Xiaodong Zhang

Biography

My research programme focuses on unravelling the mechanisms of macromolecular machines using a range of structural biology techniques including X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy. I am particularly interested in large macromolecular assemblies invovled in DNA processing as well as the AAA (ATPase Associated with diverse cellular Activities) protein family. At present my research focuses on three main areas: key components in DNA damage response, transcriptional regulation in bacteria, structrue and mechanism of multifunctional p97. Structures and Mechanisms of key components in the DNA damage response- DNA is exposed to toxic chemicals, UV and other radiation and consequently tens of thousands of DNA bases are damaged each day in every human cell. Cells have developed sophisticated systems using multi-subunit macromolecular complexes to detect, process and repair this damage in a highly controlled and coordinated fashion. We are currently using a multi-disciplinary approach to provide a molecular understanding of some of the key events including signaling, chromatin remodeling and DNA damage repair itself. This project is in collaboration with Prof. Peter Burgers, Washington University in St Louis, Prof. Dale Wigley FRS and Dr. Stephen West FRS, Cancer Research UK. Transcription regulation - One of my main research areas is to understand the transcription regulation, in particular the activation/initiation process. We use the bacterial sigma54 dependent system as a simplified model system to establish the structural basis for the transcription initiation, in particular how double stranded DNA is melted out and template strand delivered into the activate site of RNA polymerase. This project is in collaboration with Prof. Martin Buck FRS, Imperial College, Prof Ray Dixon FRS, John Innes Centre and Prof. Yiping Wang, Peking University, China.

Research Interest

Microbiology