In Memory of Dr.

Koscak Maruyama: The Path of His Scientific

Research and Ideas

Dr. Koscak Maruyama, the Editor and Secretary of Advances in Biophysics,

passed away on November 19, 2003, at the age of 73.
Dr. Maruyama loved nature. He understood natural science, not simply
in its current superficial form, but in its fundamental essence, a knowledge
based on his thorough understanding of scientific history. From his gradua-
tion research for the Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University
of Tokyo in 1952 onwards, Dr. Maruyama comprehensively and thoroughly
investigated a range of research topics, centering on elementary molecules
in muscles. Briefly, his research interests can be classified into the following
seven categories.
1. Biochemistry of Insect Muscles
Dr. Maruyama's 40-page graduation thesis, published in 1954 in the Journal
of the Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo, investigated the ATPase activ-
ity of muscles in a variety of insects. This thesis has contributed greatly to
biochemistry and even today is known as the "classic" text in this field.
Dr. Maruyama's 1957 doctoral thesis examined actomyosin in honey-
bees. In 1966 and 1976, he was invited to conduct research with Dr. Pringle
at Oxford University in England. This work, which showed that the elastic
filament of bees was connectin, led to his 1990 research on this topic.
2. Comparative Biochemistry oJ'Contractile Proteins
Dr. Maruyama extracted actomyosins reacting to ATP from the muscles and
bodies of as many different organisms as possible from protozoa to mam-
mals - and exhaustively investigated their ATPase functioning and physico-

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chemical properties. His proof of the existence of the ATP-actomyosin sys-
tem in the muscles of a diversity of organisms prior to 1957 potentially has
scientifically historic significance.
3. Reactions between Actomyosin and A T P
Dr. Maruyama studied in the United States between 1959 and 1962. While
there he closely studied changes in reactions involving myosin and F-actin,
which form a gigantic aggregate under low ionic strength conditions, and
was the first to show that the clearing response was actomyosin disassoci-
ating into F-actin and myosin filament- proving no less than the in vitro
model for muscle relaxation. He also proved that a minute amount of Mg ions
was required for actomyosin superprecipitation (Contraction Model).
4. Research on Actin
From 1962 onwards, Dr. Maruyama studied various properties of actin. His
three most significant discoveries and achievements in this field were as fol-
lows.
(1) He was the first to prove that tropomyosin combines stoichiometri-
cally with F-actin.
(2) He quantitatively measured the length of in vitro F-actin polymer-
ization, which had previously been regarded qualitatively.
(3) By measuring structural viscosity and elasticity, he showed that
F-actin forms a mesh structure in solution.
5. Actinin
Dr. Maruyama discovered [3-actinin, an agent in the breakdown of actin fila-
ment; [3-actinin was the first capping protein bonding at the tip of an actin
filament to be identified. He also showed that c~-actinin, which was discov-
ered by Professor Ebashi, gelates F-actin. His 1965 paper in J. Biochem.,
which he co-authored with Professor Ebashi, is regarded as pioneering re-
search in this field.
6. Muscle elastic protein: Connectin
Research on the muscle elastic protein "Connectin" named in 1976 has ad-
vanced due in large part to the tremendous efforts of Dr. Maruyama. In 1983,
he isolated [3-connectin split from the "mother" molecule, c~-connectin,
then in 1989, isolated the "mother" molecule c~-connectin in its native state
(molecular weight: 3,000,000), which had been regarded insoluble, and ex-
amined their physicochemical properties. He also proved that one connectin
filament molecule stretched from the Z line inside the sarcomere Z line to
IN MEMORY OF DR. KOSCAK MARUYAMA 235

the center of the myosin filament, supporting the myosin filament from both
sides and demonstrating elasticity.
7. History of Biochemistry
Forced to interrupt his research at one point because of a university dispute,
Dr. Maruyama studied the lives and careers of great biochemists, publishing
a series of articles entitled "The Founders of Modern Biochemistry" in the
Japanese general science journal Shizen.
Dr. Maruyama was invited to the Fritz Lipmann Memorial Symposium,
held in Berlin in October 1987, where he spoke on the history of Lipmann's
research.
Regarding the discovery of ATP, Dr. Maruyama established that Drs.
Cyrus Hartwell Fiske and Yellapragada SubbaRow (1929) had identi-
fied ATP earlier than Dr. Karl Lohmann of Germany, and that Dr. Katashi
Makino (1935) of Japan had determined the structure of ATP earlier than Dr.
Lohmann.
Furthermore, in 2002, Dr. Maruyama spoke about the process through
which ~-actinin and connectin - the proteins that he himself had discov-
ered -can to be known as Cap Z and titin.
In addition to his research, Dr. Maruyama displayed in his later years
considerable administrative finesse as President of Chiba University, such as
his implementation of the early university admission system. As Director of
the National Center for University Entrance Examinations, Dr. Maruyama
continued to attend committee meetings until two days before his death, his
enthusiasm for scientific development burning brightly until the end.
I look back fondly over our nearly 50 precious years of comradeship, and
am truly grateful for Dr. Maruyama's warm friendship over the years. May
his soul rest in eternal peace.

Akiyoshi Wada, Director

RIKEN Genomic Sciences Center