Publications

31ColabReaction: Accelerating Transition State Searches with Machine Learning Potentials on Google Colaboratory

Masayuki Karasawa, Chee Siang Leow, Hideaki Yajima, Shuta Arai, Hiromitsu Nishizaki, Tohru Terada,* Hajime Sato*

J. Chem. Inf. Model. 2025, 65(21), 11908–11914. DOI 10.1021/acs.jcim.5c02398
ChemRxiv 2025

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.5c02398

29Seven-Membered Ring Formation in Triterpene Biosynthesis: A Key Cyclopropane Rearrangement in Ilelic Acid Biosynthesis

Moe Nakano, Kazuma Hiasa, Satoko Sato-Shimizu, Hajime Sato*

J. Org. Chem. 2025, 90, 2907–2914.

DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.4c02541

28Discovery and Theoretical Studies of Non-enzymatic Polyketide Dimerizations of Chaetophenols

Hiroto Matsui, Yohei Morishita, Takashi Yamamoto, Taro Ozaki, Akihiro Sugawara, Yui Masumoto, Mamoru Watanabe, Ayumi Watanabe, Hajime Sato, Junichiro Kanazawa, Tohru Taniguchi, Masanobu Uchiyama,* Teigo Asai*

Org. Lett., 2025, 27, 1095–1099.

DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.4c04346

27<a id="2024JACS_Au">DFT Study on Retigerane-type Sesterterpenoid Biosynthesis: Initial Conformation of GFPP Regulates Biosynthetic Pathway, Ring-construction Order and Stereochemistry</a>

Yuichiro Watanabe, Takahiro Hashishin, Hajime Sato,* Taro Matsuyama, Masaya Nakajima, Jun-ichi Haruta, Masanobu Uchiyama*

JACS Au, 2024, 4, 3484–3491.

DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.4c00313

26Structural-model-based genome mining can efficiently discover novel non-canonical terpene synthases hidden in genomes of diverse species

Tohru Abe, Haruna Shiratori, Kosuke Kashiwazaki, Kazuma Hiasa, Daijiro Ueda, Tohru Taniguchi, Hajime Sato,* Takashi Abe,* Tsutomu Sato*

Chem. Sci., 2024, 15, 10402-10407.

DOI: 10.1039/D4SC01381F

25<a id="2024CPB">Theoretical Study of Natural Product Biosynthesis Using Computational Chemistry.</a>

Hajime Sato*

Chem. Pharm. Bull., 2024, 72, 524-528.

DOI: 10.1248/cpb.c24-00082

24Mechanistic Investigation of the Degradation Pathways of α-β/α-α Bridged Epipolythiodioxopiperazines (ETPs)

Daiki Kurita, Hajime Sato,* Kazunori Miyamoto, Masanobu Uchiyama*

J. Org. Chem., 2023, 88, 12797–12801.

DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.3c01061

23Unraveling the Role of Prenyl Side-Chain Interactions in Stabilizing the Secondary Carbocation in the Biosynthesis of Variexenol B

Moe Nakano, Rintaro Gemma, Hajime Sato*

Beilstein J. Org. Chem., 2023, 19, 1503-1510.

DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.19.107

22Theoretical Study of the Rearrangement Reaction in Bisorbicillinoid Biosynthesis: Insights into the Molecular Mechanisms Involved

Moe Nakano, Hajime Sato*

Org. Biomol. Chem., 2023, 21, 5366-5371.

DOI: 10.1039/D3OB00728F

21Revision of Peniroquesine Biosynthetic Pathway by Retro-biosynthetic Theoretical Analysis: Ring Strain Controls the Unique Carbocation Rearrangement Cascade

Taro Matsuyama,† Ko Togashi,† Moe Nakano, Hajime Sato,* Masanobu Uchiyama*

JACS Au, 2023, 3, 1596-1603.

DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00039

20Concertedness and Activation Energy Control by Distal Methyl Group during Ring Contraction/Expansion in Scalarane-type Sesterterpenoid Biosynthesis

Hajime Sato,* Moe Nakano

Chem. Eur. J., 2022, 29, e202203076.

DOI: 10.1002/chem.202203076

19Elucidation of Late-stage Biosynthesis of Phomoidride: Proposal of Cyclization Mechanism Affording Characteristic 9-Membered Ring of Fungal Dimeric Anhydride

Shintaro Yamamoto,# Taro Matsuyama,# Taro Ozaki,* Jyunya Takino, Hajime Sato, Masanobu Uchiyama,* Atsushi Minami,* and Hideaki Oikawa

J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2022, 144, 20998-21004. (#: equall contribution)

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c09308

18DFT Study on the Biosynthesis of Asperterpenol and Preasperterpenoid Sesterterpenoids: Exclusion of Secondary Carbocation Intermediates and Origin of Structural Diversification

Kyoka Sakamoto, Hajime Sato*, Masanobu Uchiyama*

J. Org. Chem., 2022, 87, 6432–6437.

DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.2c00291

17Molecular and Computational Bases for Spirofuranone Formation in Setosusin Biosynthesis

Xingxing Wei, Taro Matsuyama, Hajime Sato,* Dexiu Yan, Pui Man Chan, Kazunori Miyamoto, Masanobu Uchiyama,* and Yudai Matsuda*

J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2021, 143, 17708–17715.

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c08336

16DFT Study on the Biosynthesis of Verrucosane Diterpenoids and Mangicol Sesterterpenoids: Involvement of Secondary-carbocation-free Reaction Cascades

Hajime Sato,* Bi-Xiao Li, Taisei Takagi, Chao Wang, Kazunori Miyamoto, and Masanobu Uchiyama*

JACS Au, 2021, 1, 1231–1239.

DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.1c00178

15Theoretical Study on the Mechanism of Spirocyclization in Spiroviolene Biosynthesis

Hajime Sato,* Taisei Takagi, Kazunori Miyamoto, and Masanobu Uchiyama*

Chem. Pharm. Bull., 2021, 69, 1034–1038.

DOI: 10.1248/cpb.c21-00536

14DFT Study of a Missing Piece in Brasilane-Type Structure Biosynthesis: An Unusual Skeletal Rearrangement

Hajime Sato,* Takahiro Hashishin, Junichiro Kanazawa, Kazunori Miyamoto and Masanobu Uchiyama*

J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2020, 142, 19830–19834.

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c09616

13Biosynthesis of Indole Diterpene Lolitrems: Radical‐Induced Cyclization of an Epoxyalcohol Affording a Characteristic Lolitremane Skeleton

Yulu Jiang, Taro Ozaki, Mei Harada, Tadachika Miyasaka, Hajime Sato, Kazunori Miyamoto, Junichiro Kanazawa, Chengwei Liu, Jun-ichi Maruyama, Masaatsu Adachi, Atsuo Nakazaki, Toshio Nishikawa, Masanobu Uchiyama, Atsushi Minami,* Hideaki Oikawa*

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2020, 59, 17996–18002.

DOI: 10.1002/anie.202007280

12Functional Analysis of a Biosynthetic Gene Cluster Demonstrates Role of Spontaneous Double Bicyclo-ring Formation Including 8π–6π Electrocyclization in Shimalactone Biosynthesis

Isao Fujii,* M. H., K. K., A. U., H. S., K. S., H. T., M. I., S. Y., A. K., R. F., A. H., K. S., T. A., J. I., D. W., Y. G., A. Watanabe, M. Watanabe, Y. Masumoto, J. Kanazawa, Hajime Sato, Masanobu Uchiyama*

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2020, 59, 8464–8470.

DOI: 10.1002/anie.202001024

11DFT Study on the Biosynthesis of Preasperterpenoid A: Role of Secondary Carbocations in the Carbocation Cascade

Hajime Sato,* Mami Yamazaki, Masanobu Uchiyama*

Chem. Pharm. Bull., 2020, 68, 487–490.

DOI: 10.1248/cpb.c20-00037

10Inherent Atomic Mobility Changes in Carbocation Intermediates During the Sesterterpene Cyclization Cascade

Hajime Sato,* Takaaki Mitsuhashi, Mami Yamazaki, Ikuro Abe, Masanobu Uchiyama*

Beilstein J. Org. Chem., 2019, 15, 1890–1897.

DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.15.184

9理論計算による生合成経路の探索 生合成リデザインへの挑戦

佐藤玄・王 超・内山 真伸*

ファルマシア (特集：天然物化学研究の新展開）, 2019, 55, 684–688.

DOI: 10.14894/faruawpsj.55.7_684

8Acceleration of Mechanistic Investigations of Plant Secondary Metabolism based on the Computational Chemistry

Hajime Sato, Kazuki Saito, Mami Yamazaki*

Front. Plant Sci., 2019, 10, 802.

DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00802

7Computational Studies on Biosynthetic Carbocation Rearrangements leading to Quiannulatene: Initial Conformation Regulates Biosynthetic Route, Stereochemistry, and Type of Skeleton.

Hajime Sato,* Takaaki Mitsuhashi, Mami Yamazaki, Ikuro Abe,* Masanobu Uchiyama*

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2018, 57, 14752–14757.

DOI: 10.1002/anie.201807139

6Structural and Computational Basis for Dramatic Skeletal Rearrangement in Anditomin Biosynthesis.

Yu Nakashima, Takaaki Mitsuhashi, Yudai Mtsuda, Miki Senda, Hajime Sato, Mami Yamazaki, Masanobu Uchiyama,* Toshiya Senda,* Ikuro Abe*

J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2018, 140, 9743–9750.

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b06084

5The Energetic Viability of ∆1-Piperideine Dimerization in Lysine-derived Alkaloid Biosynthesis.

Hajime Sato, Masanobu Uchiyama, Kazuki Saito, Mami Yamazaki*

Metabolites, 2018, 8, 48–58. invited article

DOI: 10.3390/metabo8030048

4Computational Study on a Puzzle in the Biosynthetic Pathway of Anthocyanin: Why an Enzymatic Oxidation/Reduction Process Required for a Simple Tautomerization?

Hajime Sato,* Chao Wang, Mami Yamazaki, Kazuki Saito, Masanobu Uchiyama*

PLoS ONE, 2018, 13, e0198944.

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198944

3Theoretical Study of Sesterfisherol Biosynthesis: Computational Prediction of Key Amino Acid Residue in Terpene Synthase.

Hajime Sato,* Koji Narita, Atsushi Minami, Mami Yamazaki, Chao Wang, Hironori Suemune, Shingo Nagano, Takeo Tomita, Hideaki Oikawa, Masanobu Uchiyama*

Sci. Rep., 2018, 8, 2473.

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20916-x

2Focused genome mining of structurally related sesterterpenes: Enzymatic Formation of Enantiomeric and Diastereomeric Products.

Koji Narita, Hajime Sato, Atsushi Minami, Kosei Kudo, Lei Gao, Chengwei Liu, Taro Ozaki, Motoichiro Kodama, Xiaoguang Lei, Tohru Taniguchi, Kenji Monde, Mami Yamazaki, Chao Wang, Masanobu Uchiyama, Hideaki Oikawa

Org. Lett., 2017, 19, 6696–6699.

DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.7b03418

1“Cation-Stitching Cascade”: Exquisite Control of Terpene Cyclization in Cyclooctatin Biosynthesis

Hajime Sato, Kazuya Teramoto, Yui Masumoto, Noriyuki Tezuka, Kenta Sakai, Shota Ueda, Yusuke Totsuka, Tetsuro Shinada, Makoto Nishiyama, Chao Wang, Tomohisa Kuzuyama,* Masanobu Uchiyama*

Sci. Rep., 2016, 5, 18471.

DOI: 10.1038/srep18471