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Masaki Tsujimura (M2), Department of Applied Chemistry, received CSJ Poster Presentation Award 2021 for Excellent Research

 

Masaki Tsujimura (M2), Department of Applied Chemistry, received CSJ Poster Presentation Award 2021 for Excellent Research.


<Name of award and short explanation about the award>
CSJ Poster Presentation Award 2021 for Excellent Research.
This award is conferred to excellent poster presentations delivered by students.

<About awarded research>
Anion channelrhodopsin (ACR) is a membrane protein that functions as a light-gated anion channel. ACR is widely used as a silencing tool of the neural activity in optogenetics. We analyzed the absorption wavelengths of mutant ACR1s by conducting molecular dynamics simulations and using a quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical approach. The absorption wavelengths of mutant ACR1s were also measured in HEK293 cells. We revealed that the changes in the conformation and the protonation state of an acidic residue near the chromophore regulate the anion transportation during the photocycle.

<Your impression & future plan>
I am very honored to receive the award. I appreciate the members of Ishikita laboratory and Sudo laboratory at Okayama University for many discussions. I will work harder on my research to contribute to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of ACR.