Ken Takai
Commendation
For outstanding contributions to the study on the driving principles and origins of extremeecosystems on Earth and other planets
A list of five major papers
- Kitadai, N., Shibuya, T., Ueda, H., Tasumi, E., Okada, S., Takai, K. (2024) Supercritical carbon dioxidelikely served as a prebiotic source of methanethiol in primordial ocean hydrothermal systems. Comm.EarthEnviron., 5, 539.
- Yamamoto, M., Takaki, Y., Kashima, H., Tsuda, M., Tanizaki, A., Nakamura, R., Takai, K. (2023) In situ electrosynthetic bacterial growth using electricity generated by a deep-sea hydrothermal vent.ISME J., 117, 12–20.
- Shibuya, T., Takai, K. (2022) Liquid and supercritical CO2 as an organic solvent in Hadean seafloorhydrothermal systems: implications for prebiotic chemical evolution. Prog. Earth Planet. Sci., 9, 1-15.ISME J., 117, 12–20.
- Nakamura, K., and Takai, K. (2014) Theoretical constraints of physical and chemical properties ofhydrothermal fluids on variations in chemolithotrophic microbial communities in seafloor hydrothermalsystems. Prog. Earth Planet. Sci., 1, 5.
- Takai, K., Nakamura, K., Toki, T., Tsunogai, T., Miyazaki, M., Miyazaki, J., Hirayama, H., Nakagawa, S.,Nunoura, T., and Horikoshi, K. (2008) Cell proliferation at 122 ˚C and isotopically heavy CH4 productionby a hyperthermophilic methanogen under high pressures cultivation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105,10949-10954.
Major achievements
Dr. Takai has employed novel molecular ecological methods to explore diverse deep-sea extreme environments globally, systematically analyzing the diversity of microbial community structures and their physiological functions. His research established the driving principle for extreme ecosystems in deep-sea hydrothermal environments: that hydrothermal fluids form chemosynthetic ecosystems with extensive genetic and physiological diversity, where the characteristics correspond to diverse physicochemical traits dictated by varying geological factors. Derived from an integrated approach encompassing geology, chemistry, evolutionary systematics, biochemistry, and ecology, Dr. Takai’s systematic, interdisciplinary work has made a significant contribution to the academic development of Earth and planetary science.
Nominator
Tetsuro Urabe
Supporters
Yoichi Kamagata, Takano Yoshinori, Kawahata Hodaka