Although many factors involved in seed development and seed sizes/numbers have been identified, the precise mechanisms of how plants accomplish seed development and control these seed traits are largely unknown. Using the confocal microscopy real-time live-cell imaging approach, we are investigating the molecular mechanisms, cellular dynamics, and evolution of land plant sexual reproduction, especially focusing on stages from fertilization to early seed/embryo development.
Scholars@UK
The PO-Driven Model: A Basic Science Pipeline for the Bioeconomy with Solutions Inspired by Convergent Evolution for Connecting Parallel Research Ideas
Roy, T., Lee, J. Y., Kawashima, T., Monroe, G. & Chakrabarty, P., Jul 1 2025, In: Integrative and Comparative Biology. 65, 1, p. 22-27 6 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
The peri-germ cell membrane: poorly characterized but key interface for plant reproduction
Sugi, N., Calhau, A. R. M., Jacquier, N. M. A., Millan-Blanquez, M., Becker, J. D., Begcy, K., Berger, F., Bousquet-Antonelli, C., Bouyer, D., Cai, G., Cheung, A. Y., Coimbra, S., Denninger, P., Dresselhaus, T., Feijó, J. A., Fowler, J. E., Geelen, D., Grossniklaus, U., Higashiyama, T. & Honys, D. & 24 others, , Nov 2024, In: Nature Plants. 10, 11, p. 1607-1609 3 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review
Cytoskeletal dynamics of gamete nuclear migration in flowering plants, animals, and yeast
Zhang, Y. & Kawashima, T., Jan 2025, Fertilization and Activation of Development. p. 33-53 21 p. (Current Topics in Developmental Biology; vol. 162).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
Dehydrin Client Proteins Identified Using Phage Display Affinity Selected Libraries Processed With Paired-End Phage Sequencing
Unêda-Trevisoli, S. H., Dirk, L. M. A., Pereira, F. E. C. B., Chakrabarti, M., Hao, G., Campbell, J. M., Nayakwadi, S. D. B., Morrison, A., Joshi, S., Perry, S. E., Sharma, V., Mensah, C., Willard, B., de Lorenzo, L., Afroza, B., Hunt, A. G., Kawashima, T., Vaillancourt, L., Pinheiro, D. G. & Downie, A. B., Dec 2024, In: Molecular and Cellular Proteomics. 23, 12, 100867.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Insights into dynamic coenocytic endosperm development: Unraveling molecular, cellular, and growth complexity
Sharma, V., Ali, M. F. & Kawashima, T., Oct 2024, In: Current Opinion in Plant Biology. 81, 102566.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Evidence of a novel silencing effect on transgenes in the Arabidopsis thaliana sperm cell
Ohnishi, Y. & Kawashima, T., Nov 2023, In: Plant Cell. 35, 11, p. 3926-3936 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
F-actin regulates the polarized secretion of pollen tube attractants in Arabidopsis synergid cells
Susaki, D., Izumi, R., Oi, T., Takeuchi, H., Shin, J. M., Sugi, N., Kinoshita, T., Higashiyama, T., Kawashima, T. & Maruyama, D., Apr 2023, In: Plant Cell. 35, 4, p. 1222-1240 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Cellular dynamics of coenocytic endosperm development in Arabidopsis thaliana
Ali, M. F., Shin, J. M., Fatema, U., Kurihara, D., Berger, F., Yuan, L. & Kawashima, T., Feb 2023, In: Nature Plants. 9, 2, p. 330-342 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Live-cell imaging reveals the cellular dynamics in seed development
Shin, J. M., Yuan, L. & Kawashima, T., Dec 2022, In: Plant Science. 325, 111485.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Effect of assimilate competition during early seed development on the pod and seed growth traits in soybean
Ali, M. F., Brown, P., Thomas, J., Salmerόn, M. & Kawashima, T., Sep 2022, In: Plant Reproduction. 35, 3, p. 179-188 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals conserved programmes underpinning organogenesis and reproduction in land plants
Julca, I., Ferrari, C., Flores-Tornero, M., Proost, S., Lindner, A. C., Hackenberg, D., Steinbachová, L., Michaelidis, C., Gomes Pereira, S., Misra, C. S., Kawashima, T., Borg, M., Berger, F., Goldberg, J., Johnson, M., Honys, D., Twell, D., Sprunck, S., Dresselhaus, T. & Becker, J. D. & 1 others, , Aug 2021, In: Nature Plants. 7, 8, p. 1143-1159 17 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Soybean seed weight responds to increases in assimilate supply during late seed-fill phase
Chiluwal, A., Kawashima, T. & Salmeron, M., 2022, In: Journal of Crop Improvement. 36, 2, p. 222-238 17 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Insights into the molecular evolution of fertilization mechanism in land plants
Sharma, V., Clark, A. J. & Kawashima, T., Dec 2021, In: Plant Reproduction. 34, 4, p. 353-364 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Formins control dynamics of F-actin in the central cell of Arabidopsis thaliana
Ali, M. F. & Kawashima, T., 2021, In: Plant Signaling and Behavior. 16, 8, 1920192.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
ARP2/3-independent WAVE/SCAR pathway and class XI myosin control sperm nuclear migration in flowering plants
Ali, M. F., Fatema, U., Peng, X., Hacker, S. W., Maruyama, D., Sun, M. X. & Kawashima, T., Dec 22 2020, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 117, 51, p. 32757-32763 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Genome-wide profiling of histone modifications and histone variants in Arabidopsis thaliana and Marchantia polymorpha
Yelagandula, R., Osakabe, A., Axelsson, E., Berger, F. & Kawashima, T., 2017, Methods in Molecular Biology. p. 93-106 14 p. (Methods in Molecular Biology; vol. 1610).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
The histone variant H2A.W defines heterochromatin and promotes chromatin condensation in arabidopsis
Yelagandula, R., Stroud, H., Holec, S., Zhou, K., Feng, S., Zhong, X., Muthurajan, U. M., Nie, X., Kawashima, T., Groth, M., Luger, K., Jacobsen, S. E. & Berger, F., Jul 3 2014, In: Cell. 158, 1, p. 98-109 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Rapid elimination of the persistent synergid through a cell fusion mechanism
Maruyama, D., Völz, R., Takeuchi, H., Mori, T., Igawa, T., Kurihara, D., Kawashima, T., Ueda, M., Ito, M., Umeda, M., Nishikawa, S. I., Groß-Hardt, R. & Higashiyama, T., May 7 2015, In: Cell. 161, 4, p. 907-918 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Diversification of histone H2A variants during plant evolution
Kawashima, T., Lorković, Z. J., Nishihama, R., Ishizaki, K., Axelsson, E., Yelagandula, R., Kohchi, T. & Berger, F., Jul 1 2015, In: Trends in Plant Science. 20, 7, p. 419-425 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
The suspensor: not just suspending the embryo
Kawashima, T. & Goldberg, R. B., Jan 2010, In: Trends in Plant Science. 15, 1, p. 23-30 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
The Agronomy of Hemp and Its Uses in Forage-Animal Agriculture
Kawashima, T. (PI)
8/1/25 → 7/31/26
Project: Research project
The Agronomy of Hemp and Its Uses in Forage-Animal Agriculture
Matthews, J. (PI), Gauthier, N. (CoI), Harmon, D. (CoI), Hunt, A. (CoI), Ji, H. (CoI), Kawashima, T. (CoI), Lawrence, L. (CoI), Mark, T. (CoI), Moe, L. (CoI), Page, A. (CoI), Pearce, R. (CoI), Schendel, R. (CoI), Villanueva, R. (CoI) & Xiong, Y. (CoI)
8/1/25 → 7/31/26
Project: Research project
REU: Collaborative Research: How Do Plants Control Sperm Nuclear Migration For Successful Fertilization? (47.074)
Kawashima, T. (PI)
1/15/24 → 12/31/26
Project: Research project
REU: Collaborative Research: How Do Plants Control Sperm Nuclear Migration For Successful Fertilization? (47.083)
Kawashima, T. (PI)
1/15/24 → 12/31/26
Project: Research project
Collaborative Research: How Do Plants Control Sperm Nuclear Migration For Successful Fertilization? (47.083)
Kawashima, T. (PI)
1/15/24 → 12/31/26
Project: Research project
Collaborative Research: How Do Plants Control Sperm Nuclear Migration For Successful Fertilization? (47.074)
Kawashima, T. (PI)
1/15/24 → 12/31/26
Project: Research project
The Agronomy of Hemp and Its Uses in Forage-Animal Agriculture
Kawashima, T. (PI)
8/1/21 → 7/31/26
Project: Research project
The Agronomy of Hemp and Its Uses in Forage-Animal Agriculture
Matthews, J. (PI), Adam, E. (CoI), Adams, A. (CoI), Ely, D. (CoI), Gauthier, N. (CoI), Harmon, D. (CoI), Hunt, A. (CoI), Ji, H. (CoI), Kawashima, T. (CoI), Lawrence, L. (CoI), Mark, T. (CoI), McCulley, R. (CoI), McLeod, K. (CoI), Moe, L. (CoI), Page, A. (CoI), Pearce, R. (CoI), Schendel, R. (CoI), Urschel, K. (CoI), Vanzant, E. (CoI), Villanueva, R. (CoI) & Xiong, Y. (CoI)
8/1/21 → 7/31/26
Project: Research project
Strengthening Undergraduate Training through Experiential Learning Opportunities in Applied Agronomic Research and Extension (Personnel Scope)
Knott, C. (PI), Haramoto, E. (CoI), Kawashima, T. (CoI), Lee, C. (CoI), Legleiter, T. (CoI), Ritchey, E. (CoI), Salmeron Cortasa, M. (CoI), Teutsch, C. (CoI) & Villanueva, R. (CoI)
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
4/1/18 → 3/31/23
Project: Research project
REU: Closing the Gap between the Genotype and Phenotype by Elucidating Cellular Dynamics of Endosperm Development
Kawashima, T. (PI)
10/1/19 → 9/30/24
Project: Research project
Establishing the Center for Agricultural Fluorescence-Microscopy Experiments and Biological Imaging (CAFE-BI)
Nagy, P. (PI), Kawashima, T. (CoI), Shaffer, C. (CoI), Vaillancourt, L. (CoI) & Goodin, M. (Former CoI)
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
9/1/20 → 8/31/23
Project: Research project
Closing the Gap between the Genotype and Phenotype by Elucidating Cellular Dynamics of Endosperm Development
Kawashima, T. (PI)
10/1/19 → 9/30/24
Project: Research project
Strengthening Undergraduate Training through Experiential Learning Opportunities in Applied Agronomic Research and Extension
Knott, C. (PI), Haramoto, E. (CoI), Kawashima, T. (CoI), Lee, C. (CoI), Legleiter, T. (CoI), Ritchey, E. (CoI), Salmeron Cortasa, M. (CoI), Teutsch, C. (CoI) & Villanueva, R. (CoI)
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
4/1/18 → 3/31/23
Project: Research project
Education
- University of Califorania, Los Angeles, Ph.D.
- University of Tsukuba, B.S.
Associated Departments