Masato Kato, Ph.D.

2020- present Professor, Dept. of Biochemistry, UT Southwestern

2020 - present Team leader, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiolgocal Science and Technology, Japan

2014 - 2020 Associate Professor, Dept. of Biochemistry, UT Southwestern

2010 – 2014 Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biochemistry and Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern

2004 - 2010 Assistant Professor, Dept. of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern

1999 - 2004 Postdoctoral Fellow in Professor Ellenberger’s group, Dept. of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School

1998 - 1999 Postdoctoral Fellow in Professor Hakoshima’s group at Dept. of Molecular Biology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology

Graduate School

Osaka University - Japan (1994), Pharmaceutical Science

Graduate School

Unlisted - International Colle (1998)

• Amyloid-like fiber
• Biochemistry
• Fluorescent microscopy
• Protein-protein and protein-RNA/DNA interaction
• RNA granules
• RNA regulation
• X-ray crystallography

Featured Publications

Redox State Controls Phase Separation of the Yeast Ataxin-2 Protein via Reversible Oxidation of Its Methionine-Rich Low-Complexity Domain.

Kato M, Yang YS, Sutter BM, Wang Y, McKnight SL, Tu BP, Cell 2019 Apr 177 3 711-721.e8

Structure of FUS Protein Fibrils and Its Relevance to Self-Assembly and Phase Separation of Low-Complexity Domains.

Murray DT, Kato M, Lin Y, Thurber KR, Hung I, McKnight SL, Tycko R Cell 2017 Sep

Toxic PR Poly-Dipeptides Encoded by the C9orf72 Repeat Expansion Target LC Domain Polymers.

Lin Y, Mori E, Kato M, Xiang S, Wu L, Kwon I, McKnight SL Cell 2016 Oct 167 3 789-802.e12

Phosphorylation-regulated binding of RNA polymerase II to fibrous polymers of low-complexity domains.

Kwon I, Kato M, Xiang S, Wu L, Theodoropoulos P, Mirzaei H, Han T, Xie S, Corden JL, McKnight SL Cell 2013 Nov 155 5 1049-60

Cell-free Formation of RNA Granules: Low Complexity Sequence Domains Form Dynamic Fibers within Hydrogels.

Kato M, Han TW, Xie S, Shi K, Du X, Wu LC, Mirzaei H, Goldsmith EJ, Longgood J, Pei J, Grishin NV, Frantz DE, Schneider JW, Chen S, Li L, Sawaya MR, Eisenberg D, Tycko R, McKnight SL Cell 2012 May 149 4 753-67

Cell-free Formation of RNA Granules: Bound RNAs Identify Features and Components of Cellular Assemblies.

Han TW, Kato M, Xie S, Wu LC, Mirzaei H, Pei J, Chen M, Xie Y, Allen J, Xiao G, McKnight SL Cell 2012 May 149 4 768-79

Yeast Ataxin-2 Forms an Intracellular Condensate Required for the Inhibition of TORC1 Signaling during Respiratory Growth.

Yang YS, Kato M, Wu X, Litsios A, Sutter BM, Wang Y, Hsu CH, Wood NE, Lemoff A, Mirzaei H, Heinemann M, Tu BP, Cell 2019 Apr 177 3 697-710.e17

Structural characterization of the D290V mutation site in hnRNPA2 low-complexity-domain polymers.

Murray DT, Zhou X, Kato M, Xiang S, Tycko R, McKnight SL Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2018 10 115 42 E9782-E9791

TIA1 Mutations in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia Promote Phase Separation and Alter Stress Granule Dynamics.

Mackenzie IR, Nicholson AM, Sarkar M, Messing J, Purice MD, Pottier C, Annu K, Baker M, Perkerson RB, Kurti A, Matchett BJ, Mittag T, Temirov J, Hsiung GR, Krieger C, Murray ME, Kato M, Fryer JD, Petrucelli L, Zinman L, Weintraub S, Mesulam M, Keith J, Zivkovic SA, Hirsch-Reinshagen V, Roos RP, Züchner S, Graff-Radford NR, Petersen RC, Caselli RJ, Wszolek ZK, Finger E, Lippa C, Lacomis D, Stewart H, Dickson DW, Kim HJ, Rogaeva E, Bigio E, Boylan KB, Taylor JP, Rademakers R Neuron 2017 Aug 95 4 808-816.e9

Cross-? polymerization and hydrogel formation by low-complexity sequence proteins.

Kato M, Lin Y, McKnight SL Methods 2017 Jun

• HFSP Young Investigators Award
  (2008)
• 20th International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) congress Young Scientist Program
  (2006)
• Uehara Memorial Foundation
  (2001)
• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science for Abroad
  (1999)
• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science for Young Scientists
  (1996)