Dr. ZHAI, Yuanliang

Teaching Areas

• Structural biology
• Molecular and cell biology
• Physiology

Research Interests

• Regulation of eukaryotic DNA replication
• Chromatin organization and Chromosome dynamics
• Structural determination of macromolecular complexes using cryo-electron microscopy

Current Research

• Structural and functional characterization of DNA replication complexes
• Elucidating the mechanisms regulating replication initiation in eukaryotes
• Understanding the basis of replicative helicase loading and activation

Fellowships 

• Junior Fellow Institute for Advanced Study, HKUST
• Division of Life Science, HKUST

Publications and News

• Li, J., Dong, J., Wang, W., Yu, D., Fan, X., Hui, Y., Lee, C., Lam, H., Alary, N., Yang, Y., Zhang, Y., Zhao, Q., Chen, C. #, Tye, B. #, Dang, S. #, and Zhai, Y. # (2023) The Human Pre-replication Complex is an Open Complex. Cell 186, 98-111

• Li, N., Gao, N., & Zhai, Y. (2023) DDK promotes DNA replication initiation: mechanistic and structural insights. Current Opinion in Structural Biology 78, 102504 

• Lin, J., Wu, Y., Tian, G., Yu, D., Yang, E., Lam, W., Liu, Z., Jing, Y., Dang, S., Bao, X. #, Wong J. #, Zhai, Y. #, & Li X. # (2023) Menin 'reads' H3K79me2 mark in a nucleosomal context. Science 379, 717-723

• Cheng, J., Li, N., Huo, Y., Dang, S., Tye, B. #, Gao, N. #, and Zhai, Y. # (2022) Structural Insight into the MCM double hexamer activation by Dbf4-Cdc7 kinase Nature Communications 13:1396 doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-29070-5

• Lee, S., Cheung, M., Li, J., Zhao, Y., Lam, W., Ho, V., Rohs, R., Zhai, Y.#, Leung, D. #, Tye, B. # (2021) Humanizing the Yeast Origin Recognition Complex. Nature Communications 12, 33 doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-20277-y.

        News: Humanizing yeast ORC sheds light on cancer therapy and human development 

        https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/905065

• Cheng, J., Li, N., Wang, X., Hu, J., Zhai, Y., and Gao, N. (2020) Structural insight into the assembly and conformational activation of autoinhibited human origin recognition complex. Cell Discovery 6, 88 doi: 10.1038/s41421-020-00232-3.

• Li, N.*, Lam, W.*, Zhai, Y.*#, Cheng, J.*, Cheng, E., Zhao, Y., Gao, N.# & Tye, B.# (2018) Structure of the origin recognition complex bound to DNA replication origin. Nature 559, 217-222, *Co-first authors # co-corresponding authors

       News:

       Hi-res image of structure of the origin recognition complex bound to DNA revealed  

       https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/hkuo-hio070418.php

       拆解DNA複製機器結構 

       https://news.mingpao.com/pns/dailynews/web_tc/article/20180803/s00002/1533232157819

• Zhai, Y.#, Li, N., Jiang, H., Huang, X., Gao, N. #, Tye, B. # (2017) Unique roles played by each of the non-identical MCM subunits in DNA Replication Licensing. Molecular Cell 67, 168-179.
• Zhai, Y., Cheng, E., Wu, H., Li, N., Yung, P., Gao, N., and Tye, B. Open-ringed Structure of the Cdt1-MCM2-7 Complex as a Precursor of the MCM Double Hexamer. (2017) Nature Structural & Molecular Biology 24, 300-308

       News: Scientists reveal open-ringed structure of Cdt1-Mcm2-7 complex 

       https://phys.org/news/2017-03-scientists-reveal-open-ringed-cdt1-mcm2-complex.html#nRlv

• 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 authors # co-corresponding authors

       News:

       Scientists solve the structure of the eukaryotic MCM2-7 complex https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-07/hkuo-hus073015.php