Nakabachi, Atsushi

Japanese

Affiliation	Research Center for Agrotechnology and Biotechnology
Concurrent post	Department of Applied chemistry and Life Science
Title	Associate Professor
Fields of Research	Biology of Symbiosis, Entomology, Microbiology
Degree	Ph.D. (The University of Tokyo)
Academic Societies	Society of Genome Microbiology, Japan; The Japanese Society of Microbial Ecology; The Japanese Society of Applied Entomology and Zoology; The Zoological Society of Japan; Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan
E-mail	nakabachi@eiiris Please append ".tut.ac.jp" to the end of the address above.
Laboratory website URL	http://www.eiiris.tut.ac.jp/nakabachi.html
Researcher information URL（researchmap）	Researcher information

Research

Our research interests focus on the molecular basis for the symbiosis between multicellular organisms and microbes. This symbiosis, which has played critical roles in the evolutionary history of life, also holds significant potential for agricultural and medical biotechnologies.

Theme1：Studies on intracellular symbioses of pest insects

Overview

Many insect lineages, including agricultural/medical pests, have mutually indispensable associations with bacterial symbionts localized in specialized cells called bacteriocytes. We are trying to elucidate the molecular mechanisms for developing and maintaining this type of intimate symbiosis.

Selected publications and works

Yasuda Y, Inoue H, Hirose Y, Nakabachi A. (2024) Highly reduced complementary genomes of dual bacterial symbionts in the mulberry psyllid Anomoneura mori. Microbes Environ 39(3):ME24041.

Nakabachi A, Suzaki T. (2024) Ultrastructure of the bacteriome and bacterial symbionts in the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri. Microbiol Spectr 12(1):e0224923.

Nakabachi A, Moran NA. (2022) Extreme polyploidy of Carsonella, an organelle-like bacterium with a drastically reduced genome. Microbiol Spectr 10(3): e0035022.

Nakabachi A, Ishida K, Hongoh Y, Ohkuma M, Miyagishima SY. (2014) Aphid gene of bacterial origin encodes a protein transported to an obligate endosymbiont. Curr Biol 24(14): R640-R641.

Nakabachi A, Yamashita A, Toh H, Ishikawa H, Dunbar HE, Moran NA, Hattori M. (2006) The 160-kilobase genome of the bacterial endosymbiont Carsonella. Science 314 (5797): 267.

Nakabachi A, Shigenobu S, Sakazume N, Shiraki T, Hayashizaki Y, Carninci P, Ishikawa H, Kudo T, Fukatsu T. (2005) Transcriptome analysis of the aphid bacteriocyte, the symbiotic host cell that harbors an endocellular mutualistic bacterium, Buchnera. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 102(15): 5477-82.

Keywords

bacteriocyte, symbiotic bacteria, pest insects, omics, chemical biology, selective pest control

Theme2：Studies on symbiotic bacteria as genetic resources

Overview

Using omics technologies, we also pursue utilizing symbiotic bacteria as genetic resources.

Selected publications and works

Takasu R, Izu T, Nakabachi A. (2024) A limited concentration range of diaphorin, a polyketide produced by a bacterial symbiont of the Asian citrus psyllid, promotes the in vitro gene expression with bacterial ribosomes. Microbiol Spectr 12(7):e0017024.

Takasu R, Yasuda Y, Izu T, Nakabachi A. (2024) Diaphorin, a polyketide produced by a bacterial endosymbiont of the Asian citrus psyllid, adversely affects the in vitro gene expression with ribosomes from Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. PLoS One 8(11):e0294360.

Tanabe N, Takasu R, Hirose Y, Kamei Y, Kondo M, Nakabachi A. (2022) Diaphorin, a polyketide produced by a bacterial symbiont of the Asian citrus psyllid, inhibits the growth and cell division of Bacillus subtilis but promotes the growth and metabolic activity of Escherichia coli. Microbiol Spectr 10(4):e0175722.

Nakabachi A, Piel J, Malenovský I, Hirose Y. (2020) Comparative genomics underlines multiple roles of Profftella, an obligate symbiont of psyllids: providing toxins, vitamins, and carotenoids. Genome Biol Evol 12(11):1975-1987.

Nakabachi A, Okamura K. (2019) Diaphorin, a polyketide produced by a bacterial symbiont of the Asian citrus psyllid, kills various human cancer cells. PLoS One 14(6):e0218190.

Nakabachi A, Ueoka R, Oshima K, Teta R, Mangoni A, Gurgui M, Oldham NJ, van Echten-Deckert G, Okamura K, Yamamoto K, Inoue H, Ohkuma M, Hongoh Y, Miyagishima SY, Hattori M, Piel J, Fukatsu T. (2013) Defensive bacteriome symbiont with a drastically reduced genome. Curr Biol 23(15): 1478-84.

Keywords

genetic resources, drug discovery, secondary metabolites, bioactive substances, antibiotics, anticancer drugs

Theme3：Studies on various agriculture-related symbioses

Overview

Agricultural plants have complicated symbiotic relationships with various organisms, including microbes. We have started some research on this knotty issue.

Selected publications and works

Nishino K, Inoue H, Hirose Y, Nakabachi A. (2024) Microbiome of psyllids of the family Aphalaridae, including Aphalara itadori, a biocontrol agent against Reynoutria spp. Entomol Exp Appl 172(11):1033-1045.

Maruyama J, Inoue H, Hirose Y, Nakabachi A. (2023) 16S rRNA gene sequencing of six psyllid species of the family Carsidaridae identified various bacteria including Symbiopectobacterium. Microbes Environ 38(3):ME23045.

Nakabachi A, Inoue H, Hirose Y. (2022) Microbiome analyses of 12 psyllid species of the family Psyllidae identified various bacteria including Fukatsuia and Serratia symbiotica, known as secondary symbionts of aphids. BMC Microbiol 22(1):15

Nakabachi A, Malenovský I, Gjonov I, Hirose Y. (2020) 16S rRNA sequencing detected Profftella, Liberibacter, Wolbachia, and Diplorickettsia from relatives of the Asian citrus psyllid. Microb Ecol 80(2):410-422.

Yamada T, Hamada M, Floreancig P, Nakabachi A. (2019) Diaphorin, a polyketide synthesized by an intracellular symbiont of the Asian citrus psyllid, is potentially harmful for biological control agents. PLoS One 14(5):e0216319.

Dan H, Ikeda N, Fujikami M, Nakabachi A. (2017) Behavior of bacteriome symbionts during transovarial transmission and development of the Asian citrus psyllid. PLoS One 12(12): e0189779.

Nakabachi A, Nikoh N, Oshima K, Inoue H, Ohkuma M, Hongoh Y, Miyagishima SY, Hattori M, Fukatsu T. (2013) Horizontal gene acquisition of Liberibacter plant pathogens from a bacteriome-confined endosymbiont of their psyllid vector. PLoS One 8(12): e82612.

Keywords

food production, biological interactions, omics, plant physiology

Title of class

Environmental Biotechnology (B14620350)
Advanced Biotechnology 1 (D34030040)
Advanced Technology on Food and Agriculture Science 2 (M24630450)
Topics in Life and Materials Science (S14620430)

Others (Awards, Committees, Board members)

April 2019, Nagase Foundation Award 2019
March 2010, The young scientist award from the Society of Genome Microbiology, Japan