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Keiko-Torii

Keiko Torii
Affiliate Professor
ktorii@utexas.edu
Not accepting graduate students
Fields of interest
Cell and Molecular Biology, Development, Plant Biology

In Fall 2019 Torii Lab at HHMI is relocating to UT Austin, where Keiko Torii has accepted a position as Johnson & Johnson Centennial Professor of Plant Cell Biology.

Keiko Torii is a founding member of the Institute of Transformative BioMolecules at Nagoya University, one of the World Premier Research Institute in Japan.

The goal of research in the Torii lab is to elucidate the molecular and cellular bases of the functional tissue patterning, stem cell maintenance and differentitation, and cell-fate specification in plants.

We discovered that three receptor kinases that regulate cell proliferation and organ growth together control stomatal patterning. Stomata are turgor-driven valves on the surface of land plants. Stomata play critical roles for gas exchange between plants and atmosphere for carbon fixation, respiration, and transpiration (i.e. water movement). Our latest breakthrough includes the identification of master regulatory genes and ligand-receptor pairs that direct asymmetric cell division and stomatal differentiation. Our research opens a door to understand the fundamental genetic and cellular signaling mechanisms that govern two critical aspects of plant functions, organ growth and stomatal development.

Professional Preparation

B.S. (1987), M.S. (1989), Ph.D. (1993): Biology (major in Biochemistry and Biophysics). Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan

Positions

Oversea Principal Investigator and Visiting Professor, Institute of Transformative Biomolecules, Nagoya University, Japan 2013-

Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute  2011-

Endowed Distinguised Professor of Biology 2011-2019

Investigator, PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency 2008-2012

Professor, Department of Biology, University of Washington 2009-2019

Associate Professor, Department of Biology, University of Washington 2005

Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, University of Washington 2002

Affiliate Faculty, University of Washington Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine 2006-

Regulation of inflorescence architecture by intertissue layer ligand-receptor communication between endodermis and phloem., Uchida, Naoyuki, Lee Jin Suk, Horst Robin J., Lai Hung-Hsueh, Kajita Ryoko, Kakimoto Tatsuo, Tasaka Masao, and Torii Keiko U. , Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2012 Apr 17, Volume 109, Issue 16, p.6337-42, (2012)
Mechanisms of stomatal development., Pillitteri, Lynn Jo, and Torii Keiko U. , Annual review of plant biology, 2012 Jun 2, Volume 63, p.591-614, (2012)
Direct interaction of ligand-receptor pairs specifying stomatal patterning., Lee, Jin Suk, Kuroha Takeshi, Hnilova Marketa, Khatayevich Dmitriy, Kanaoka Masahiro M., McAbee Jessica M., Sarikaya Mehmet, Tamerler Candan, and Torii Keiko U. , Genes & development, 2012 Jan 12, (2012)
Molecular profiling of stomatal meristemoids reveals new component of asymmetric cell division and commonalities among stem cell populations in Arabidopsis., Pillitteri, Lynn Jo, Peterson Kylee M., Horst Robin J., and Torii Keiko U. , Plant Cell, 2011 Sep, Volume 23, Issue 9, p.3260-75, (2011)
The presence of multiple introns is essential for ERECTA expression in Arabidopsis., Karve, Rucha, Liu Wusheng, Willet Spencer G., Torii Keiko U., and Shpak Elena D. , RNA , 2011 Oct, Volume 17, Issue 10, p.1907-21, (2011)
Dysregulation of cell-to-cell connectivity and stomatal patterning by loss-of-function mutation in Arabidopsis chorus (glucan synthase-like 8), Guseman, J. M., Lee J. S., Bogenschutz N. L., Peterson K. M., Virata R. E., Xie B., Kanaoka M. M., Hong Z., and Torii K. U. , Development, 2010, Volume 137, Issue 10, p.1731-41, (2010)
FERONIA as an upstream receptor kinase for polar cell growth in plants., Kanaoka, Masahiro M., and Torii Keiko U. , Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2010 Oct 12, Volume 107, Issue 41, p.17461-2, (2010)
Out of the mouths of plants: the molecular basis of the evolution and diversity of stomatal development, Peterson, K. M., Rychel A. L., and Torii K. U. , Plant Cell, 2010, Volume 22, Issue 2, p.296-306, (2010)
Ethylene-induced hyponastic growth in Arabidopsis thaliana is controlled by ERECTA, van Zanten, M., Basten Snoek L., van Eck-Stouten E., Proveniers M. C., Torii K. U., Voesenek L. A., Peeters A. J., and Millenaar F. F. , Plant J, 2010, Volume 61, Issue 1, p.83-95, (2010)
Epidermal cell density is autoregulated via a secretory peptide, EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR 2 in Arabidopsis leaves, Hara, K., Yokoo T., Kajita R., Onishi T., Yahata S., Peterson K. M., Torii K. U., and Kakimoto T. , Plant Cell Physiol, 2009, Volume 50, Issue 6, p.1019-31, (2009)
SCREAM/ICE1 and SCREAM2 specify three cell-state transitional steps leading to arabidopsis stomatal differentiation, Kanaoka, M. M., Pillitteri L. J., Fujii H., Yoshida Y., Bogenschutz N. L., Takabayashi J., Zhu J. K., and Torii K. U. , Plant Cell, 2008, Volume 20, Issue 7, p.1775-85, (2008)
The bHLH protein, MUTE, controls differentiation of stomata and the hydathode pore in Arabidopsis, Pillitteri, L. J., Bogenschutz N. L., and Torii K. U. , Plant Cell Physiol, 2008, Volume 49, Issue 6, p.934-43, (2008)
Breaking the silence: three bHLH proteins direct cell-fate decisions during stomatal development, Pillitteri, L. J., and Torii K. U. , Bioessays, 2007, Volume 29, Issue 9, p.861-70, (2007)
Termination of asymmetric cell division and differentiation of stomata, Pillitteri, L. J., Sloan D. B., Bogenschutz N. L., and Torii K. U. , Nature, 2007, Volume 445, Issue 7127, p.501-5, (2007)
The secretory peptide gene EPF1 enforces the stomatal one-cell-spacing rule, Hara, K., Kajita R., Torii K. U., Bergmann D. C., and Kakimoto T. , Genes Dev, 2007, Volume 21, Issue 14, p.1720-5, (2007)
Haploinsufficiency after successive loss of signaling reveals a role for ERECTA-family genes in Arabidopsis ovule development, Pillitteri, L. J., Bemis S. M., Shpak E. D., and Torii K. U. , Development, 2007, Volume 134, Issue 17, p.3099-109, (2007)
Autonomy of cell proliferation and developmental programs during Arabidopsis aboveground organ morphogenesis, Bemis, S. M., and Torii K. U. , Dev Biol, 2007, Volume 304, Issue 1, p.367-81, (2007)
Interaction of auxin and ERECTA in elaborating Arabidopsis inflorescence architecture revealed by the activation tagging of a new member of the YUCCA family putative flavin monooxygenases, Woodward, C., Bemis S. M., Hill E. J., Sawa S., Koshiba T., and Torii K. U. , Plant Physiol, 2005, Volume 139, Issue 1, p.192-203, (2005)
Stomatal patterning and differentiation by synergistic interactions of receptor kinases, Shpak, E. D., McAbee J. M., Pillitteri L. J., and Torii K. U. , Science, 2005, Volume 309, Issue 5732, p.290-3, (2005)
Synergistic interaction of three ERECTA-family receptor-like kinases controls Arabidopsis organ growth and flower development by promoting cell proliferation, Shpak, E. D., Berthiaume C. T., Hill E. J., and Torii K. U. , Development, 2004, Volume 131, Issue 7, p.1491-501, (2004)
Dominant-negative receptor uncovers redundancy in the Arabidopsis ERECTA Leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase signaling pathway that regulates organ shape, Shpak, E. D., Lakeman M. B., and Torii K. U. , Plant Cell, 2003, Volume 15, Issue 5, p.1095-110, (2003)