+6 03 2203 1517 mjiit@utm.my
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Academic Staff : Hirofumi Hara

Hirofumi Hara  
AEng (Kurume National College of Technology, Japan), BEng (Nagaoka Univ. of Tech., Japan), MSc Bioengineering. (Nagaoka Univ. of Tech., Japan), PhD Information Science and Control Engineering (Nagaoka Univ. of Tech., Japan)
contact-academic-amin Associate Professor
Email:hhara@bme.ous.ac.jp / hhara@mjiit.jp
Tel: 03 2203 1264
Research Interests
  • Bioengineering
  • Biochemistry
  • Applied Microbiology
  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Bioinformatics
Previous Positions
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) research fellow  (DC1) (2000 – 2003)
  • Postdoctoral Research Assistant (Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of British Colombia, CANADA) (2003 – 2006)
  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science, The University of Tokyo, JAPAN) (2006 – 2008)
  • Lecturer (Department of Biomedical Engineering, Okayama University of Science, JAPAN) (2008-2011)
  • Associate Professor (Department of Biomedical Engineering, Okayama University of Science, JAPAN) (2012)
Grants
  • Grant-in-Aid for Exploratory Research, Leader, 2009 – 2012: Characterization of secondary metabolites production genes in Rhodococcus sp. and its application.
  • New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) 2009 – 2012: Development of Technology for High-efficiency Conversion of Biomass and other Energy Project, Leader (group suggestion): Genetic modification of plant cell walls by application of bacterial genes for lignin-degrading enzymes.
  • Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (Start-up), Leader, 2008 – 2009: Characterization of two component regulatory system of PCB degradation in Rhodococcus jostii RHA1.
  • Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows (DC1), Leader, 2000 – 2003: Characterization of protocatechuate meta-cleavage pathway genes in Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6.
Selected Publications
  • Torii, H., A. Machida, H. Hara, T. Hatta and N. Takizawa: The regulatory mechanism of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol catabolic operon expression by HadR in Ralstonia pickettii DTP0602. Microbiology, 159(4), 665-677. (2013)
  • Fukuhara, Y., N. Kamimura, M. Nakajima, S. Hishiyama, H. Hara, D. Kasai, Y. Tsuji, S. Narita-Yamada, S. Nakamura, Y. Katano, N. Fujita, Y. Katayama, M. Fukuda, S. Kajita, and E. Masai: Discovery of pinoresinol reductase genes in Sphingomonads. Enzyme and Microbial Technology. 52(1): 38-43. (2013)
  • Higo, A., H. Hara, S. Horinouchi, and Y. Ohnishi: Genome-wide distribution of AdpA, a global regulator for secondary metabolism and morphological differentiation in Streptomyces, revealed the extent and complexity of the AdpA regulatory network. DNA research, 19(3), 259–273, (2012)
  • Masai, E., N. Kamimura, D. Kasai, A. Oguchi, A. Ankai, S. Fukui, M. Takahashi, I. Yashiro, H. Sasaki, T. Harada, S. Nakamura, Y. Katano, S. Narita-Yamada, H. Nakazawa, H. Hara, Y. Katayama, M. Fukuda, S. Yamazaki, and N. Fujita: Complete genome sequence of Sphingobium sp. strain SYK-6, a degrader of lignin-derived biaryls and monoaryls, Journal of Bacteriology, 194(2) 534-535 (2012)
  • Kamimura, N., K. Takamura, H. Hara, D. Kasai, R. Natsume, T. Senda, Y. Katayama, M. Fukuda, and E. Masai: Regulatory system of the protocatechuate 4,5-cleavage pathway genes essential for lignin downstream catabolism, Journal of Bacteriology, 192(13) 3394-3405 (2010)
  • Shintani, M., Y. Takahashi, H. Tokumaru, K. Kadota, H. Hara, M. Miyakoshi, K. Naito, H. Yamane, H. Nishida, and H. Nojiri: Response of the Pseudomonas host chromosomal transcriptome to carriage of the IncP-7 plasmid pCAR1, Environmental Microbiology, 12(6) 1413-1426 (2010)
  • Hara, H., G. R. Stewart, and W. W. Mohn: Involvement of a novel ABC transporter and monoalkyl phthalate ester hydrolase in phthalate ester catabolism by Rhodococcus jostii RHA1. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 76(5) 1516-1523 (2010)
  • Akanuma, G., H. Hara, Y. Ohnishi, and S. Horinouchi: Dynamic changes in the extracellular proteome caused by absence of a pleiotropic regulator AdpA in Streptomyces griseus. Molecular Microbiology., 73(5) 898-912 (2009)
  • Tezuka, T., H. Hara, Y. Ohnishi, and S. Horinouchi: Identification and gene disruption of small noncoding RNAs in Streptomyces griseus. Journal of Bacteriology, 191(15) 4896-4904 (2009)
  • Hara, H., Y. Ohnishi, and S. Horinouchi: DNA microarray analysis of global gene regulation by A-factor in Streptomyces griseus. Microbiology. 155(7) 2197-2210 (2009)
  • Ohnishi, Y., J. Ishikawa, H. Hara, H. Suzuki, M. Ikenoya, H. Ikeda, A. Yamashita, M. Hattori, and S. Horinouchi: Genome sequence of the streptomycin-producing microorganism Streptomyces griseus IFO13350. Journal of Bacteriology, 190(11) 4050-4060 (2008)
  • Masai, E., Y. Yamamoto, T. Inoue, K. Takamura, H. Hara, D. Kasai, Y. Katayama and M Fukuda: Characterization of ligV essential for catabolism of vanillin by Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6. Bioscience Biotechnology and Biochemistry. 71(10) 2487-2492 (2007)
  • van der Geize, R., K. Yam, T. Heuser, M. H. Wilbrink, H. Hara, W. C. Anderton, E. Sim, L. Dijkhuizen, J. E. Davies, W. W. Mohn, and L. D. Eltis: A gene cluster encoding cholesterol catabolism in a soil actinomycete provides insight into Mycobacterium tuberculosis survival in macrophages. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. USA. 104(6) 1947-1952 (2007)
  • Hara, H., L. D. Eltis, J. E. Davies, and W. W. Mohn: Transcriptomic analysis reveals a bifurcated terephthalate degradation pathway in Rhodococcus sp. RHA1. Journal of Bacteriology, 189(5) 1641-1647 (2007)
  • McLeod, M. P., R. L. Warren, N. Araki, W. W. L. Hsiao, M. Myhre, C. Fernandes, D. Miyazawa, W. Wong, A. L. Lillquist, D. Wang, M. Dosanjh, H. Hara, A. Petrescu, R. D. Morin, G. Yang, J. M. Stott, J. E. Schein, H. Shin, D. Smailus, A. S. Siddiqui, M. A. Marra, S. J. M. Jones, R. Holt, F. S. L. Brinkman, K. Miyauchi, M. Fukuda, J. E. Davies, W. W. Mohn, and L. D. Eltis: The complete genome of Rhodococcus sp. RHA1: insights into a catabolic powerhouse. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. USA. 103(42) 15582-15587 (2006)
  • Goncalves, E. R., H. Hara, D. Miyazawa, J. E. Davies, L. D. Eltis, W. W. Mohn: Transcriptomic assessment of isozymes in the biphenyl pathway of Rhodococcus sp. strain RHA1. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 72(9) 6183-6193. (2006)
  • Sasoh, M., E. Masai, S. Ishibashi, H. Hara, N. Kamimura, K. Miyauchi, M. Fukuda. 2006. Characterization of the terephthalate degradation genes of Comamonas sp. strain E6. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 72(3) 1825-1832 (2006)
  • Hara, H., E. Masai, K. Miyauchi, Y. Katayama, and M. Fukuda: Characterization of 4-carboxy-4-hydroxy-2-oxoadipate aldolase gene and operon structure of the protocatechuate 4,5-cleavage pathway genes in Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6. Journal of Bacteriology, 185(1) 41-50 (2003)
  • Hara, H., E. Masai, Y. Katayama, and M. Fukuda: The 4-oxalomesaconate hydratase gene, involved in the protocatechuate 4,5-cleavage pathway, is essential to vanillate and syringate degradation in Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6. Journal of Bacteriology, 182(24) 6950-6957. (2000)
  • Masai, E., K, Momose, H. Hara, S. Nishikawa, Y. Katayama, and M. Fukuda. 2000. Genetic and biochemical characterization of 4-carboxy-2-hydroxymuconate-6- semialdehyde dehydrogenase and its role in the protocatechuate 4,5-cleavage pathway in Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6. Journal of Bacteriology, 182(23) 6651-6658 (2000)
  • Masai, E., S. Shinohara, H. Hara, S. Nishikawa, Y. Katayama, and M. Fukuda. 1999. Genetic and biochemical characterization of a 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid hydrolase involved in the protocatechuate 4, 5-cleavage pathway of Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6. Journal of Bacteriology, 181(1) 55-62 (1999)