Part 10 (1/2)

Tos.h.i.+aki was immediately taken with the plan. Here was an unknown world of knowledge, far exceeding anything he had learned in biochemistry and genetics, just waiting to be explored. He felt the sheer thrill of breaking new ground.

Mitochondria revolved noiselessly, much like the handmade lantern in his room, countless specimens coiled around one another in large cl.u.s.ters. They floated in s.p.a.ce, turning without end. Tos.h.i.+aki watched them in his dream. Discernible only as opaque shapes, they blocked the sun. He was lifted from solid earth and struggled not to be swallowed up by the darkness.

Eve 1's a.n.a.lysis was proceeding smoothly.

Tos.h.i.+aki hardly noticed the time pa.s.sing by. It was already August and the hot days pressed on. Leaves from the trees and shrubs surrounding the school complex glittered intensely like thousands of small mirrors in the sunlight, shooting through the gla.s.s of the lab window and bathing the room in a bright haze. In the poorly air-conditioned Pharmaceuticals building, most activities had come to a halt. Tos.h.i.+aki's course was as inactive as the others were busy and all signs of stress were beginning to fade now that the seniors were all on break studying for their graduate entrance exams. Only Tos.h.i.+aki and Asakura stayed behind, though their motives for doing so were totally unrelated. Shut up in this small, sweltering room, he was absorbed in Eve 1's data, instructing Asakura as needed.

According to the Northern blot results and RT-PCR data, the beta-oxidation enzymes in Eve 1 had worked remarkably well.

”I've never seen anything like this before,” Asakura said upon completing the experiment, barely able to hide her excitement. ”The clofibrate enhancement is incredible.

There's a peculiar band here that has appeared in all of them. It's almost as if these cells are developing into something else entirely.”

Asakura pointed to the large, dark band on the data film image which indicated a dramatic increase in the enzyme's messenger RNA.

”The clofibrate... ? ”Tos.h.i.+aki muttered, looking into Asakura's face. ”Let's try checking all retinoid receptor levels. Then, we'll add clofibrate to the culture medium and see what happens. Check the mitochondrial growth rate alongside the import experiment and carefully record any changes. By the way, Asakura, be sure to let me know if you plan on taking a vacation this summer.”

”Nope.” Asakura smiled a bit, inclining her head. ”I graduate this year, so.. 1 plan on continuing my experiments without pause.”

”In that case, you can help me speed up this project. I think you'll be well prepared for the conference in September, anyway, seeing as you're almost ready to collect all your findings.”

”Definitely,” Asakura said with a prompt nod.

Tos.h.i.+aki had added a peroxisome proliferator, or extract, into the Eve 1 culture flask.

The extract, of which clofibrate was a representative example, was a substance that caused an organelle in cells called a peroxisome to multiply. At the same time, however, peroxisome proliferators also induced beta-oxidation enzymes within mitochondria, a process which changed their overall shape and composition. Tos.h.i.+aki had intentionally encouraged this mutation by introducing the extract.

The results were just as he expected. Eve 1's mitochondria were showing great expansion due to the clofibrate, and the enzyme formation was immense. Enzymatic movement to mitochondria was manifestly bolstered. Later, he would have to look at the induction mechanism in greater detail on the genetic level. Tos.h.i.+aki was sure that the mitochondrial induction mechanism would become clear thanks to Eve 1.

”It's here!”

Tos.h.i.+aki removed a stack of magazines from their green mail bag with intense enthusiasm.

As he pulled them out, the word nature emerged, followed by INTERNATIONAL WEEKLY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. Asakura peered patiently over Tos.h.i.+aki's shoulder, mad with antic.i.p.ation. Tos.h.i.+aki removed the rest of the magazines, almost ripping the bag in his haste. The photography which graced the cover of Nature sparkled in his eyes. On the front were tides of featured articles. ”Science in Mexico” was printed in large letters, but underneath them, in smaller type, were the words: ”Approaches to mitochondrial biogenesis.”

Tos.h.i.+aki swiftly turned to the table of contents, tracing his finger along the page until he reached ”LETTERS TO NATURE .”There were two articles on mitochondrial interaction.

He found the page number for the second and flipped to it.

”We did it!” shouted Asakura.

Tos.h.i.+aki's mind burned with a single thought: My own work has appeared in Nature!

His and Asakura's names were printed alongside Professor Is.h.i.+hara's. They were already expecting the journal's arrival this week, but to actually see and hold it in their hands was a different thrill altogether. Tos.h.i.+aki had submitted the article the year before, but only now had Part 1 finally come to print. Asakura's voice was filled with sheer excitement as she looked it over.

Their work had been included as part of a small feature. It was no longer Tos.h.i.+aki's only area of concentration, however. As he continued to find more conclusive data on Eve 1, the results of his research were sure to have an impact upon the world. Everything about Eve 1 was too good to be true. This would someday place him among the highest, most elite circles in the world of science.

Tos.h.i.+aki flinched from a sudden explosion outside. The smell of powder drifted into the building.

A large fireworks show was being held at the river nearby. The Pharmaceuticals building was the perfect place to enjoy the display. That night, Tos.h.i.+aki, Asakura. and other staff members and students all went together onto the roof.

The enormous fireworks exploded in chrysanthemum-like shapes against a cloudless night sky. They were so close, it seemed one could touch them just by extending a hand overhead. In a single moment, jewels of light filled their vision, spreading outward as each fizzled into darkness. They could almost feel the glittering, fiery dust pouring down from the heavens, streaking their faces with vibrant colors. Asakura opened her eyes widely, gazing upon the full expanse of the sky. The fireworks changed colors rapidly, from shades of red to vibrant greens. Her cheeks changed color with each new flash as flowers and waterfalls danced in the sky.

She and Tos.h.i.+aki each opened a can of beer together and drank them down as they savored this aptly timed spectacle. Asakura's eyes scintillated. She drew near to Tos.h.i.+aki and spoke to him. He smiled and nodded in return. The smell of smoke saturated the air, but he was not bothered by it, because these fireworks were blessing their published work. It was also more secretly a celebration of his rapid progress with Kiyomi's cells. Tos.h.i.+aki's only regret was that he could not share this happiness with Kiyomi. He wished so much to show Nature to Kiyomi, and to see these fireworks reflected in her proud eyes. The beating of his heart entwined in painful harmony with the rhythm of the bright display, sending ripples of energy trembling along his skin.

8.

Kiyomi was accepted into a local university. She had always done well studying on her own and her entrance exam came and went without stress, despite not having gone through the usual summer prep courses, cram schooling, or private tutors that plagued many of her peers. Even when she went out with her parents the day the results were announced to find her name on the bulletin among those accepted into the English Literature Department, her happiness was shallow at best.

She questioned whether this was really the right path for her and still worried herself about it after the opening ceremony. Kiyomi had only picked English because of an interest in the language and her fondness for reading. But once cla.s.ses began and she made friends with a few cla.s.smates, she appreciated college life much more than she expected.

One night, a party was held for incoming students. It was there where she had beer for the first time. By high school, most of her friends were already drinking alcohol, but Kiyomi always abstained. The beer was bitter to her, but she liked the taste of it. All of the mentors at the party were likable and made her laugh. Before she knew it, she was feeling a little buzzed.

The party was now well under way, and everyone was mingling. Kiyomi went around to socialize with a few uppercla.s.smen for as long as she was able to. Just when Kiyomi was ending a conversation with an older female student, she paused for a moment and broke off the conversation. It was then that she noticed a composed young man sitting next to her. He too looked to have just finished a conversation with someone and was drinking his beer with a faint smile on his lips. Their eyes met and, with an unpracticed hand, Kiyomi lifted her can and offered some of her beer into his empty gla.s.s. She poured it in too straight, turning more than half of it to foam, and bowed her head in apology. He told her to think nothing of it and sipped off some of the froth with a laugh. That is when she asked him: ”So what department are you in?”

”Pharmaceutical Sciences,” he answered.

”Oh? So you learn about drugs? How to make cold medicines, that sort of thing?”

He smiled bitterly at the questions he had heard many times before and took a swig of beer.

”Well, that's how it started out, but these days it's a bit different. When I was younger, I always thought it was just studying to be a pharmacist.”

Kiyomi nodded. She remembered there being many girls among her high school cla.s.smates who, when considering easy jobs, had been encouraged to become hospital pharmacists.

”But the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences is really wide-ranging. Sure, you can become a pharmacist, but you can also do more fundamental research. It's a mixed bag, really. Everything from medicine and physical science, to agriculture and engineering. So even within the department there's a lot to choose from. Some people do organic synthesis, others measure and a.n.a.lyze, for example, certain components of blood. Then there are those whose work is not directly related to medicine. Others culture all kinds of cells and study the effects of cancer on DNA replication. It's a small department, but a unique one, so it's hard for outsiders to really get the gist of it. But 'true' pharmaceutical science is a combination of all these things and more, I think.”

The young man told her about the various kinds of research being conducted in each course within the school. She chimed in now and then, listening intently all the while. He broke down his explanations of the seemingly difficult mechanisms of cells and genes.

Though Kiyomi's knowledge only went as far as what she had learned in high school biology, she clearly followed what he was saying.

”That's wonderful that you get to study it, I mean. You really seem to know a lot.”

”Nah, I just started my first year in the master's program. I've still got a long way to go.”

He scratched his head bashfully. Kiyomi a.s.sumed he was around 22 or 23 years old, if he was just beginning his master's. She understood now why he'd given off an impression of being mature.

”I'm even thinking of going for a Ph.D., as long as I'm able to. But if I was going to do that, this would probably be my last time showing up at a party,” he said jokingly.

Kiyomi was deeply impressed. She had been such a pa.s.sive listener in her cla.s.ses, but here was a student already doing his own research and even had the willpower to pursue a Ph.D.

”So...what exactly are you doing research on?” In spite of a fear that his answer would be too technical to understand, she asked anyway in an effort to keep the conversation going.

”Mitochondria.” THUMP.