TOKUDA Gaku

写真a

Title

Professor

Researcher Number(JSPS Kakenhi)

90322750

Current Affiliation Organization 【 display / non-display

  • Duty   University of the Ryukyus   Tropical Biosphere Research Center   Professor  

  • Concurrently   University of the Ryukyus   Graduate School of Engineering and Science   Marine and Environmental Sciences   Professor  

  • Concurrently   University of the Ryukyus   Graduate School of Engineering and Science   Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science   Professor  

Academic degree 【 display / non-display

  • The University of Tokyo -  Doctor of Science

  • Yamaguchi University -  Master of Science

External Career 【 display / non-display

  • 2000.03
    -
    2001.08

    University of the Ryukyus, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Marine Science, Cell and Functional Biology, Research Assistants  

  • 2001.09
    -
    2007.03

    University of the Ryukyus, Gene Research Center, Research Assistants  

  • 2006.05
    -
    2007.01

    National Institute of Agrobiological Science, Visiting Researcher  

  • 2007.04
    -
    2008.03

    University of the Ryukyus,Center of Molecular Biosciences, Research Associate  

  • 2008.04
    -
    2009.03

    University of the Ryukyus,Center of Molecular Biosciences, Research Associate  

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Affiliated academic organizations 【 display / non-display

  • 1992.06
    -
    Now
     

    Zoological Society of Japan 

  • 1996.12
    -
    Now
     

    Japanese Society of Applied Entomology and Zoology 

  • 2010.05
    -
    Now
     

    International Union for the Study of Social Insects 

  • 2012.01
    -
    Now
     

    The Japanese Society of Sericultural Science 

  • 2013.06
    -
    Now
     

    Japanese Society of Microbial Ecology 

Research Interests 【 display / non-display

  • Physiological Entomology

  • セルロース分解

  • セルラーゼ

  • シロアリ

  • Termites

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Research Areas 【 display / non-display

  • Environmental Science/Agriculture Science / Insect science

  • Life Science / Applied microbiology

  • Life Science / Genetics

  • Life Science / Molecular biology

Research Theme 【 display / non-display

  • Fundamental study on use of the cellulolytic systems in termites for bioenergy bioconversion

  • Exploration of cellulase genes and functions in invertebrates

  • Cellylolytic systems in termites

Published Papers 【 display / non-display

  • Reevaluating Symbiotic Digestion in Cockroaches: Unveiling the Hindgut’s Contribution to Digestion in Wood-Feeding Panesthiinae (Blaberidae)

    Melbert Schwarz, Gaku Tokuda, Haruka Osaki, Aram Mikaelyan

    Insects   14 ( 9 ) 768 - 768   2023.09 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

    Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

  • Coevolution of metabolic pathways in Blattodea and Their Blattabacterium endosymbionts, and comparisons with other insect-bacteria symbioses

    Kinjo, Y., Bourguignon, T., Hongoh, Y., Lo, N., Tokuda, G., Ohkuma, M.

    Microbiology Spectrum   10 ( 5 ) - e02779-22   2022.09 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

    Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

  • The functional evolution of termite gut microbiota

    Arora, J., Kinjo, Y., Šobotník, J., Buček, A., Clitheroe, C., Stiblik, P., Roisin, Y., Žifčáková, L., Park, Y. C., Kim, K. Y., Sillam-Dussès, D., Hervé, V., Lo, N., Tokuda, G., Brune, A., Bourguignon, T.

    Microbiome   10   78 - 78   2022.05 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

    Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

  • Taxonomic revision of Termitomyces species found in Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan, based on phylogenetic analyses with three loci

    Yuuki Kobayashi, Miyuki Katsuren, Masaru Hojo, Shohei Wada, Yoshie Terashima, Masayoshi Kawaguchi, Gaku Tokuda, Kazuhiko Kinjo, Shuji Shigenobu

    Mycoscience   63 ( 1 ) 33 - 38   2022.01 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

    Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

  • Genomic and transcriptomic analyses of the subterranean termite Reticulitermes speratus: gene duplication facilitates social evolution

    Shuji Shigenobu, Yoshinobu Hayashi, Dai Watanabe, Gaku Tokuda, Masaru Y Hojo, Kouhei Toga, Ryota Saiki, Hajime Yaguchi, Yudai Masuoka, Ryutaro Suzuki, Shogo Suzuki, Moe Kimura, Masatoshi Matsunami, Yasuhiro Sugime, Kohei Oguchi, Teruyuki Niimi, Hiroki Gotoh, Masaru K Hojo, Satoshi Miyazaki, Atsushi Toyoda, Toru Miura, Kiyoto Maekawa

    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America   119 ( 3 ) e2110361119   2022.01 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

    Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

     View Summary

    Termites are model social organisms characterized by a polyphenic caste system. Subterranean termites (Rhinotermitidae) are ecologically and economically important species, including acting as destructive pests. Rhinotermitidae occupies an important evolutionary position within the clade representing a transitional taxon between the higher (Termitidae) and lower (other families) termites. Here, we report the genome, transcriptome and methylome of the Japanese subterranean termite Reticulitermes speratus. Our analyses highlight the significance of gene duplication in social evolution in this termite. Gene duplication associated with caste-biased gene expression was prevalent in the R. speratus genome. The duplicated genes comprised diverse categories related to social functions, including lipocalins (chemical communication), cellulases (wood digestion and social interaction), lysozymes (social immunity), geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (social defense) and a novel class of termite lineage-specific genes with unknown functions. Paralogous genes were often observed in tandem in the genome, but their expression patterns were highly variable, exhibiting caste biases. Some of the assayed duplicated genes were expressed in caste-specific organs, such as the accessory glands of the queen ovary and the frontal glands of soldier heads. We propose that gene duplication facilitates social evolution through regulatory diversification leading to caste-biased expression and subfunctionalization and/or neofunctionalization conferring caste-specialized functions.

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Books 【 display / non-display

  • Physiology of the Formosan subterranean termite, with special reference to wood degradation and metabolism

    Gaku Tokuda, Shuji Itakura, Nathan Lo ( Part: Allotment Writing )

    CABI  2023.12

  • Evolution and function of endogenous termite cellulases

    Lo, N., Tokuda, G., & Watanabe, H. ( Part: Multiple Authorship )

    Springer  2011.01

  • Fluorometric detection of nitric oxide with diaminofluoresceins (DAFs): applications and limitations for plant NO research

    Arita, N. O., Cohen, M. F., Tokuda, G., ( Part: Multiple Authorship )

    その他の出版機関  2006.03

Other Papers 【 display / non-display

  • Re-classification ofthe symbiotic protist fauna in the hindgut of Coptotermes formosanus

    Gaku Tokuda, Gillian Gile

    Termite Journal ( Japan Termite Control Association )  177 ( 1 ) 46 - 48   2022.01

     

  • Embryonic dynamics and symbiotic organ formation in lygaeoid bugs (Heteroptera: Lygaeoidea)

    Kuechler S.M, Tokuda G, Fukatsu T, Matsuura Y

    Gordon Research Conference - 2019 Animal-Microbe Symbioses     2019.06

     

  • Cellulose metabolism in termites

    TOKUDA Gaku

    Termite Journal   163 ( 1 ) 1 - 6   2015.01

     

  • Celluloytic systems in insects

    Watanabe, H., Tokuda, G.

    Annual Review of Entomology ( Annual Reviews )  55   609 - 632   2010  [Refereed]

     

  • Termites as Functional Gene Resources

    Matsui T., Tokuda G., Shinzato N.

    Recent Patents on Biotechnology ( その他の出版社 )  3 ( 1 ) 10 - 18   2009.01

     

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Presentations 【 display / non-display

  • Metabolomic profiles in the hindguts of the wood-feeding cockroaches collected from East Asia and North America

    Tokuda, G., Kihara, K., Kitade, O., Fukuda, S.

    XXVI International Congress of Entomology (ICE2022)  (Helsinki)  2022.07  -  2022.07 

  • Relationship between microbial structure and metabolic activities in the termite, Neotermes sugioi.

    Tokuda, G., Sekine, R.

    XIX International Congress of IUSSI (IUSSI2022)  (San Diego, CA)  2022.07  -  2022.07 

  • A division of labor between termites and the gut symbionts for lignocellulose degradation.

    Tokuda, G.

    OIST Mini Symposium “Ecology and Evolution of Termite Gut Microbes”  (Okinawa)  2019.12  -  2019.12 

  • Sprirochaetes contribute to xylan degradation in the hindgut of wood-feeding higher termites

    40) Tokuda, G., Mikaelyan, A., Fukui, C., Matsuura, Y., Watanabe, H., Fujishima, M., Brune, A.

    The 17th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology  (Leipzig)  2018.08  -  2018.08 

  • Transition of symbiotic lifestyles by gene loss or gain: Blattabacterium in cockroaches-lower termites and spirochetes in higher termites

    Tokuda, G.

    Max Planck Institute Seminar Series in Molecular, Cellular, and Environmental Microbiology  (Marburg)  2018.08  -  2018.08 

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Academic Awards 【 display / non-display

  • Zoological Science Award '98

    1998.10   Zoological Society of Japan  

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research 【 display / non-display

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SDGs 【 display / non-display

  • シロアリや食材性ゴキブリの木質消化システムの研究を通じて、セルロース系植物バイオマスからのエネルギー創出などの技術革新を目指します。