Researcher Profile and Settings

Alias Name

Agus

Affiliation

• Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences　Molecular Pharmaceutical Sciences　Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry

Job Title

• Assistant Professor

Degree

• Doctor (Dr. rer. nat.) Biology - Microbiology（2012/12 The University of Bonn, Germany）

URL

https://gi-core.oia.hokudai.ac.jp/gsd/
https://www.pharm.hokudai.ac.jp/tennen/english.html

Research funding number

• 40889565

J-Global ID

• 202001010812339062

Research Interests

• Metagenomics, Microbial Diversity, Natural Product Chemistry & Biosynthesis, Biocatalysts, Synthetic Biology   

Research Areas

• Life sciences / Pharmaceuticals - chemistry and drug development / Natural product biosynthesis, Genome/metagenome mining, Biocatalysts, Marine microbial diversity with biopharmaceutical potential

Educational Organization

•  Bachelor's degree program　School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacy
•  Master's degree program　Graduate School of Life Science
•  Doctoral (PhD) degree program　Graduate School of Life Science

Academic & Professional Experience

• 2024/02 - Today Hokkaido University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Assistant Professor
• 2020/06 - Today Hokkaido University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences; and GI-CoRE, Global Station for Biosurfaces and Drug Discovery (GSD) Assistant Professor
• 2017/05 - 2020/05 Hokkaido University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences JSPS Research Fellow / Postdoc Researcher
• 2015/02 - 2017/04 Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Research Center for Marine and Fisheries Product Processing and Biotechnology
• 2013/02 - 2015/01 ETH Zurich - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Institute of Microbiology Postdoctoral Research Associate

Education

• 2007/10 - 2012/12  The University of Bonn  Kekulé Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry  Doctoral studies (Dr. rer. nat) Biology - Microbiology
• 2002/09 - 2004/02  Wageningen University  M.Sc Biotechnology - Cellular and Molecular Biotech
• 1994/09 - 1999/07  Sam Ratulangi University  Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science  Undergraduate studies in Marine Science - Marine Biotechnology

Association Memberships

• AMI - Applied Microbiology International, UK   SBJ - The Society for Biotechnology, Japan   AFOB - Asian Federation of Biotechnology   FEMS - Federation of European Microbiological Societies   IMBA - International Marine Biotechnology Association   

Research Activities

Published Papers

• Animal-associated marine Acidobacteria with a rich natural-product repertoire

  Stefan Leopold-Messer, Clara Chepkirui, Mathijs F.J. Mabesoone, Joshua Meyer, Lucas Paoli, Shinichi Sunagawa, Agustinus R. Uria, Toshiyuki Wakimoto, Jörn Piel

  Chem (a Cell Press journal) 2451-9294 2023/12 [Refereed]
  
• Taxonomic profiling of microorganisms inhabiting two solar salterns that produce high- and low-quality salts

  Ekowati Chasanah, Asri Pratitis, Rini Susilowati, Agus Heri Purnomo, Hedi I. Januar, Agustinus R. Uria

  HAYATI Journal of Biosciences 30 (5) 957 - 984 1978-3019 2023/07/05 [Refereed]
  
• Biotechnologically potential genes in a polysaccharide-degrading epibiont of the Indonesian brown algae Hydroclathrus sp.

  Stalis Norma Ethica, Dewi Seswita Zilda, Oedjijono Oedjijono, Muhtadi Muhtadi, Gintung Patantis, Sri Darmawati, Sri Sinto Dewi, Agus Sabdono, Agustinus Robert Uria

  Journal of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (Springer) 21 (1) 1 - 14 2023/02/14 [Refereed]
  
• New Theonellapeptolides from Indonesian Marine Sponge Theonella swinhoei as Anti-austerity Agents

  Jabal Haedar, Agustinus Uria, Subehan Lallo, Dya Fita Dibwe, Toshiyuki Wakimoto

  Marine Drugs 20 (11) 661 - 661 2022/10/25 [Refereed]
  
• Biosynthesis of non-ribosomal peptides in uncultivated bacterial symbionts of marine sponges

  Agustinus R. Uria, Joern Piel, Toshiyuki Wakimoto

  Marine Sponge Biotechnology and Bioproducts. in press 2022 (Springer-Nature) 2022
• Ascidian-associated photosymbionts from Manado, Indonesia: secondary metabolites, bioactivity simulation, and biosynthetic insight

  Inneke F. M. Rumengan, Vera I. Y. Roring, Jabal R. Haedar, Mayse S. Siby, Aldian H. Luntungan, Beivy J. Kolondam, Agustinus R. Uria, Toshiyuki Wakimoto

  Symbiosis (Springer) 84 (1) 71 - 82 0334-5114 2021/04/22 [Refereed]
  
• Polyketides biosynthesis in marine sponges of the family Theonellidae

  Agustinus R. Uria, Toshiyuki Wakimoto

  Topics in Heterocyclic Chemistry (Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg) 58 389 - 413 1861-9282 2020/01 [Refereed][Invited]
  
• Identification of proteolytic thermophiles from Moinit coastal hot-spring, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

  Elvy Like Ginting, Kurniati Kemer, Stenly Wullur, Agustinus R. Uria

  Geomicrobiology Journal (Taylor & Francis) 37 (1) 50 - 58 0149-0451 2019/09/09 [Refereed]
  
• Identification of protease-producing bacteria isolated from Banyuwedang, Bali, and characterization of its protease

  Dewi Seswita Zilda, Yusro Nuri Fawzya, Agustinus Robert Uria

  Squalen Bulletin of Marine and Fisheries Postharvest and Biotechnology 13 (3) 101 - 101 2089-5690 2018/12/30
• Biosynthetic insights of calyculin- and misakinolide-type compounds in “Candidatus Entotheonella sp.”

  Agustinus R. Uria, Jörn Piel, Toshiyuki Wakimoto

  Methods in Enzymology (Elsevier) 604 287 - 330 0076-6879 2018/01/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• An Unusual Flavin-Dependent Halogenase from the Metagenome of the Marine Sponge Theonella swinhoei WA

  Duncan R.M. Smith, Agustinus R. Uria, Eric J.N. Helfrich, Daniela Milbredt, Karl Heinz Van Pée, Jörn Piel, Rebecca J.M. Goss

  ACS Chemical Biology 12 (5) 1281 - 1287 1554-8929 2017/05/19 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• Metagenomic survey of potential symbiotic bacteria and polyketide synthase genes in an Indonesian marine Sponge

  Nia M. Kurnia, Agustinus R. Uria, Yudi Kusnadi, Lidia Dinawati, Dewi S. Zilda, Tri A. Hadi, Siswa Setyahadi, Feliatra Felix

  HAYATI Journal of Biosciences (Elsevier) 24 (1) 6 - 15 1978-3019 2017/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• Cloning of transglutaminase gene from an Indonesian Streptomyces strain

  Seprianto Chaniago, Dewi S. Zilda, Yusro N. Fawzya, Suharsono Suharsono, Puspita Lisdiyanti, Agustinus R. Uria

  Squalen Bulletin of Marine and Fisheries Postharvest and Biotechnology 11 (1) 31 - 31 2089-5690 2016/05/19
• Metagenomics-guided mining of commercially useful biocatalysts from marine microorganisms

  A.R. Uria, D.S. Zilda

  Advances in Food and Nutrition Research (Elsevier) 78 1 - 26 1043-4526 2016 [Refereed][Invited]
  
• Capturing natural product biosynthetic pathways from uncultivated symbiotic bacteria of marine sponges through metagenome mining: a mini-review

  Agustinus R. Uria

  Squalen Bulletin of Marine and Fisheries Postharvest and Biotechnology 2406-9272 2015/10/13 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• Metabolic and evolutionary origin of actin-binding polyketides from diverse organisms

  Reiko Ueoka, Agustinus R. Uria, Silke Reiter, Tetsushi Mori, Petra Karbaum, Eike E. Peters, Eric J.N. Helfrich, Brandon I. Morinaka, Muriel Gugger, Haruko Takeyama, Shigeki Matsunaga, Jörn Piel

  Nature Chemical Biology 11 (9) 705 - 712 1552-4450 2015/09/20 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• An environmental bacterial taxon with a large and distinct metabolic repertoire

  Micheal C. Wilson, Tetsushi Mori, Christian Rückert, Agustinus R. Uria, Maximilian J. Helf, Kentaro Takada, Christine Gernert, Ursula A.E. Steffens, Nina Heycke, Susanne Schmitt, Christian Rinke, Eric J.N. Helfrich, Alexander O. Brachmann, Cristian Gurgui, Toshiyuki Wakimoto, Matthias Kracht, Max Crüsemann, Ute Hentschel, Ikuro Abe, Shigeki Matsunaga, Jörn Kalinowski, Haruko Takeyama, Jörn Piel

  NATURE (Nature Publishing Group) 506 (7486) 58 - 62 0028-0836 2014 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• Erratum: An environmental bacterial taxon with a large and distinct metabolic repertoire (Nature (2014) 506 (58-62) DOI: 10.1038/nature12959))

  Micheal C. Wilson, Tetsushi Mori, Christian Rückert, Agustinus R. Uria, Maximilian J. Helf, Kentaro Takada, Christine Gernert, Ursula A.E. Steffens, Nina Heycke, Susanne Schmitt, Christian Rinke, Eric J.N. Helfrich, Alexander O. Brachmann, Cristian Gurgui, Toshiyuki Wakimoto, Matthias Kracht, Max Crüsemann, Ute Hentschel, Ikuro Abe, Shigeki Matsunaga, Jörn Kalinowski, Haruko Takeyama, Jörn Piel

  Nature 507 (7491) 262  0028-0836 2014 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• Investigating natural product biosynthesis in uncultivated symbiotic bacteria of the marine sponge Theonella swinhoei

  Agustinus Robert Uria

  Doctoral Dissertation, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn (Advisor: Joern Piel) 2013
• Metagenome mining reveals polytheonamides as posttranslationally modified ribosomal peptides

  Michael F. Freeman, Cristian Gurgui, Maximilian J. Helf, Brandon I. Morinaka, Agustinus R. Uria, Neil J. Oldham, Hans Georg Sahl, Shigeki Matsunaga, Jörn Piel

  SCIENCE (AAAS) 338 (6105) 387 - 390 0036-8075 2012/10/19 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• Cultivation-independent approaches to investigate the chemistry of marine symbiotic bacteria

  Agustinus Uria, Jörn Piel

  Phytochemistry Reviews (Springer) 8 (2) 401 - 414 1568-7767 2009/06 [Refereed][Invited]
  
• Marine Natural Products: prospects and impacts on the sustainable development in Indonesia

  Ariyanti Dewi, Kustiariyah Tarman, Agustinus R. Uria

  Proceedings paper in ISSM Conference- Indonesian student scientific meeting on sustainable development in Indonesia: An interdisciplinary approach (May 13-15, 2008 at Delft University of Technology) 2008/05 [Refereed]
  
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• Isolation and enzymatic fragmentation of genomic DNA from uncultured microbial symbionts of Theonella sp. sponge as prerequisite for metagenomic library construction

  Agustinus R. Uria, Ifah Munifah, Ekowati Chasanah

  Indonesian Fisheries Research Journal 13 (2) 125 - 130 2502-6569 2007/12/30 [Refereed]
  
• Alcohol dehydrogenases from marine hyperthermophilic microorganisms and their importance to the pharmaceutical industry

  Uria A.R, Machielsen R, Dutilh B.E, Huynen M.A, van der Oost J

  Proceedings paper in the International seminar and workshop on marine biodiversity & their potential for developing bio-pharmaceutical industry in Indonesia (May 17-18, 2006 in Jakarta) 2006/05 [Refereed]
  
• Properties of chitinase from a bacterial strain associated with marine sponge

  Uria A.R., Chasanah E.

  Proceedings paper in ASEAN Biochemistry seminar and workshop on enzymes: industrial and medical prospects (February 6-7, 2006 at Airlangga University, Surabaya) 2006/02 [Refereed]
  
• Production and characterization of a thermostable alcohol dehydrogenase that belongs to the aldo-keto reductase superfamily

  Ronnie Machielsen, Agustinus R. Uria, Servé W.M. Kengen, John Van Der Oost

  Applied and Environmental Microbiology (ASM) 72 (1) 233 - 238 0099-2240 2006/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• Purification and characterization of a novel alcohol dehydrogenase from the marine archaebacterium Pyrococcus furiosus, and generation of DNA construct for its overexpression in P. Abysii

  A.R. Uria

  Master Thesis, Wageningen University and Research (WUR) (supervisors: Ronnie Machielsen and John van der Oost) 2004/02

Conference Activities & Talks

• Potential of biosynthetic pathways and biocatalysts from marine metagenomes for the smart eco-bioproduction of highly valuable compounds  [Invited]

  SemNasHas XII (National Seminar), Faculty of Agriculture, Gadjah Mada University (UGM)  2022/10
• Sustainable use of biodiversity for drug discovery: accessing biosynthetic genes in microbial symbionts of marine sponges  [Invited]

  2nd Wallacea International Webinar for Biotechnology & Conservation, Sam Ratulangi University  2021/11
• Marine microbial natural products with unusual building blocks: discovery of their biosynthetic machineries as a basis for drug development  [Invited]

  A.R. Uria, T. Wakimoto

  11th International Seminar of Indonesian Society for Microbiology: Microbiology contributions to humanity during and post Covid-19 pandemic  2021/11
• Understanding natural product biosynthesis in uncultivated marine bacteria towards the development of sustainable production systems  [Invited]

  Webinar Nasional Kefarmasian (Pharmacy National Webinar) organized by Malahayati University  2020/11
• When metagenomics meets synthetic biology: new opportunities and potential applications in the digital era.  [Invited]

  Uria, A.R.

  International Webinar of Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Learning in the New Normal Order - IWMANSELEN 2020  2020/10
• Biosynthetic potential of rare marine bacteria isolated from Okinawan sponges  [Not invited]

  Uria A.R, Haedar J.R, Jomori T, Matsuda K, Wakimoto T

  The 12th Marine Biotechnology Conference held in Shizuoka  2019/09
• Investigating spongistatin biosynthesis in complex sponge-bacteria association  [Invited]

  Uria, A.R, Matsuda K, Wakimoto, T

  The 3rd International Symposium on Sponge Microbiology (ISSM), Shanghai (China)  2018/10
• Investigating natural product biosynthesis in complex marine sponge-bacteria association  [Invited]

  Uria A.R, Matsuda K, Wakimoto T

  Young Researchers Symposium on Redesigning Biosynthetic Machineries, Otaki (Japan)  2018/05
• Investigating natural product biosynthetic pathways in highly complex symbiotic bacterial assemblages of marine sponges  [Invited]

  The 2nd International Microbial Biotechnology (IMBC2) at Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, Jakarta, November 15-16, 2016  2016/10
• Investigating the biosynthetic pathways of defensive compounds in uncultured microbiome of marine sponges  [Invited]

  The 6th Indonesian Biotechnology Conference (IBC IV): “Enhancing industrial competitiveness through biotechnology innovation”, in Solo, Surakarta, September 6-8, 2016, organized by Indonesian Biotechnology Consortium.  2016/09
• Phylogeny-guided identification of type I polyketide synthase in uncultured microbiome of a marine sponge from Kapoposang Island  [Not invited]

  N.M. Kurnia, Y. Kusnadi, L. Dinawati, D.S. Zilda, Tri A. Hadi, S. Setyahadi, F. Felix, A.R. Uria

  ASEAN Microbial Biotechnology Conference held in Bali on August 3-4, 2016  2016/07
• Revealing the biosynthetic capacity of uncultured symbiotic bacteria

  A.R. Uria, C. Ruckert, J. Kalinowksi, S. Matsunaga, J. Piel

  International VAAM Workshop on Sept. 28-30, 2011 in Bonn, Germany  2011/09
• Analyzing the drug potential of uncultivated symbionts of the sponge Theonella swinhoei

  BMBF GenBioCom cluster-meeting in Freudenstadt-Lauterbad, Schwarzwald, Germany, on October 21-22, 2010.  2010/10
• Biosynthesis of the antitumor polyketide misakinolide A by an uncultivated symbiont of the marine sponge Theonella swinhoei

  A.R. Uria, S. Matsunaga, J. Piel

  VAAM symposium on symbiotic interaction, on October 7-8, 2010 at Wurzburg University, Germany  2010/10
• Insights into the secondary metabolism of an unusual uncultured symbiont of marine sponges  [Invited]

  Die 39. Doktorandenworkshop, Naturstoffe: Chemie, Biologie und Okologie in Jena, Germany, April 16, 2010  2010/04
• Insight into the secondary metabolism of Entotheonella sp., an uncultivated symbiont of marine sponges

  A.R. Uria, S. Matsunaga, and J. Piel

  Die 22. Irseer Naturstofftage, Aktuelle Entwicklungen in der Naturstoff-Forschung, February 22-24, 2010 in Irsee, Germany  2010/02

Industrial Property Rights

• US Patent US-2014234903-A1:Biosynthetic gene cluster for the production of peptid/protein analogues  

  Piel, J, Gurgui, C, Freeman, M.F, Uria, A.R, Helf, M.J  ETH Zurich

Awards & Honors

• 2017 Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences (JSPS) JSPS Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at Hokkaido University (2017-2019) with Grants-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows (KAKENHI)
   

  受賞者: Host Researcher/Professor: Prof. Toshiyuki Wakimoto
• 2007 Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD) DAAD Doctoral Scholarship at The University of Bonn (2007-2011)
   Investigating natural product biosynthesis in uncultivated symbiotic bacteria of marine sponges 

  受賞者: Supervisor: Prof. Joern Piel

Research Grants & Projects

• Investigating natural product biosynthetic pathways in the microbiomes associated with long-lived aquatic vertebrates

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

  Date (from‐to) : 2021/07 -2024/03
• Biosynthetic study on bioactive compounds from marine sponges

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research

  Date (from‐to) : 2017/07 -2019/03 

  Author : 脇本 敏幸, URIA AGUSTINUS

   

  海綿動物は多種多様な共生微生物を宿す付着性の多細胞動物である。世界中の海に生息し、１万種が現存するといわれる海綿動物からは、これまで２万以上の生理活性物質が単離、報告されてきた。ランダムスクリーニングに由来するため細胞毒性物質の数が多く、pM程度の濃度で強力な細胞毒性を示す化合物も少なくない。しかしながら、それらの多くが稀少かつ複雑な構造を有するために、抗がん剤として研究開発がなされた化合物は極めて少ない。一方で、それら海綿由来細胞毒性物質のほとんどは共生微生物によって生産されることが示唆されている。本研究では医薬品資源として有望な海綿由来稀少生理活性物質の生合成遺伝子および生産菌を同定し、可培養化や異種生産を目指した基礎的知見を得る。昨年度より海綿動物から微量成分として見出されたspongistatinの生合成遺伝子の特定を進めてきた。Spongistatinはtrans AT型PKSによる生合成経路が予想される化合物であり、その生合成遺伝子には特徴的な配列を有するketosynthase (KS)が含まれる。したがってKSの縮重プライマーを用いたtrans AT型PKSの探索を重点的に行った。その結果、海綿メタゲノムDNAよりtrans AT型PKSに属するKS配列を得た。さらに海綿メタゲノムライブラリーを構築し、得られたtrans AT型KS配列に基づくスクリーニングを行った。その結果、複数のヒットクローンを得ることに成功した。現在詳細なシークエンス解析を進めている。また、海綿共生微生物の可培養化を目指し、沖縄産海綿Theonella swinhoeiから様々な組成の培地を用いた培養を試みた。その結果、既知微生物と相同性が低い微生物を含む数百種類の微生物を単離した。その中にはPKSやNRPS遺伝子を有する微生物群も数多く含まれており今後さらに物質生産能の検証を進める。

Educational Activities

Teaching Experience

Social Contribution

Social Contribution

Social Contribution

• What inspired me to pursue a career in science?

  Date (from-to) : 2018/07/09

  Role : Lecturer

  Sponser, Organizer, Publisher  : Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), and Akebi Secondary School in Noboribetsu, Hokkaido

  Event, Program, Title : Science Dialogue Program