Yasuo Yamakoshi , PhD
Biologic & Materials Sciences
Associate Research Scientist
yamasan@umich.edu
additional contact information
 
 

Related Links:
Simmer Lab, Tooth Development Research

Dr. Yamakoshi joined the University of Michigan in April 2003 and has established a state-of-the-art proteomics research facility at the Dental research Laboratory, University of Michigan. Dr. Yamakoshi is an extremely productive research scientist, and rates among the best biochemists worldwide in the field of dentin and enamel extracellular matrix molecules. In the past 3 years (2006, 2007, and 2008) he has 15 peer reviewed publications (listed below). Four of these papers he is 1st author. These relate to his “independent” research. Six of the papers he is 2nd author. Most of these are papers relate to his training a PhD student or post-doctoral fellow, who is the 1st author. The rest of the papers are “collaborative” research.

This year (2008), Dr. Yamakoshi received his first RO1 grant entitled “Structural and Functional Analysis of Dentin Proteins”. He also has established many successful collaboration. He is an investigator on Dr. James Simmer’s RO1 entitled “Proteomics and genetics of enamel and dentin”. His collaboration with investigators at the Forsyth Dental Institute has been extremely fruitful as well. He is an essential investigator on Dr. Henry Margolis’ RO1 entitled “Matrix protein regulation of enamel mineral formation” and Dr. John D. Bartlett RO1 entitled “Enamelysin Processing Mechanisms in Amelogenesis”.

Dr. Yamakoshi’s ongoing research effort is improving our understanding of normal and diseased dentin and enamel formation. Dr. Yamakoshi has established　systematic　approaches directed toward isolating important proteins from developing teeth and studying the interactions between different enamel and dentin proteins. His skills and knowledge in biochemistry and interests in tooth formation and bioengineering will one-day lead to the production of synthetic enamel to be used as a dental restorative.

Scholarly activities

Besides being an excellent scientist and being associated with quality publications, Dr. Yamakoshi provides his services to support the research community. He has provided review of manuscripts for scientific journals. He has a special relationship with many Dental Colleges and Universities in Japan. Five post-doctoral fellows,Drs. Yoshishige Yamada, Takanori Iwata, Kazuyuki Kobayashi, Takatoshi Nagano and Shuhei Tsuchiya, have worked in his lab for a period of 1 or 2 years. He also worked with Oral Health Sciences Ph.D students, Dr. Yong-Hee Chun, Dr. Yuhe Lu, Dr. Turki Al Hazzazi, and dental students facilitated their research effort (Ms. Erin Ealba, Mr. Reda Taleb and Ms. Samanta M. Moraes). This increases his productivity (i.e., the second authorships in publications list). He has served as a member on the scientific council for the Enamel VII Conference; an international symposium took place in April 2005 at Brewster, Massachusetts.

2006-2008 Publications

1.    Kim JW, Yamakoshi Y, Iwata T, Hu YY, Zhang H, Hu JC and Simmer JP (2006) Porcine dentin matrix protein 1: gene structure, cDNA sequence, and expression in teeth. Eur J Oral Sci 114(1):33-41.

2.    Turk BE, Lee DH, Yamakoshi Y, Klingenhoff A, Reichenberger E, Wright JT, Simmer JP, Komisarof JA, Cantley LC and Bartlett JD (2006) MMP-20 is predominately a tooth-specific enzyme with a deep catalytic pocket that hydrolyzes type V collagen. Biochemistry 45(12): 3863-74.

3.    Hu JC, Yamakoshi Y, Yamakoshi F, Krebsbach PH and Simmer JP (2005) Proteomics and genetics of dental enamel. Cells Tissues Organs 181(3-4):219-31.

4.    Yamakoshi Y, Hu JC, Fukae M, Yamakoshi F and Simmer JP (2006) How do enamelysin and kallikrein 4 process the 32-kDa enamelin? Eur J Oral Sci. 114Suppl 1:45-51; discussion 93-5, 379-80.

5.    Chun YH, Yamakoshi Y, Kim JW, Iwata T, Hu JC and Simmer JP. (2006) Porcine SPARC: isolation from dentin, cDNA sequence and computer model. Eur J Oral Sci. 114Suppl 1:78-85; discussion 93-5, 379-80.

6.    Yamakoshi Y, Hu JC, Zhang H, Iwata T, Yamakoshi F and Simmer JP (2006) Proteomic analysis of enamel matrix using a two-dimensional protein fractionation system. Eur J Oral Sci. 114Suppl 1:266-71; discussion 285-6, 382.

7.    Nagano T, Oida S, Suzuki S, Iwata T, Yamakoshi Y, Ogata Y, Gomi K, Arai T and Fukae M (2006) Porcine Enamel Protein Fractions Contain Transforming Growth Factor-beta 1. J Periodontal. 77(10): 1688-1694.

8.    Yamakoshi Y, Hu JC, Iwata T, Kobayashi K, Fukae M and Simmer JP (2006) Dentin sialophosphoprotein is processed by MMP-2 and MMP-20 in vitro and in vivo. J Biol Chem 281(50):38235-38243.

9.    Iwata T, Yamakoshi Y, Hu JC-C, Ishikawa I, Bartlett JD, Krebsbach PH, and Simmer JP (2007). Processing of Ameloblastin by MMP-20. J Dent Res 86:153-157.

10.    Iwata T, Yamakoshi Y, Simmer JP, Ishikawa I, and Hu JC-C. (2007) Establishment of porcine pulp-derived cell lines and expression of rDSP and rDMP1, Eur J Oral Sci. 115:48-56.

11.    K. Kobayashi, Y. Yamakoshi, J. C-C. Hu, K. Gomi, T. Arai, M. Fukae, P. H. Krebsbach, J. P. Simmer (2007) Splicing determines the glycosylation state of ameloblastin. J Dent Res 86:962-7

12.    Wiedemann-Bidlack FB, Beniash E, Yamakoshi Y, Simmer JP and Margolis HC (2007) pH Triggered Self-Assembly of Native and Recombinant Amelogenins under Physiological pH and Temperature in vitro. J Struct Biol 160:57-69.

13.    Hu JC, Hu Y, Smith CE, McKee MD, Wright JT, Yamakoshi Y, Papagerakis P, Hunter GK, Feng JQ, Yamakoshi F, Simmer JP (2008) Enamel defects and ameloblast-specific expression in enamelin knockout/LACZ knockin mice. J Biol Chem 283(16):10858-10871.

14.    Yamakoshi Y, Lu Y, Hu JC, Kim JW, Iwata T, Kobayashi K, Nagano T, Yamakoshi F, Hu Y, Fukae M, Simmer JP. (2008) Porcine dentin sialophosphoprotein: length polymorphisms, glycosylation, phosphorylation, and stability. J Biol Chem 283(21):14835-14844.

15.    Lu Y, Papagerakis P, Yamakoshi Y, Hu JC, Bartlett JD, Simmer JP. (2008) Functions of KLK4 and MMP-20 in dental enamel formation. Biol Chem. 389(6):695-700.

Ongoing Funded Projects

RO1 DE018020 Yasuo Yamakoshi (PI)    02/20/2008-12/31/2012

NIDCR    Title: Structural and Functional Analysis of Dentin Proteins

The focus of this application is (1) to identify the protease that catalyzes the initial cleavage of DSPP (generating DPP) and to determine if early cleavage products (DSP, DGP, and DPP) segregate preferentially into predentin, peritubular dentin, or intertubular dentin, (2) to determine which DSPP-derived proteins are structural (long-lived) and which are transient (degraded) and characterize the enzymatic processes that determine this, and (3) to characterize the structural/functional properties of the major early DSPP derived proteins and their long-lived cleavage products.

Role: PI

RO1 DE 015846 James P. Simmer (PI)    3/1/2004-2/28/2009

NIDCR    Title: Proteomics and Genetics of Enamel and Dentin.

Isolate and characterize molecules in the extracellular matrices of developing enamel and dentin. Identify genes and mutations that cause Amelogenesis imperfecta and dentinogenesis imperfecta.

Role: Investigator.

RO1 DE 016376 Henry C. Margolis (PI)    09/01/2005-08/31/2010

NIDCR Title: Matrix protein regulation of enamel mineral formation.

Dr. Yamakoshi is to provide recombinant amelogenins from mouse and pigs as well as native p173 and p148 amelogenins from pig for the proposed studies.

Role: Investigator.

RO1 DE 016276 John D. Bartlett (PI)    3/1/2006 – 2/28/2011

NIDCR    Title: Enamelysin Processing Mechanisms in Amelogenesis.

The focus of this application is to define how enamelysin (MMP20) processes enamel proteins in vitro and in vivo, and to determine how such processing allows for proper enamel development.

Role: Investigator