to Decreasing Carbon Intensity.

EDITORIAL EXPERIENCES

  1. Co-editor of a research topic in Frontiers in Plant Science:
    “ROS regulation during plant abiotic stress responses (April/2015 -)” click
  2. 01/April/2014 – present, Editorial Board member, Plant Signaling & Behavior click

TEACHING & SUPERVISING ACTIVITIES

  1. 01/April/2013 - 31/July/2013, Supervision
    Master course student from Faculty of bioscience, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain (International internship student)
  2. 01/April/2012 - present
    Teaching assistant - “Plant Development: Cell-to-Cell Communication”, University of Bonn, Germany
  3. 01/Arpil/2007 - 30/September/2009
    Teaching assistant - The University of Kitakyushu, Japan

ORGANISATION OF SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS

  1. June/2015 Organizing committee/ International Symposium on Plant Signaling and Behavior, France
  2. Aug/2015 Organizer/3rd Cross-disciplinary Meeting of Japanese Young Scientists in Europe, Germany
  3. Mar/2014 Organizing committee/ International Symposium on Plant Signaling and Behavior, India
  4. July/2014 Organizer/2nd Cross-disciplinary Meeting of Japanese Young Scientists in Europe, Germany
  5. May/2013 Organizer/1st Cross-disciplinary Meeting of Japanese Young Scientists in Europe, Germany
  6. June/2008 Organizing committee/ 4th International Symposium on Plant Neurobiology, Japan

COMMISSIONS OF TRUST

  • 01/April/2015 - present
    Scientific investigator, National Institute of Science and Technology Policy, MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology), Japan

RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

  1. April/2014 -
    Research Fellowship for Young Scientists from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
    Project title “Root photophobic reaction: Redox homeostasis controlling polar auxin transport”
  2. April/2012 - March/2014
    Postdoctoral Fellowship for Research Abroad from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
    Project title “Root escape-phototropism: biochemical study for the light responses of plant roots and re-evaluation of root-to-shoot communications”
  3. December/2009 - November/2010
    Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Excellent Young Researcher Overseas Visit Program (JSPS)
    Project title “Biochemistry and bioengineering of the reactive oxygen species-generating reactions catalyzed by metal-binding motifs found in prion protein”
  4. April/2009 - March/2011
    Research Fellowship for Young Scientists from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
    Project title “Biochemistry and bioengineering of the reactive oxygen species-generating reactions catalyzed by metal-binding motifs found in prion protein”

COMPETETIVE TRAVEL GRANTS

  1. 29/June/2014 - 04/July/2014
    64th Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting (Physiology or Medicine), Selected as a participant click
  2. 08/October/2013 - 23/October/2013
    Grant for Short Term Scientific Mission (stayed at University of Florence, Italy) by ‘UV4Growth’, COST-Action FA0906
    click
  3. 08/August/2013 - 10/August/2013
    Conference grant (travelled to University of British Columbia, Canada) by ‘UV4Growth’, COST-Action FA0906
  4. 25/February/2013 - 01/March/2013
    Grant for Short Term Scientific Mission (stayed at Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, France) by ‘UV4Growth’, COST-Action FA0906 click

AWARDS

  1. March/2014 - Japan Society for the Promotion of Science alumni club award, Germany click
  2. May/2010 - Marlene DeLuca Award to outstanding luminescence researchers, Berthold Technologies, Germany click
  3. March/2007 - Outstanding Performance Award of the Master Thesis, Waseda University, Japan
  4. March/2007 - The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, The Head of Kyushu Branch Award, Japan
  5. May/2004 - International Technology Exchange Society Research Award, USA

PATENTS

  1. Kawano T. Yokawa K, Kagenishi T (2007) An artificial peroxidase. Publication number: 2007284060 [JP], Publication date: 31.10.2007. (Domestic Patent)
  2. Kawano T. Yokawa K, Kagenishi T (2008) An artificial peroxidase and its usage. Publication Number: 2009131250 [JP], Publication date: 31.10.2008. (Domestic Patent)
  3. Kawano T, Yokawa K (2010) Artificial oxidoreductase and method for using same. Publication number: WO 2010128677 A1, Publication date: 11.11.2010. (International Patent)
  4. Kawano T, Yokawa K, Uezu K, Kadono T (2011) Method for detection of rare earth ion, and kit for detection of rare earth ion. Publication number: WO 2011034185 A1, Publication date: 24.03.2011. (International Patent)