Analysis of microbial function creating novel biotechnology tools for food, medical, and chemical industries
Information obtained through detail analysis of microbial function leads to the finding of unexpected enzymes, metabolisms, and communities useful as novel biotechnological tools in food, medical, and chemical industries. Examples of bioprocess development by applying unique tools found through functional analysis of microbial metabolisms will be introduced.
1) Novel polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) synthetic pathway, gut microbial PUFA- saturation metabolism, and PUFA-modifying enzymes such as P450 monooxygenase and cyclooxygenase were found in microorganisms and applied to develop health-promoting foods with functional lipids.
2) Novel gut microbial metabolisms transforming phytochemicals in foods and medicines such as glucosinolates and polyphenols are found. The gene information revealed was useful for expanding precision nutrition.
3) Novel amino acid metabolism involving hydroxylase-catalyzing reactions, and novel nucleoside metabolisms were found and applied to the production of various functional food materials and chiral building blocks for pharmaceutical synthesis.
4) Nitrifying bacteria were enriched and isolated and applied to construct controllable model consortia conducting ammonification and nitrification useful for crop cultivations. Further combination with denitrification system achieved efficient removal of organic nitrogen in aquaculture water.
Short bio
Jun Ogawa studied applied microbiology and completed his doctorate in 1995 at Kyoto University and became an assistant professor at the same university. He was a visiting researcher at French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) (2006-2007) and has appointed as a full professor of the current position in 2009. He has published over 350 papers in applied microbiology such as bioprocess development, microbial metabolism analysis, etc. He was awarded “Oleoscience Award” by the Japan Oil Chemists’ Society (2015), “Society Award of Japanese Association for Food Immunology” (2018), “Ching Hou Biotechnology Award” (2020) and “Fellow” (2021) by American Oil Chemists’ Society, “Chevreul Medal” by the French association for the study of lipids (2021), “Society Award of Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry” (2025).
Laboratory of the speaker
Laboratory of Fermentation Physiology and Applied Microbiology,
Division of Applied Life Sciences,
Graduate School of Agriculture,
Kyoto University, Japan
Invited by
Romain Briandet
