Research


Molecular and Cellular Genetics

Dr. JD Huang

Dr Huang, Jiandong (黃建東)

Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry

BS (Fudan), PhD (UCLA)

Contact
Email: jdhuang@hku.hk
Tel: (852) 2819 2810 (office); 2819 9479 (lab)
Office: L3-72, Laboratory Block, 21 Sassoon Road, Hong Kong
Huang Lab webpage: http://www.biochem.hku.hk/huanglab/Huang_Lab_at_HKU/Welcome.html

Research Description:

(Please also see the Huang Lab website.)

Intracellular Transportation: My major research interest is in the mechanism of intracellular transportation and its roles in development, neuronal function and genetic diseases. Within the cell, a variety of cellular components are moved to specific sites at specific times. The intracellular transportation processes are essential not only for housekeeping purpose but also for specialized cellular functions, such as the transport of synaptic vesicles. Intracellular transportation is carried out over two major cellular networks, the microtubule and actin networks. Micro-tubule motors include the kinesin and dynein families of proteins while actin motors are the myosin family of proteins. Current research suggests that the micro-tubule network is used for transport over long distances while the actin network is used for short-range delivery in animal cells. Disruption of these processes result in genetic diseases. For example, mutation in myosin-VA results in human Griscelli disease characterized by pigment dilution, immunodeficiency, neurological defect and cognitive disorder. Mutations in other motor molecules result in many other diseases such as heart diseases and deafness.

My previous work demonstrated that myosin-VA can interact directly with the ubiquitously expressed kinesin, implying that the two transportation systems are at least partially coordinated through their motor molecules. The major interest of my group is to use transgenic and knockout mice to study the functions of kinesins in chondrocytes, neurons, and other cell types. Another area of interest in the lab is to identify cargo proteins carried by kinesin.

Synthetic Biology: Synthetic Biology refers to the design and fabrication of biological components and systems that do not already exist in the natural world; and the re-design and fabrication of existing biological systems for useful purpose. My laboratory is aiming to design and fabricate artificial biological parts, devices and circuits to control pattern formation, stem cell self-renewal/differentiation, and to attack tumors.

Publications, Achievements, and Grants:

Selected Publications:

(For a full list of publications, please see the Huang Lab website.)

  • Zai Wang, Ju Cui, Jing Wang, Xin-Mei Zhang, Wai Man Wong, Neal G. Copeland, Nancy A. Jenkins, Julian A. Tanner, Kathryn S E Cheah, Wu-Tian Wu and Jian-Dong Huang (February 1, 2013) Kinesin-1 controls the localization of myofibrils components for their assembly and linkage to the myotendinous junctions. Development V140(3), P617-626
  • Bin Yu, Mei Yang, Lei Shi, Yandan Yao, Qinqin Jiang, Xuefei Li, Lei-Han Tang, Bo-Jian Zheng, Kwok-yung Yuen, David K. Smith, Erwei Song, Jian-Dong Huang (Epub June 1, 2012) Explicit hypoxia targeting with tumor suppression by creating an “obligate” anaerobic Salmonella Typhimurium strain. Scientific Reports V2:436
  • Chenli Liu, Xiongfei Fu, Lizhong Liu, Xiaojing Ren, Carlos K.L. Chau, Sihong Li, Lu Xiang, Hualing Zeng, Guanhua Chen, Lei-Han Tang, Peter Lenz, Xiaodong Cui, Wei Huang, Terence Hwa, Jian-Dong Huang (2011) Sequential establishment of stripe patterns in an expanding cell population. Science V334(6053), 238-241
  • Mei Yang, Jingqi Chen, Fang Su, Bin Yu, Ling Lin, Yujie Liu, Jian-Dong Huang* and Erwei Song* (2011) Microvesicles secreted by macrophages shuttle invasion-potentiating microRNAs into breast cancer cells. Molecular Cancer V10(1):117
  • Song Lu, Lin-Yu Lu, Meng-Fei Liu, Qiu-Ju Yuan, Mai-Har Sham, Xin-Yuan Guan, Jian-Dong Huang (2012) Cerebellar defects in Pdss2 conditional knockout mice during embryonic development and in adulthood. Neurobiology of Disease V45(1), P219-233
  • Ye Jin, and Jian-Dong Huang (2011) Engineering a portable riboswitch-LacP hybrid device for two-way gene regulation. Nucleic Acids Research V39(19):e131
  • Ju Cui, Zai Wang, Qianni Cheng, Raozhou Lin, Xin-Mei Zhang, Po Sing Leung, Neal G. Copeland, Nancy A. Jenkins, Kwok-Ming Yao, and Jian-Dong Huang (2011) Targeted Inactivation of Kinesin-1 in Pancreatic β-Cells in vivo Leads to Insulin Secretory Deficiency. Diabetes V60(1), P320-330
  • Richard Y Kao, Dan Yang, Lai-Shan Lau, Wayne H W Tsui, Lihong Hu, Jun Dai, Mei-Po Chan, Che-Man Chan, Pui Wang, Bo-Jian Zheng, Jian Sun, Jian-Dong Huang, Jason Madar, Guanhua Chen, Honglin Chen, Yi Guan & Kwok-Yung Yuen (2010) Identification of influenza A nucleoprotein as an antiviral target. Nature Biotechnology V28, P600–605
  • Jin, Y., Watt, R.M., Danchin, A., and Huang, J.D. (2009) Use of a riboswitch-controlled conditional hypomorphic mutation to uncover a role for the essential CsrA gene in bacterial autoaggregation. Journal of Biological Chemistry, V284(42):28738-28745
  • Zai Wang, Zhong-Jun Zhou, De-Pei Liu, and Jian-Dong Huang (2008) Double-stranded break can be repaired by single-stranded oligonucleotides via the ATM/ATR pathway in mammalian cells. Oligonucleotides (Journal now renamed as Nucleic Acid Therapeutics), V 18(1):21-32
  • Watt, R.M., Wang, J., Leong, M., Kung, H.F., Cheah, K.S.E., Liu, D.P., Danchin, A., Huang, J.D. (2007). Visualizing the proteome of Escherichia coli: an efficient and versatile method for labeling chromosomal coding DNA sequences (CDSs) with fluorescent protein genes. Nucleic Acids Research V35(6):e37 doi:10.1093/nar/gkl1158 (Faculty of 1000 Biology: evaluations for Watt RM et al Nucleic Acids Res 2007 35 (6) :e37 http://www.f1000biology.com/article/id/1088949/evaluation)
  • Yang, N., Tanner, J.A., Watt, R.M., Jin, L., Zheng, B.J., He, M.L., Lu, L.Y., Lin, Y.P., Wong, K.L., Lin, M.C., Kung, H.F., Sun, H.Z. *, and Huang, J.D.* (2007). Bismuth Complexes as Inhibitors of the SARS Coronavirus, Angewandte Chemie-International Edition, V46:6464-6468 (* co-corresponding author)
  • Huen, M.S.Y., Li, X.T., Lu, L.Y., Watt, R.M., Liu, D.P., and Huang, J.D. (2006). The involvement of replication in single stranded oligonucleotide-mediated gene repair. Nucleic Acids Research V34(21):6183–6194
  • Liu, B., Wang, J., Chan, K. M., Tjia, W. M., Deng, W., Guan, X., Huang, J. D., Li, K. M., Chau, P. Y., Chen, D. J., Pei, D., Pendas, A. M., Cadinanos, J., Lopez-Otin, C., Tse, H. F., Hutchison, C., Chen, J., Cao, Y., Cheah, K. S.,Tryggvason K,Zhou Z (2005).Genomic instability in laminopathy-based premature aging. Nature Medicine 11 (7), 780-785
  • Zhang, X.M., Chen, B.Y., Ng, A.H.L., Tanner, J.A., Tay, D., So, K.F., Rachel, R.A., Copeland, N. G., Jenkins, N.A., and Huang, J.D. (October, 2005) Transgenic Mice Expressing Cre-Recombinase Specifically in Retinal Rod Bipolar Neurons. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science (IOVS) V46: 3515-3520
  • Ge, R., Watt, R.M., Sun, X., Tanner, J.A. , He, Q.Y., Huang, J.D.* , and Sun, H *. (2006). Expression and Characterization of the Histidine-rich Protein, Hpn: Potential for Nickel Storage in Helicobacter pylori . Biochemical Journal, V 393 (1) : 285-293 (* co-corresponding author)
  • Wu, X.S., Xin, L., Yin, W.X., Shang, X.Y., Lu, L., Watt, R.M., Cheah, K.S.E., Huang, J.D., Liu, D.P., Liang, C.C. (2005). Increased Efficiency of Oligonucleotide-Mediated Gene Repair Through Slowing Replication Fork Progression. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , V102(7): 2508–2513
  • Tanner, J. A., Zheng, B. J., Zhou, J., Watt, R. M., Jiang, J. Q., Wong, K. L., Lin, Y. P., Lu, L. Y., He, M. L., Kung, H. F., Kesel, A. J. and Huang, J. D. (2005). The Adamantane-Derived Bananins Are Potent Inhibitors of the Helicase Activities and Replication of SARS Coronavirus. Chemistry & Biology (12), 303-11.
  • Zheng, B. J., Guan, Y., Hez, M. L., Sun, H., Du, L., Zheng, Y., Wong, K. L., Chen, H., Chen, Y., Lu, L., Tanner, J. A., Watt, R. M., Niccolai, N., Bernini, A., Spiga, O., Woo, P. C., Kung, H. F., Yuen, K. Y. and Huang, J. D. (2005). Synthetic peptides outside the spike protein heptad repeat regions as potent inhibitors of SARS-associated coronavirus. Antiviral Therapy (10), 393-403.
  • Wong, Q.N.Y., Ng, V.C.W., Lin, M.C.M., Kung, H.F., Chan, D., and Huang, J.D. (2005). Efficient and Seamless DNA Recombineering using a Thymidylate Synthase A Selection System in Escherichia coli. Nucleic Acids Research, V33(6), e59
  • Zhang, X.M., Ng, A.H.L., Tanner, J.A., Wu, W.T., N. G., Jenkins, N.A., and Huang, J.D. (2004).  Highly Restricted Expression of Cre Recombinase in Cerebellar Purkinje Cells. Genesis: The Journal of Genetics and Development, V40: 45-51
  • Kao, R.Y., Tsui, W.H.W., Lee, T.S.W., Tanner, J.A., Watt, R.M., Huang, J.D., Hu, L., Chen, G., Chen, Z., Zhang, L., He, T., Chan, K.H., Tse, H., To, A.P.C., Ng, L.W.Y., Wong, B.C.W., Tsoi, H.W., Yang, D., Ho, D.D., and Yuen, K.Y. (2004).  Identification of Novel Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Associated Coronavirus by Chemical Genetics. Chemistry & Biology, V11 (9):1293-1299.
  • O'Sullivan, T.N., Wu, X.S., Rachel, R.A., Huang, J.D., Swing, D.A., Matesic, L.E., Hammer, J.A., Copeland, N.G., and Jenkins, N.A.  (2004)  dsu Functions in a MYO5A-Independent Pathway to Suppress the Coat Color of Dilute Mice.   Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, V101 (48): 16831-16836.
  • Zhang, X.M., and Huang, J.D. (2003).  Combination of overlapping bacterial artificial chromosomes by a two-step recombinogenic engineering method.   Nucleic Acids Research, V31 (15): e81
  • Tanner, J.A., Watt, R.M., Chai, Y.B., Lu, L.Y., Lin, M.C., Peiris, J.S.M., Poon, L.L.M., Kung, H.F., and Huang, J.D. (2003).  The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Coronavirus NTPase/Helicase Belongs to a Distinct Class of 5' to 3' Viral Helicases. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, V278 (41): 39578-39582.
  • Li, X.T., Costantino, N., Lu, L.Y., Liu, D.P., Watt, R.M., Cheah, K.S.E., Court D.L., and Huang, J.D. (2003).  Identification of factors influencing strand bias in oligonucleotide-mediated recombination in E. coli. Nucleic Acids Research, V31 (22): 6674-6687.
  • Au, J.S.Y., and Huang, J.D. (2002).  A tissue specific exon of Myosin Va is responsible for selective cargo binding in melanocytes. Cell Motility and the Cytoskeleton, V53 (2): 89-102
  • Huang, J.D., Brady, S.T., Richards, B.W., Stenoien, D., Resau, J.H., Copeland, N.G., and Jenkins, N.A. (1999). Direct interaction of microtubule-and actin-based transport motors. Nature, V397: 267-270
  • Huang, J.D., Cope, M.J.T.V., Mermall, V., Strobel, M.C., Kendrick-Jones, J., Russell, L.B., Mooseker, M.S., Copeland, N.G., and Jenkins, N.A. (1998). Molecular Genetic Dissection of Mouse Unconventional Myosin-VA: Head Region Mutations. Genetics, V148 (4): 1951-1961.
  • Huang, J.D., Mermall, V., Strobel, M.C., Russell, L.B., Mooseker, M.S., Copeland, N.G., and Jenkins, N.A. (1998). Molecular Genetic Dissection of Mouse Unconventional Myosin-VA: Tail Region Mutations. Genetics, V148(4): 1963-1972.
  • Huang, J.D., Dubnicoff, T., Liaw, G.J., Bai, Y.J., Valentine, S.A., Shirokawa, J.M., Lengyel, J.A., and Courey, A.J. (1995). Binding Sites For Transcription Factor NTF-1/Elf-1 Contribute To The Ventral Repression Of Decapentaplegic. Genes and Development, V9 (24): 3177-89.
  • Huang, J.D., Schwyter, D.H. Shirokawa, J.M., and Courey, A.J. (1993). The Interplay Between Multiple Enhancer and Silencer Elements Defines the Pattern of Decapentaplegic Expression. Genes and Development, V7(4): 694-704.