Yuanliang Zhai

 

Portrait

Assistant Professor

DNA/RNA Biology

School of Biological Sciences

The University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong, China

 

Phone:852-22990653; Email: zhai@hku.hk

 

 


Education:

B.S.

Sun Yat-Sen University

2001

Microbiology

MPhil

Sun Yat-Sen University

2004

Biochemistry

Ph.D.

HKUST

2010

Biochemistry

 

Academic Positions:

Assistant Professor

06/2018-present

School of Biological Sciences, HKU

Junior Fellow

05/2015-05/2018

Institute for Advanced Study, HKUST

Research Assistant Professor

03/2013-05/2018

Super-Resolution Imaging Center,

Division of Life Science, HKUST

Post-doctoral Fellow

03/2011-02/2013

Division of Life Science, HKUST

 

Research Interests:

* Regulation of DNA replication in eukaryotes

*  Cryo-electron microscopy in structure determination

* Advanced optical super-resolution fluorescence microscopies

 

 

Publications (#co-corresponding authors)

1.      Li, N.*, Lam, H.*, Zhai, Y. *#, Cheng, J.*, Cheng, E., Zhao, Y., Gao, N.#, and Tye, B.# Structure of Origin Recognition Complex Bound to ARS DNA. Nature, In press

* Co-first # co-corresponding authors

2.      Zhai, Y.#, Li, N., Jiang, H., Huang, X., Gao, N. #, and Tye, B. # (2017) Unique roles played by each of the non-identical MCM subunits in DNA Replication Licensing. Molecular Cell 67, 168-179

3.      Zhai, Y., Cheng, E., Wu, H., Li, N., Yung, P., Gao, N., and Tye, B. (2017) Open-ringed Structure of the Cdt1-MCM2-7 Complex as a Precursor of the MCM Double Hexamer. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology 24, 300-308

4.      Zhai, Y., and Tye, B. Structure of the MCM2-7 Double Hexamer and Its Implications for the Mechanistic Functions of the Mcm2-7 Complex. Chapter 10 in "DNA replication: From Old Principles to New Discovery" Adv Exp Med Biol. 1042:189-205

5.      Li, N.*, Zhai, Y.*#, Zhang, Y., Li, W., Yang, M., Lei, J., Tye, B.#, and Gao, N.# (2015) Structure of the Eukaryotic Minichromosome Maintenance Complex at 3.8 Å. Nature 524, 186-191
*
Co-first # co-corresponding authors (highlighted in Nature News & Views)

6.      Zhao, T., Wang, Y., Zhai, Y., Qu, X., Ai, F., Du, S., and Loy, M. (2015) A user-friendly two-color super-resolution localization microscope. Optics Express 23, 1879-187

7.      Huo, L., Wu, R., Yu, Z., Zhai , Y., Yang, X., Chan, T., Yeung, J., Kan, J., and Liang, C. (2012) The Rix1 (Ipi1p-2p-3p) Complex Is a Critical Determinant of DNA Replication Licensing Independent of Their Roles in Ribosome Biogenesis. Cell Cycle 11, 1325-1339.

8.      Zhai, Y., Yung, P., and Liang, C. (2011) Cell cycle control of DNA replication by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of replication-initiation proteins in budding yeast. Chapter 6 in "Fundamental Aspects of DNA Replication", InTech Publisher; Ed. J.Kusić-Tisma; pp87-106.

9.      Zhai, Y., Yung, P., Huo, L., and Liang, C. (2010) Cdc14p resets the competency of replication licensing by dephosphorylating multiple initiation proteins during mitotic exit in budding yeast. Journal of Cell Science 15;123 :3933-43.

10.  Ma, L.*, Zhai, Y.*, Feng, D., Chan, T., Lu, J., Fu, X., Wang, J., Chen, Y., Li, J., Xu, K., and Liang, C. (2010) Identification of Novel Factors Involved in or Regulating Initiation of DNA Replication by a Phenotypic Screen in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cell Cycle 9(21):4399-410.* Co-first authors.

11.  Cheng, X., Xu, Z., Wang, J., Zhai, Y., Lu, Y., and Liang, C. (2010) ATP-dependent Pre-replicative Complex Assembly Is Facilitated by Adk1p in Budding Yeast. J. Biol. Chem. 285, 29974-29980.

 

Research Grants Awarded

Year

No.  
2017
GRF16104617 (PI) Analysis of the in vivo assembled CMG helicase by cryo-EM
2017
N_HKUST614/17 (Co-PI) Cryo-EM Study of Origin Recognition Complexes Bound with Origin DNA
2016
GRF16143016 (PI) Elucidating the structural basis for pre-RC assembly by cryo-EM
2015
GRF16104115 (PI)

Determinant for DNA binding specificity of the Origin Recognition Complex

2015
IGN15SC02 (PI)

Elucidating the mechanisms underlying the regulation of eukaryotic DNA replication

2014
HKUST12/CRF/13G (Co-PI)

Super-resolution imaging: revealing the molecular organization of subcellular organelles

2013
GRF664013 (PI) The Role of Mcm10 in Remodeling the Mcm2-7 Ring Structure

 

Invited talks and Speaker at International Conferences

2018 Mar Talk at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
Talk at Hong Kong University, Hong Kong
2018 Feb Talk at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
Title: Structure informs function: What can we learn about DNA replication mechanisms from the structures of its machines?
2017 Sep

Talk at Cold Spring Harbor meeting on Eukaryotic DNA replication and genome maintenance, NY, USA
Title: Unique roles played by each of the non-identical MCM subunits in DNA Replication Licensing

2017 Jun Talk at Sussex-HKUST Workshop on Genome Damage and Instability, Sussex, UK
Title: Open-ringed Structure of the Cdt1-MCM2-7 Complex as a Precursor of the MCM Double Hexamer
2016 Dec Talk at the Departmental Seminar of the Division of Life Science, HKUST, Hong Kong
Title: Structure informs function: What can we learn about DNA replication mechanisms from the structures of its machines?
2015 Dec Talk at HKUST-Sussex Workshop on Genome Damage and Instability, Hong Kong
Title: The Regulation of DNA Replication Initiation
2014 Jul Talk at Gordon Research Conference-genome instability, Hong Kong
Title: The Role of Mcm10 in Resolving Replication Forks Stalled at Unfired Replication Origins

 

 

Teaching

2018 BIPH4010 Principles of Quantitative Biology Instrumentation
2017 Guest lecture in LIFS 2010 Modern Approaches to Biochemical and Cell Biological Research
2017 Guest lecture in LIFS 5710 Cellular Regulation
2017 BIPH4010 Principles of Quantitative Biology Instrumentation
2006-2007 Teaching Assistant Coordinator, Dept. of Biochemistry, HKUST
2004-2006 Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Biochemistry, HKUST