東京大学大学院薬学系研究科 天然物化学教室
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阿部 郁朗 教授
Ikuro Abe, Ph.D.

東京大学大学院薬学系研究科
〒113-0033 東京都文京区本郷7-3-1
Tel: 03-5841-4740
Fax: 03-5841-4744


学 歴
1984年 東京大学薬学部薬学科卒業(三川 潮 教授)
1986年 東京大学大学院薬学系研究科修士課程修了(三川 潮 教授)
1989年 東京大学大学院薬学系研究科博士課程修了(海老塚 豊 助教授)


職 歴


1989年

仏国国立天然物化学研究所、ミュールーズ国立高等化学院
仏政府給費留学生、CNRS研究員(Guy Ourisson 教授、Michel Rohmer 教授)

1991年

ニューヨーク州立大学ストーニーブルック校化学科・上級博士研究員、
生化学科・研究助教授(Glenn Prestwich 教授)

1996年 ユタ大学医薬化学科・研究助教授(Glenn Prestwich 教授)
1998年 静岡県立大学薬学部・講師
2005年 

科学技術振興機構 戦略的創造研究推進事業
さきがけタイプ「代謝と機能制御」領域 研究者(兼任)(〜2009年)

2008年 静岡県立大学薬学部・准教授
2009年 東京大学大学院薬学系研究科・教授
現在に至る
2014年 ブリティッシュ・コロンビア大学・客員教授
2014年 曁南大学・客座教授
2016年 

文部科学省科研費 新学術領域研究(研究領域提案型)「生物合成系の再設計による複雑骨格機能分子の革新的創成科学(生合成リデザイン)」領域代表(〜2021年)

2018年 東京大学 微生物科学イノベーション連携研究機構 兼担
2018年 北京中医薬大学・客座教授
2018年 浙江工業大学・名誉教授
2019年 浙江大学・客座教授
2019年 中南民族大学・特聘教授
2020年 日本学術会議マスタープラン2020 重点大型研究計画「生薬・薬用植物の安定供給と開発のための基盤ネットワーク拠点の構築」代表
2020年 東京大学・総長補佐(〜2021年)
2021年 東京大学・教育研究評議員(〜2023年)
2024年 バンドン工科大学・客員教授



受 賞

2002年

日本生薬学会 学術奨励賞

2007年  日本生薬学会 学術貢献賞
2008年 日本薬学会 学術振興賞
2013年 Fellow of The Royal Society of Chemistry
2015年 FAOBMB Osamu Hayaishi Lecture Award
2017年  日本生薬学会 学会賞
2017年  住木・梅澤記念賞
2019年  日本薬学会 学会賞
2019年  科学技術分野の文部科学大臣表彰 科学技術賞(研究部門)
2023年  日本放線菌学会 大村賞(学会賞)


学会等での主な活動

Fellow of The Royal Society of Chemistry(2013-)

Faculty Member: Faculty Opinions (Faculty of 1000)(2011-)

Most Outstanding Referees for Angewandte Chemie
(Among the top 1% in 2021, top 5% in 2016, 2018, top 10% in 2022)

Editorial Board Member: Natural Product Reports(2012-2017)

Editorial Board Member: Journal of Biological Chemistry(2019-2024)

Section Editor: Comprehensive Natural Products IIII(2017-2020)

Section Editor: Current Opinion in Chemical Biology(2024)

Editorial Board Member: Frontiers in Plant Science(2010-2017)

Editorial Board Member: Natural Products and Bioprospecting(2013-)

Editorial Board Member: Journal of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences(2014-)

Editorial Board Member: Engineering Microbiology(2021-)

Editorial Board Member: mLife(2021-)

Editorial Board Member: Acta Materia Medica(2021-)

Guest Editor: Org. Biomol. Chem. "Biosynthesis" (2018)

Guest Editor: J. Ind. Microbiol. Biotechnol. "Natural Products"(2018, 2020)

Guest Editor: Marine Drugs "Marine Fungal Metabolites"(2021)

Executive Committee Member: TERPNET (2017-)

Member: The Isoprenoid Society (2024-)

Co-organizer: PACIFICHEM, Biosynthesis of Natural Products(2005, 2010, 2015)

Committee Member: SIMB, Natural Products(2018, 2020, 2023)

Committee Member: European Conference on Natural Products(2018, 2021, 2024)

Co-organizer: US-Japan Seminar, Biosynthesis of Natural Products(2017)

Organizer: China-Japan Seminar, Biosynthesis of Natural Products(2017, 2019)

Organizer: Geremany-Japan Seminar, Biosynthesis of Natural Products(2018)

Advisory Member: Phytochemical Society of Asia (2015-)

Member: American Chemical Society(1996-)

Member: American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology(1998-)

Member: American Society of Pharmacognosy(2014-)

日本薬学会 生薬天然物部会 常任世話人(2011-)、庶務幹事(2013-15)、部会長(2015-17)

日本生薬学会 評議員(2010-)、常務理事(2014-18)、副会長(2017-18)、会長(2018-19)

天然有機化合物討論会 世話人(2009-)、第65回実行委員長(2023)

日本化学会 ナカニシプライズ 委員(2015-2021)

酵素工学研究会 役員(委員)(2013-2023)

植物化学研究会(植物化学シンポジウム)世話人(2010-2023)、代表(2014-2023)

公益財団法人 薬理研究会 評議員(2012-22)、理事(2022-)

公益財団法人 上原記念生命科学財団 委員

公益財団法人 サントリー生命科学財団 委員

科学技術振興機構(JST)未来社会創造事業 外部専門家

科学技術振興機構(JST)創発的研究支援事業 外部専門家

日本学術振興会 科学研究費委員会 専門委員

日本学術振興会 特別研究員等審査会、国際事業委員会 専門委員

文部科学省 科学技術予測・政策基盤調査研究センター 専門調査委員

文部科学省 大学設置・学校法人審議会 専門委員

厚生労働省 薬事・食品衛生審議会 臨時委員

厚生労働省 食品規格部 会員

農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構競争的資金事業 専門委員

日本薬学会年会シンポジウム 世話人(2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2023)



代表的な論文
For a full publication list, please see Google Scholar

TBA
Mori, T., Moriwaki, Y., Sakurada, K., Lyu, S., Kadlcik, S., Janata, J., Mazumdar, A., Koberska, M.,Terada, T., Kamenik, Z., Abe, I.
Nature Chemistry, 16, in press (2024) Link | Open Access | Press Release

Modifications of prenyl side chains in natural product biosynthesis
Wang, H., Yang, Y., Abe, I.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 63, e202415279 (2024) Link | Open Access

The structural basis of pyridoxal-5′-phosphate-dependent β-NAD-alkylating enzymes
Awakawa, T., Mori, T., Barra, L., Ahmed, Y., Ushimaru, R., Gao, Y., Adachi, N., Senda, T., Terada, T., Tantillo, D. J., Abe, I.
Nature Catalysis, 7, 1099-1108 (2024) Link | Open Access | Press Release

Recent advances in the biosynthetic studies of bacterial organoarsenic natural products
Hoshino, S., Onaka, H., Abe, I.
Nat. Prod. Rep., 41, in press (2024) Link

Functional and structural dissection of glycosyltransferases underlying the glycodiversity of wolfberry-derived bioactive ingredients lycibarbarspermidines
Li, S.-Y., Wang, G.-Q., Long, L., Gao, J.-L., Zhou, Z.-Q., Wang, Y.-H., Lv, J.-M., Chen, G.-D., Hu, D., Abe, I., Gao, H.
Nature Commun., 15, Article number: 4588 (2024) Link | Open Access

Biosynthesis of enfumafungin-type antibiotic reveals an unusual enzymatic fusion pattern and unprecedented C-C bond cleavage
Cao, Z.-Q., Wang, G.-Q., Luo, R., Gao, Y.-H., Lv, J.-M., Qin, S.-Y., Chen, G.-D., Awakawa, T., Bao, X.-F., Mei, Q.-H., Yao, X.-S., Hu, D., Abe, I., Gao, H.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 146, 12723–12733 (2024) Link

Discovery of (±)-penindolenes reveals an unusual indole ring cleavage pathway catalyzed by P450 monooxygenase
Meng, L.-H.,Awakawa, T., Li, X.-M., Quan, Z., Yang, S.-Q., Wang, B.-G., Abe, I.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 63, e202403963 (2024) Link | Open Access

Mechanistic analysis of the stereodivergent nitroalkane cyclopropanation catalyzed by nonheme iron enzymes
Ushimaru, R., Cha, L., Shimo, S., Li, X., Paris, J., Mori, T., Miyamoto. K., Coffer, L., Uchiyama, M., Guo, Y., Chang, W-c., Abe, I.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 145, 24210-24217 (2023) Link

Structural and mechanistic insights into the C–C bond forming rearrangement reaction catalyzed by heterodimeric hinokiresinol synthase
Ushimaru, R., Ding, Y., Mori, T., Miyamoto, K., Uchiyama, M., Abe, I.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 145, 21966-21973 (2023) Link

Molecular basis for carrier protein-dependent amide bond formation in the biosynthesis of lincosamide antibiotics
Mori, T., Kadlcik, S., Lyu, S., Kamenik, Z., Sakurada, K., Mazumdar, A., Wang, H., Janata, J., Abe, I.
Nature Catalysis, 6, 531-542 (2023) Link | Open Access | Press Release | Behind the paper

Structure-function analysis of the S-glycosylation reaction in lincosamide antibiotics biosynthesis
Mori, T., Sun, X., Kadlcik, S., Janata, J., Abe, I.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 62, e202304989 (2023) Link | VIP Paper | Open Access

Multiple C–C bond cleavage reactions catalyzed by tolyporphin tetrapyrrole biosynthetic enzymes
Ushimaru, R., Lyu, J., Ling, M., Abe, I.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 145, 9834–9839 (2023) Link

Catalytic mechanism of non-glycosidic C-N bond formation by the pseudoglycosyltransferase enzyme VldE
Tsunoda, T., Abuelizz, H., Samadi, A., Wong, C. P., Awakawa, T., Brumsted, C., Abe, I., Mahmud, T.
ACS Catalysis, 13, 13369-13382 (2023) Link

Unusual dioxygen-dependent reactions catalyzed by nonheme iron enzymes in natural product biosynthesis
Ushimaru, R., Abe, I.
ACS Catalysis, 13, 1045-1076 (2023) Link

C–N and C–S bond formation by cytochrome P450 enzymes
Ushimaru, R., Abe, I.
Trends in Chemistry, 5, 526-536 (2023) Link

Structure-based engineering of α-ketoglutarate dependent oxygenases in fungal meroterpenoid biosynthesis
Awakawa, T., Mori, T., Ushimaru, R., Abe, I.
Nat. Prod. Rep., 40, 46-61 (2023) Link

Stereoselectivity and substrate specificity of the Fe(II)/α-ketoglutarate-dependent oxygenase TqaL
Tao, H., Ushimaru, R., Awakawa, T., Mori, T., Uchiyama, M., Abe, I.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 144, 21512-21520 (2022) Link

Discovery of non-squalene triterpenes
Tao, H., Lauterbach, L., Bian, G., Chen, R., Hou, A., Mori, T., Cheng, S., Hu, B., Lu, L., Mu, X., Li, M., Adachi, N., Kawasaki, M., Moriya, T., Senda, T., Wang, X., Deng, Z., Abe, I., Dickschat, J. S., Liu, T.
Nature, 606, 414-419 (2022) Link | Open Access | Press Release | Press Release 2 | Faculty Opinions

Molecular insights into the unusually promiscuous and catalytically versatile Fe(II)/α-ketoglutarate-dependent oxygenase SptF
Tao, H., Mori, T., Chen, H., Lyu, S., Nonoyama, A., Lee, S., Abe, I.
Nature Commun., 13, Article number: 95 (2022) Link | Open Access | Behind the paper

Identification of a diarylpentanoid-producing polyketide synthase revealing an unusual biosynthetic pathway of 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones in agarwood
Wang, X.-H., Gao, B.-W., Nakashima, Y., Mori, T., Zhang, Z.-X., Kodama, T., Lee, Y.-E., Zhang, Z.-K., Wong, C.-P., Liu, Q.-Q., Qi, B.-W., Wang, J., Li, J., Liu, X., Abe, I., Morita, H., Tu, P.-F., Shi, S.-P.
Nature Commun., 13, Article number: 348 (2022) Link | Open Access | Press Release | NC Focus

Heterodimeric non-heme iron enzymes in fungal meroterpenoid biosynthesis
Li, X., Awakawa, T., Mori, T., Ling, M., Hu, D., Wu, B., Abe, I.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 143, 21425-21432 (2021) Link

β-NAD as a building block in natural product biosynthesis
Barra, L., Awakawa, T., Shirai, K., Hu, Z., Bashiri, G., Abe, I.
Nature, 600, 754-758 (2021) Link | Press Release | Behind the paper | Faculty Opinions

Stereodivergent nitrocyclopropane formation during biosynthesis of belactosins and hormaomycins
Shimo, S., Ushimaru, R., Engelbrecht, A., Harada, M., Miyamoto, K., Andreas, K., Uchiyama, M., Kaysser, L., Abe, I.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 143, 18413-18418 (2021) Link

Molecular insights into the endoperoxide formation by Fe(II)/α-KG-dependent oxygenase NvfI
Mori, T., Zhai, R., Ushimaru, R., Matsuda, Y., Abe, I.
Nature Commun., 12, Article number: 4417 (2021) Link | Open Access | Press Release | Behind the paper | Faculty Opinions

C-Glycoside metabolism in the gut and in nature: Identification, characterization, structural analyses and distribution of C-C bond-cleaving enzymes
Mori, T., Kumano, T., He, H., Watanabe, S., Senda, M., Moriya, T., Adachi, N., Hori, S., Terashita, Y., Kawasaki, M., Hashimoto, Y., Awakawa, T., Senda, T., Abe, I., Kobayashi, M.
Nature Commun., 12, Article number: 6294 (2021) Link | Open Access

Structural basis for isomerization reactions in fungal tetrahydroxanthone biosynthesis and diversification
Yang, J., Mori, T., Wei, X., Matsuda, Y., Abe, I.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 60, 19458-19465 (2021) Link | Hot Paper

Aziridine formation by a Fe(II)/α-ketoglutarate dependent oxygenase and 2-aminoisobutyrate biosynthesis in fungi
Bunno, T., Awakawa, T., Mori, T., Abe, I.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 60, 15827-15831 (2021) Link | Hot Paper

One polyketide synthase, two distinct products: trans-acting enzyme-controlled product divergence in calbistrin biosynthesis
Tao, H., Mori, T., Wei, X., Matsuda, Y., Abe, I.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 60, 8851–8858 (2021) Link | VIP Paper | Cover | Press Release

Chemistry of fungal meroterpenoid cyclases
Barra, L., Abe, I.
Nat. Prod. Rep., 38, 566-585 (2021) Link

Exploiting the potential of meroterpenoid cyclases to expand the chemical space of fungal meroterpenoids
Mitsuhashi, T., Barra, L., Powers, Z., Kojasoy, V., Cheng, A., Yang, F., Taniguchi, Y., Kikuchi, T., Fujita, M., Tantillo, D. J., Porco, J. A. Jr., Abe, I.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 59, 23772-23781 (2020) Link | Hot Paper

Heterochiral coupling in non-ribosomal peptide macrolactamization
Matsuda, K., Zhai, R., Mori, T., Kobayashi, M., Sano, A., Abe, I., Wakimoto, T.
Nature Catalysis, 3, 507-515 (2020) Link | Press Release | Press Release 2 | News & Views

Acyltransferase that catalyses the condensation of polyketide and peptide moieties of goadvionin hybrid lipopeptides
Kozakai, R., Ono, T., Hoshino, S., Takahashi, H., Katsuyama, Y., Sugai, Y., Ozaki, T., Teramoto, K., Teramoto, K., Tanaka, K., Abe, I., Asamizu, S., Onaka, H.
Nature Chemistry, 12, 869–877 (2020) Link | Press Release | Press Release 2

Discovery of the cryptic function of terpene cyclases as aromatic prenyltransferases
He, H., Bian, G., Herbst-Gervason, C. J., Mori, T., Shinsky, S. A., Hou, A., Mu, X., Huang, M., Cheng, S., Deng, Z., Christianson, D. W., Abe, I., Liu, T.
Nature Commun., 11, Article number: 3958 (2020) Link | Open Access | Press Release | Press Release 2 | NC Focus

Biosynthesis of biscognienyne B involving an unprecedented cytochrome P450-dependent alkynylation
Lv, J.-M., Gao, Y.-H., Zhao, H., Awakawa, T., Liu, L., Chen, G.-D., Yao, X.-S., Hu, D., Abe, I., Gao, H.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 59, 13531-13536 (2020) Link

Exploiting a C-N bond forming cytochrome P450 monooxygenase for C-S bond formation
Morita, I., Mori, T., Mitsuhashi, T., Hoshino, S., Taniguchi, Y., Kikuchi, T., Nagae, K., Nasu, N., Fujita, M., Ohwada, T., Abe, I.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 59, 3988-3993 (2020) Link | Hot Paper | Frontispiece

Identification and characterization of N9-methyltransferase involved in converting caffeine into non-stimulatory theacrine in tea
Zhang, Y.-H., Li, Y.-F., Wang, Y., Tan, L., Cao, Z.-Q., Xie, C., Xie, G., Gong, H.-B., Sun, W.-Y., Ouyang, S.-H., Duan, W.-J., Lu, X., Ding, K., Kurihara, H., Hu, D., Zhang, Z.-M., Abe, I., He, R.-R.
Nature Commun., 11, Article number: 1473 (2020) Link | Open Access | Press Release

Molecular basis for the P450-catalyzed C–N bond formation in indolactam biosynthesis
He, F., Mori, T., Morita, I., Nakamura, H., Alblova, M., Hoshino, S., Awakawa, T., Abe, I.
Nature Chem. Biol., 15, 1206-1213 (2019) Link | Open Access | Press Release

Biomimetic synthesis of meroterpenoids by dearomatization-driven polycyclization
Powers, Z., Scharf, A., Yang, F., Cheng, A., Mitsuhashi, T., Barra, L., Taniguchi, Y., Kikuchi, T., Fujita, M., Abe, I., Porco, J. A. Jr.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 58, 16141-16146 (2019) Link

Aminoacyl sulfonamide assembly in SB-203208 biosynthesis
Hu, Z., Awakawa, T., Ma, Z., Abe, I.
Nature Commun., 10, Article number: 184 (2019) Link | Open Access | Press Release

Complete biosynthetic pathways of ascofuranone and ascochlorin in Acremonium egyptiacum: branched pathways encoded at two separate loci
Araki, Y., Awakawa, T., Matsuzaki, M., Cho, R., Matsuda, Y., Hoshino, S., Shinohara, Y., Yamamoto, M., Kido, Y., Inaoka, D. K., Nagamune, K., Ito, K., Abe, I., Kita, K.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 116, 8269-8274 (2019) Link | Open Access | Press Release

Reprogramming of the antimycin NRPS-PKS assembly lines inspired by gene evolution
Awakawa, T., Fujioka, T., Zhang, L., Hoshino, S., Hu, Z., Hashimoto, J., Kozone, I., Ikeda, H., Shin-ya, K., Liu, W., Abe, I.
Nature Commun., 9, Article number: 3534 (2018) Link | Open Access | Press Release

Structural and computational bases for dramatic skeletal rearrangement in anditomin biosynthesis
Nakashima, Y., Mitsuhashi, T., Matsuda, Y., Senda, M., Sato, H., Yamazaki, M., Uchiyama, M., Senda, T., Abe, I.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 140, 9743-9750 (2018) Link

Computational studies on biosynthetic carbocation rearrangements leading to quiannulatene: initial conformation regulates biosynthetic route, stereochemistry, and type of skeleton
Sato, H., Mitsuhashi, T., Yamazaki, M., Abe, I., Uchiyama, M.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 57, 14752-14757 (2018) Link

Novofumigatonin biosynthesis involves a non-heme iron-dependent endoperoxide isomerase for orthoester formation
Matsuda, Y., Bai, T., Phippen, C. B. W., Nødvig, C. S., Kjærbølling, I., Vesth, T. C., Andersen, M. R., Mortensen, U. H., Gotfredsen, C. H., Abe, I., Larsen, T. O.
Nature Commun., 9, Article number: 2587 (2018) Link | Open Access | Blog | Faculty of 1000

Biosynthetic pathway for furanosteroid demethoxyviridin and identification of an unusual pregnane side-chain cleavage
Wang, G.-Q., Chen, G.-D., Qin, S.-Y., Hu, D., Awakawa, T., Li, S.-Y., Lv, J.-M., Wang, C.-X., Yao, X.-S., Abe, I., Gao, H.
Nature Commun., 9, Article number: 1838 (2018) Link | Open Access | Press Release | NC Collection

Molecular insights into the Mg2+-dependent allosteric control of indole prenylation by aromatic prenyltransferase AmbP1
Awakawa, T., Mori, T., Nakashima, Y., Zhai, R., Wong, C. P., Hillwig, M. L., Liu, X., Abe, I.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 57, 6810-6813 (2018) Link

Structure function and engineering of multifunctional non-heme iron dependent oxygenases in fungal meroterpenoid biosynthesis
Nakashima, Y., Mori, T., Nakamura, H., Awakawa, T., Hoshino, S., Senda, M., Senda, T., Abe, I.
Nature Commun., 9, Article number: 104 (2018) Link | Open Access | Press Release

Unique chemistry of non-heme iron dependent enzymes in fungal biosynthetic pathway
Nakamura, H., Matsuda, Y., Abe, I.
Nat. Prod. Rep., 35, 633-645 (2018) Link | Front Cover

Two distinct substrate binding modes for the normal and reverse prenylations of hapalindoles by the prenyltransferase AmbP3
Wong, C. P., Awakawa, T., Nakashima, Y., Mori, T., Zhu, Q., Liu, X., Abe, I.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 57, 560-563 (2018) Link

Molecular basis for the unusual ring reconstruction in fungal meroterpenoid biogenesis
Mori, T., Iwabuchi, T., Hoshino, S., Wang, H., Matsuda, Y., Abe, I.
Nature Chem. Biol., 13, 1066-1073 (2017) Link | Press Release

Biosynthesis of helvolic acid and identification of an unusual C-4-demethylation process distinct from sterol biosynthesis
Lv, J.-M., Hu, D., Gao, H., Kushiro, T., Awakawa, T., Chen, G.-D., Wang, C.-X., Abe, I., Yao, X.-S.
Nature Commun., 8, Article number: 1644 (2017) Link | Open Access | Press Release | NC Collection

Characterization of giant modular PKSs provides insight into genetic mechanism for structural diversification of aminopolyol polyketides
Zhang, L., Hashimoto, T., Qin, B., Hashimoto, J., Kozone, I., Kawahara, T., Okada, M., Awakawa, T., Ito, T., Asakawa, Y., Ueki, M., Takahashi, S., Osada, H., Wakimoto, T., Ikeda, H., Shin-ya, K., Abe, I.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 56, 1740-1745 (2017) Link | Hot Paper | Frontispiece | Press Release

Discovery of key dioxygenases that diverged the paraherquonin and acetoxydehydroaustin pathways in Penicillium brasilianum
Matsuda, Y., Iwabuchi,T., Fujimoto, T., Awakawa,T., Nakashima, Y., Mori, T., Zhang, H., Hayashi, F., Abe, I.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 138, 12671-12677 (2016) Link

Genome-based discovery of an unprecedented cyclization mode in fungal sesterterpenoids biosynthesis
Okada, M., Matsuda, Y., Mitsuhashi, T., Hoshino, S., Mori, T., Nakagawa, K., Quan, Z., Qin, B., Zhang, H., Hayashi, F., Kawaide, H., Abe, I.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 138, 10011-10018 (2016) Link | JACS Spotlights

Manipulation of prenylation reactions by structure-based engineering of bacterial indolactam prenyltransferases
Mori, T., Zhang, L., Awakawa, T., Hoshino, S., Okada, M., Morita, H., Abe, I.
Nature Commun., 7, Article number: 10849 (2016) Link | Open Access | Press Release

Astellifadiene, a unique tetracyclic fungal sesterterpene: structure determination by an NMR-coupled crystalline sponge method and elucidation of its biosynthesis
Matsuda, Y., Mitsuhashi,T., Lee, S., Hoshino, M., Mori, T., Okada, M., Zhang, H., Hayashi, F., Fujita, M., Abe, I.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 55, 5785-5788 (2016) Link | Press Release

An unusual chimeric diterpene synthase from Emericella variecolor and its functional conversion to a sesterterpene synthase by domain swapping
Qin, B., Matsuda, Y., Mori, T., Okada, M., Quan, Z., Mitsuhashi, T., Wakimoto, T., Abe, I.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 55, 1658-1661 (2016) Link | Front Cover | Press Release

Biosynthesis of fungal meroterpenoids
Matsuda, Y., Abe, I.
Nat. Prod. Rep., 33, 26-53 (2016) Link | Open Access

Nature's way of making the sponge-derived cytotoxin
Wakimoto, T., Egami, Y., Abe, I.
Nat. Prod. Rep., 33, 751-760 (2016) Link | Open Access | Front Cover

Rational control of polyketide extender units by structure-based engineering of a crotonyl-CoA carboxylase/reductase in antimycin biosynthesis
Zhang, L., Mori, T., Zheng, Q., Awakawa, T., Yan, Y., Liu, W., Abe, I.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 54, 13462-13465 (2015) Link | Press Release

Uncovering the unusual D-ring construction in terretonin biosynthesis by collaboration of a multifunctional cytochrome P450 and a unique isomerase
Matsuda, Y., Iwabuchi, T., Wakimoto, T., Awakawa, T., Abe, I.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 137, 3393-3401 (2015) Link

Complete biosynthetic pathway of anditomin: nature's sophisticated synthetic route to a complex fungal meroterpenoid
Matsuda, Y., Wakimoto, T., Mori, T., Awakawa, T., Abe, I.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 136, 15326–15336 (2014) Link | Front Cover | JACS Spotlights

Calyculin biogenesis from a pyrophosphate protoxin produced by a sponge symbiont
Wakimoto, T., Egami, Y., Nakashima, Y., Wakimoto,Y., Mori, T., Awakawa,T., Ito, T., Kenmoku, H., Asakawa, Y., Piel, J., Abe, I.
Nature Chem. Biol., 10, 648-655 (2014) Link | News & Views | Press Release | Faculty of 1000

A methyltransferase initiates terpene cyclization in teleocidin B biosynthesis
Awakawa, T., Zhang, L., Wakimoto, T., Hoshino, S., Mori, T., Ito, T., Ishikawa, J., Tanner, M. E., Abe, I.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 136, 9910-9913 (2014) Link | Faculty of 1000

An environmental bacterial taxon with a large and distinct metabolic repertoire
Wilson, M. C., Mori, T., Rückert, C., Uria, A. R., Helf, M. J., Takada, K., Gernert, C., Steffens, U. A. E., Heycke, N., Schmitt, S., Rinke, C., Helfrich, E. J. N., Brachmann, A. O., Gurgui, C., Wakimoto. T., Kracht, M., Crüsemann, M., Hentschel, U., Abe, I., Matsunaga, S., Kalinowski, J., Takeyama, H., Piel, J.
Nature, 506, 58-62 (2014) Link | Open Access | News & Views | Press Release

Spiro-ring formation is catalyzed by a multifunctional dioxygenase in austinol biosynthesis
Matsuda, Y., Awakawa, T., Wakimoto, T., Abe, I.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 135, 10962-10965 (2013) Link

Multiplexing of combinatorial chemistry in antimycin biosynthesis expands the molecular diversity and utility
Yan Y., Chen, J., Zhang, L., Zheng, Q., Han, Y., Zhang, H., Awakawa, T., Abe, I., Liu, W.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 52, 12308-12312 (2013) Link

Synthesis of unnatural alkaloid scaffolds by exploiting plant polyketide synthase
Morita, H., Yamashita, M., Shi, S.-P., Wakimoto, T., Kondo, S., Kato, R., Sugio, S., Kohno, T., Abe, I.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 108, 13504-13509 (2011) Link

Cytotoxic tetramic acid derivative produced by a plant type III polyketide synthase
Wakimoto, T., Mori, T., Morita, H., Abe, I.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 133, 4746-4749 (2011) Link

Furan fatty acid as an anti-inflammatory component from green-lipped mussel Perna canaliculus
Wakimoto, T., Kondo, H., Nii, H., Kimura, K., Egami, Y., Oka, Y., Yoshida, M., Kida, E., Ye, Y.-p., Akahoshi, S., Asakawa, T., Matsumura, K., Ishida, H., Nukaya, H., Tsuji, K., Kan, T., Abe, I.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 108, 17533-17537 (2011) Link

Structural basis for the one-pot formation of the diarylheptanoid scaffold by curcuminoid synthase from Oryza sativa
Morita, H., Wanibuchi, K., Nii, H., Kato, R., Sugio, S., Abe, I.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 107, 19778-19783 (2010) Link

A structure-based mechanism for benzalacetone synthase from Rheum palmatum
Morita, H., Shimokawa, Y., Tanio, M., Kato, R., Noguchi, H., Sugio, S., Kohno, T., Abe, I.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 107, 669-673 (2010) Link

Structure and function of the chalcone synthase superfamily of plant type III polyketide synthases
Abe, I., Morita, H.
Nat. Prod. Rep., 27, 809-838 (2010) Link

Reconstitution of a fungal meroterpenoid biosynthesis reveals the involvement of a novel family of terpene cyclases
Itoh, T., Tokunaga, K., Matsuda, Y., Fujii, I., Abe, I., Ebizuka, Y., Kushiro, T.
Nature Chemistry, 2, 858-864 (2010) Link | News & Views | Faculty of 1000

Structure-based engineering of a plant type III polyketide synthase: formation of an unnatural nonaketide naphthopyrone
Abe, I., Morita, H., Oguro, S., Noma, H., Wanibuchi, K., Kawahara, N., Goda, Y., Noguchi, H., Kohno, T.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 129, 5976-5980 (2007) Link

Structural insight into chain-length control and product specificity of pentaketide chromone synthase from Aloe arborescens
Morita, H., Kondo, S., Oguro, S., Noguchi, H., Sugio, S., Abe, I., Kohno, T.
Chemistry & Biology, 14, 359-369 (2007) Link

Enzymatic synthesis of cyclic triterpenes
Abe, I.
Nat. Prod. Rep., 24, 1311-1331 (2007) Link

Engineered biosynthesis of plant polyketides: chain length control in an octaketide-producing plant type III polyketide synthase
Abe, I., Oguro, S., Utsumi, Y., Sano, Y., Noguchi, H.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 127, 12709-12716 (2005) Link

A plant type III polyketide synthase that produces pentaketide chromone
Abe, I., Utsumi, Y., Oguro, S., Morita, H., Sano, Y., Noguchi, H.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 127, 1362-1363 (2005) Link

Mechanism and stereochemistry of enzymatic cyclization of 24,30-bisnor-2,3-oxidosqualene by recombinant β-amyrin synthase
Abe, I., Sakano, Y., Sodeyama, M., Tanaka, H., Noguchi, H., Shibuya, M., Ebizuka, Y.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 126, 6880-6881 (2004) Link

Enzymatic cyclization of 22,23-dihydro-2,3-oxidosqualene into euph-7-en-3β-ol and bacchar-12-en-3β-ol by recombinant β-amyrin synthase
Abe, I., Sakano, Y., Tanaka, H., Lou, W., Noguchi, H., Shibuya, M., Ebizuka, Y.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 126, 3426-3427 (2004) Link

Site-directed mutagenesis of benzalacetone synthase: the role of Phe215 in plant type III polyketide synthases
Abe, I., Sano, Y., Takahashi, Y., Noguchi, H.
J. Biol. Chem., 278, 25218-25226 (2003) Link

Enzymatic formation of an unnatural hexacyclic C35 polyprenoid by bacterial squalene cyclase
Abe, I., Tanaka, H., Noguchi, H.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 124, 14514-14515 (2002) Link

Substrate specificity of chalcone synthase: enzymatic formation of unnatural polyketides from synthetic cinnamoyl-CoA analogs
Abe, I., Morita, H., Nomura, A., Noguchi, H.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 122, 11242-11243 (2000) Link

Cyclization of (3S)29-methylidene-2,3-oxidosqualene by bacterial squalene:hopene cyclase: irreversible enzyme inactivation and isolation of an unnatural dammarenoid
Abe, I., Dang, T., Zheng, Y. F., Madden, B. A., Feil, C., Poralla, K., Prestwich, G. D.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 119, 11333-11334 (1997) Link

Mechanism-based active site modification of oxidosqualene cyclase by tritium labeled 18-thia-2,3-oxidosqualene
Abe, I., Liu, W., Oehlschlagar, A. C., Prestwich, G. D.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 118, 9180-9181 (1996) Link

Molecular cloning, characterization, and functional expression of rat oxidosqualene cyclase
Abe, I., Prestwich, G. D.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 92, 9274-9278 (1995) Link

Inhibitors of squalene biosynthesis and metabolism
Abe, I., Tomesch, J. C., Wattanasin, S., Prestwich, G. D.
Nat. Prod. Rep., 11, 279-302 (1994) Link

Active site mapping of affinity labeled rat oxidosqualene cyclase
Abe, I., Prestwich, G. D.
J. Biol. Chem., 269, 802-804 (1994) Link

Enzymatic cyclization of squalene and oxidosqualene to sterols and triterpenes
Abe, I., Rohmer, M., Prestwich, G. D.
Chem. Rev., 93, 2189-2206 (1993) Link