Yuki Hitora
Research highlight

Organisms such as microbes, plants and insects interact with each other
through chemical compounds in nature. We collect microbes such as filamentous
fungi from natural resources across Kyushu, and screen for microbe-derived
low molecular weight compounds (i.e. natural products). We aim to determine
how these natural products regulate interspecific interactions, and discover
novel candidate pesticides and pharmaceuticals from these natural products.
Left: filamentous fungi isolated from natural resources across Kyushu.
Résumé
2015.03: PhD, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University
of Tokyo
2015.04 – 2016.05: Visiting scientist, Riken
2016.06 – 2019.03: Assistant professor, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Kumamoto University
2019.04 – 2022.04: Assistant professor, Global Center for Natural Resources
Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University
2022.05 – present: Associate professor, Global Center for Natural Resources
Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University

Contact information
Tel:
(+81) 096-371-4382
Email: hitora(at)kumamoto-u.ac.jp
Address:
5-1 Oehonmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 862-0973 JAPAN
Oe campus
School of Pharmacy Main Building, Room A130
PhD., Associate professor
Natural medicines
Department of Molecular Agriculture
Select publications
Bioinspired Total Synthesis and Structural Reidentification of Alstrostines.
Daiki Hiruma, Akiho Yoshidome, Kenta Rakumitsu, Mariko Kitajima, Yuki Hitora, Sachiko Tsukamoto, Johann Schinnerl, Lothar Brecker, Hayato Ishikawa.
Chemistry – A European Journal 2025/3/2
Pestones A and B from a Fungus Pestalotiopsis sp. Bound to Mutant p53 and
Changed Its Conformation. Yusaku Sadahiro, Misaki Okubo, Yuki Hitora, Natsuko Hitora-Imamura, Shunsuke Kotani, Sachiko Tsukamoto. Journal of
Natural Products 2025/2/28
Modulators of the ubiquitin–proteasome system from natural products: chemical
structures and their potential for drug discovery. Yuki Hitora, Sachiko Tsukamoto. Natural Product Reports 2025
Machine Learning Accelerates Screening of Osteoclast Differentiation Inhibitors
from Natural Products. Yuki Hitora, Mako Hokaguchi, Yusaku Sadahiro, Takumi Higaki, Sachiko Tsukamoto. Journal
of natural products 2024/10/4
Stereochemical Assignment of the 36-Membered Macrolide Ring Portion of
Poecillastrin C. Raku Irie, Yuki Hitora, Ryuichi Watanabe, Hugh Clark, Yu Suyama, Shinji Sekiya, Toshiyuki Suzuki,
Kentaro Takada, Shigeki Matsunaga, Seijiro Hosokawa …. Organic Letters
2024/6/12
Neopetromin, a Cyclic Tripeptide with a C-N Cross-Link, from the Marine
Sponge Neopetrosia sp., That Causes Vacuole Fragmentation in Tobacco BY-2
Cells. Yuki Hitora, Ahmed H El-Desoky, Yusaku Sadahiro, Ai Sejiyama, Amiri Kinoshita, Yuji
Ise, Esther D Angkouw, Remy E P Mangindaan, Takumi Higaki, Sachiko Tsukamoto.
Journal of natural products 2024/3/19
A new linear peptide, higapeptin, isolated from the mud flat-derived fungus
Acremonium persicinum inhibits mitochondrial energy metabolism. Ahmed H.
El-Desoky, Yuki Hitora, Yoshitomo Nishime, Yusaku Sadahiro, Teppei Kawahara, Sachiko Tsukamoto.
Journal of Natural Medicines 78(3) 505-513 2024/2/29
Akanthomins A–C, aphidicolin analogs from a fungus Akanthomyces sp., that
inhibit cell cycle. Koyo Honda, Yuki Hitora, Sachiko Tsukamoto. Phytochemistry 216 113885-113885 2023/12
Aaptocarbamates A−G, chlorinated terpene carbamates with antiosteoclastogenic
activities from the marine sponge Aaptos sp. Ahmed H. El-Desoky, Keisuke
Eguchi, Ippei Kagiyama, Yuki Hitora, Hikaru Kato, Yuji Ise, Fitje Losung, Remy E.P. Mangindaan, Sachiko Tsukamoto.
Phytochemistry 216 113872-113872 2023/12
Syrosingopine Enhances 20S Proteasome Activity and Degradation of α-Synuclein.
Yusaku Sadahiro, Soichiro Nishimura, Yuki Hitora, Sachiko Tsukamoto. Journal of Natural Products 2023/11/8
The Search for Inhibitors of the Ubiquitin-proteasome System from Natural
Sources by Cell-based Screening in Reporter-expressing Cells. Yuki Hitora, Sachiko Tsukamoto. Journal of Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Japan 81(11)
1073-1080 2023/11/1
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Siladenoserinol A Analogs Possessing
a Diastereomeric 6,8-Dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane Skeleton. Masahito Yoshida,
Kohei Sasaoka, Kohei Hano, Yoshiyuki Sugiyama, Yuki Hitora, Takayuki Doi, Sachiko Tsukamoto, Hideo Kigoshi. Bulletin of the Chemical
Society of Japan 2023/10/6
A monoacylglyceryltrimethylhomoserine, 21F121-A, containing a branched
acyl group from Penicillium glaucoroseum. Ichiro Kimura, Yuki Hitora, Yusaku Sadahiro, Teppei Kawahara, Sachiko Tsukamoto. Journal of Natural
Medicines 2023/7/29
CyclosporinA derivative as therapeutic candidate for Alport syndrome by
inducing mutant type IV collagen secretion. Jun Kuwazuru, Mary Ann Suico,
Kohei Omachi, Haruka Kojima, Misato Kamura, Shota Kaseda, Teppei Kawahara,
Yuki Hitora, Hikaru Kato, Sachiko Tsukamoto …. Kidney360 Publish Ahead of Print 2023/5/5
Arteperoxides A–C, tris-normonoterpene–sesquiterpene conjugates with peroxide-bridges
from Artemisia judaica exhibiting antiosteoclastogenic activity. Ahmed
H. El-Desoky, Toshifumi Asano, Yuka Maeyama, Hikaru Kato, Yuki Hitora, Eishu Goto, Shunsuke Kotani, Makoto Nakajima, Sachiko Tsukamoto. Phytochemistry
206 113548-113548 2023/2
Divergent Total Syntheses of Hetero-Oligomeric Iridoid Glycosides. Akiho
Yoshidome, Jukiya Sakamoto, Mizuki Kohara, Shinya Shiomi, Mako Hokaguchi,
Yuki Hitora, Mariko Kitajima, Sachiko Tsukamoto, Hayato Ishikawa. ORGANIC LETTERS
2023/1
Combinatorial screening for therapeutics in ATTRv amyloidosis identifies
naphthoquinone analogues as TTR-selective amyloid disruptors. Ryoko Sasaki,
Mary Ann Suico, Keisuke Chosa, Yuriko Teranishi, Takashi Sato, Asuka Kagami,
Shunsuke Kotani, Hikaru Kato, Yuki Hitora, Sachiko Tsukamoto …. Journal of Pharmacological Sciences 151(1) 54-62
2023/1
Cyclopsammocinamides A and B, Enantiomeric Cyclic Peptides of Cyclocinamide
A, from the Marine Sponge Psammocinia sp. El-Desoky, A.H.H., Hitora, Y., Onodera, K., Ise, Y., Losung, F., Mangindaan, R.E.P., Tsukamoto, S. Chemical
and Pharmaceutical Bulletin 70(11) 818-822 2022/11/1
Colletofragarone A2 Inhibits Cancer Cell Growth In Vivo and Leads to the
Degradation and Aggregation of Mutant p53. Yusaku Sadahiro, Yuki Hitora, Ichiro Kimura, Natsuko Hitora-Imamura, Risako Onodera, Keiichi Motoyama,
Sachiko Tsukamoto. Chemical Research in Toxicology 35(9) 1598-1603 2022/9/19
Cell-based screening of extracts of natural sources to search for inhibitors
of the ubiquitin–proteasome system and identification of proteasome inhibitors
from the fungus Remotididymella sp. Soichiro Nishimura, Yuki Hitora, Teppei Kawahara, Mika Tanabe, Eisuke Ogata, Hikaru Kato, Pattaravadee
Srikoon, Takashi Watanabe, Sachiko Tsukamoto. Bioorganic & Medicinal
Chemistry Letters 59 128566-128566 2022/3
Isolation, Synthesis, and Structure–Activity Relationship Study on Daphnane
and Tigliane Diterpenes as HIV Latency-Reversing Agents. Ahmed H. H. El-Desoky,
Keisuke Eguchi, Naoki Kishimoto, Toshifumi Asano, Hikaru Kato, Yuki Hitora, Shunsuke Kotani, Teruya Nakamura, Soken Tsuchiya, Teppei Kawahara ….
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 65(4) 3460-3472 2022/2/24
Colletofragarone A2 and Colletoins A–C from a Fungus Colletotrichum sp.
Decrease Mutant p53 Levels in Cells. Yusaku Sadahiro, Yuki Hitora, Sachiko Tsukamoto. Journal of Natural Products 84(12) 3131-3137 2021/12/24
Neopetrosidines A–D, pyridine alkaloids isolated from the marine sponge
Neopetrosia chaliniformis and their cell cycle elongation activity. Yuki Hitora, Rika Maeda, Koyo Honda, Yusaku Sadahiro, Yuji Ise, Esther D. Angkouw,
Remy E.P. Mangindaan, Sachiko Tsukamoto. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry
50 116461-116461 2021/11
Amakusamine from a Psammocinia sp. Sponge: Isolation, Synthesis, and SAR
Study on the Inhibition of RANKL-Induced Formation of Multinuclear Osteoclasts.
Yuka Maeyama, Yuta Nakashima, Hikaru Kato, Yuki Hitora, Kazuhiko Maki, Natsumi Inada, Shunya Murakami, Tomoaki Inazumi, Yuji
Ise, Yukihiko Sugimoto …. Journal of Natural Products 84(10) 2738-2743
2021/10/22
Taichunins E–T, Isopimarane Diterpenes and a 20-nor-Isopimarane, from Aspergillus
taichungensis (IBT 19404): Structures and Inhibitory Effects on RANKL-Induced
Formation of Multinuclear Osteoclasts Ahmed H. H. El-Desoky, Natsumi Inada,
Yuka Maeyama, Hikaru Kato, Yuki Hitora, Momona Sebe, Mika Nagaki, Aika Kai, Keisuke Eguchi, Tomoaki Inazumi ….
Journal of Natural Products 84(9) 2475-2485 2021/9/24
Halichonic Acid B, a Rearranged Nitrogenous Bisabolene-Type Sesquiterpene
from a Marine Sponge Axinyssa sp. Yuki Hitora, Kenta Ogura, Ahmed H. H. El-Desoky, Yuji Ise, Esther D. Angkouw, Remy
E. P. Mangindaan, Sachiko Tsukamoto. Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin
69(8) 802-805 2021/8/1
Fluorescent image-based high-content screening of extracts of natural resources
for cell cycle inhibitors and identification of a new sesquiterpene quinone
from the sponge, Dactylospongia metachromia. Hitora, Y., Sejiyama, A., Honda, K., Ise, Y., Losung, F., Mangindaan, R.E.P., Tsukamoto,
S. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry 31 115968-115968 2021/2
Peniphilones A and B: Azaphilone alkaloids from the endophytic fungus penicillium
maximae. Koyanagi, Y., Hitora, Y., Kawahara, T., Tsukamoto, S. Heterocycles 102(2) 325-332 2021