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Selected Research Papers

Meng X, Claussin C, Regan-Mochrie G, Whitehouse I, Zhao X. (2023). Balancing act of a leading strand DNA polymerase-specific domain and its exonuclease domain promotes genome-wide sister replication fork symmetry. Genes Dev.

Chang JT, Li S, Beckwitt E, Than T, Haluska C, Chandanani J, O’Donnell ME, Zhao X*, Liu S* (*co-corresponding authors) (2022) Smc5/6’s multi-faceted DNA binding capacities stabilize branched DNA structures. Nat Commun 13:7179

Regan-Mochrie G, Hoggard T, Bhagwat N, Lynch G, Hunter N, Remus D, Fox C, Zhao X (2022) Yeast ORC sumoylation status fine-tunes origin licensing. Genes Dev. 36:807-821

Yu Y, Li S, Ser Z, Kuang H, Than T, Guan D, Zhao X*, Patel DJ. (*co-corresponding author) (2022). Cryo-EM structure of DNA-bound Smc5/6 reveals DNA clamping enabled by multi-subunit conformational changes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Jun 7;119(23):e2202799119. Epub 2022 Jun 1. PubMed PMID: 35648833.

Yu Y, Li S, Ser Z, Sanyal T, Choi K, Wan B, Kuang H, Sali A, Kentsis A, Patel DJ, Zhao X*. (*co-corresponding author) (2021) Integrative analysis reveals unique structural and functional features of the Smc5/6 complex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 118(19):e2026844118.

Dhingra N, Kuppa S, Wei L, Pokhrel N, Baburyan S, Meng X, Antony E, Zhao X (2021). The Srs2 helicase dampens DNA damage checkpoint by recycling RPA from chromatin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. Feb 23;118(8):e2020185118. 

Li S, Bonner JN, Wan B, So S, Summers A, Gonzalez L, Xue X, Zhao X (2021). Esc2 orchestrates substrate-specific sumoylation by acting as a SUMO E2 cofactor in genome maintenance. Genes Dev. 35(3-4):261-272.

Shen M, Dhingra N, Wang Q, Cheng C, Zhu S, Tian , Yu J, Gong X, Li X, Zhang H, Xu X, Zhai L, Xie M, Gao Y, Deng H, He Y, Niu H, Zhao X, Xiang S (2021). Structural basis for the multi-activity factor Rad5 in replication stress tolerance. Nature Commun. 12: 321.

Meng X, Wei L, Devbhandari S, Zhang T, Xiang J, Remus D, Zhao X (2020). DNA polymerase ε relies on a unique domain for efficient replisome assembly and strand synthesis. Nat Commun. 11(1):2437.

Wan B, Wu J, Meng X, Lei M, Zhao X.(2019) Molecular basis for control of diverse genome stability factors by the multi-BRCT scaffold Rtt107. Molecular Cell 75, 238-251.

Peng XP, Lim S, Li, S, Marjavaara L, Chabes A, Zhao X (2018) Acute Smc5/6 depletion reveals its primary role in rDNA replication by restraining recombination at fork pausing sites PLoS Genet 14: e1007129

Bonner, J.N., Choi ,K., Xue, X., Torres, N.T., Szakal, B., Wei, L., Wan, B., Arter, M., Matos, J., Sung, P., Brown, P.W., Branzei, D. and Zhao, X. (2016) Smc5/6 mediated sumoylation of the Sgs1-Top3-Rmi1 complex promotes removal of recombination intermediates. Cell Reports 16, 368-378.

Wei, L., and Zhao, X. (2016). A new MCM modification cycle regulates DNA replication initiation. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology 23, 209–216.

Hang, L.E., Peng, J., Tan, W., Szakal, B., Menolfi, D., Sheng, Z., Lobachev, K., Branzei, D., Feng, W., and Zhao, X. (2015). Rtt107 Is a multi-functional scaffold supporting replication progression with partner SUMO and ubiquitin ligases. Molecular Cell 60, 268-279.

Xue, X., Choi, K., Bonner, J.N., Szakal, B., Chen, Y.H., Papusha, A., Saro, D., Niu, H., Ira, G., Branzei, D., Sung P., Zhao, X. (2015). Selective modulation of the functions of a conserved DNA motor by a histone fold complex. Genes & Development 29, 1000-1005.

Chung, I., and Zhao, X. (2015). DNA break-induced sumoylation is enabled by collaboration between a SUMO ligase and the ssDNA-binding complex RPA. Genes & Development 29, 1593-1598.

Xue, X., Choi, K., Bonner, J., Chiba, T., Kwon, Y., Xu, Y., Sanchez, H., Wyman, C., Niu, H., Zhao, X., Sung, P. (2014). Restriction of replication fork regression activities by a conserved SMC complex. Molecular Cell 56, 436-445.

Selected Reviews

Dhingra N, Zhao X. (2019). Intricate SUMO-based control of the homologous recombination machinery. Genes & Development 33, 1346-1354.

Zhao X (2018). SUMO-Mediated Regulation of Nuclear Functions and Signaling Processes. Mol Cell. 71(3):409-418.

Sarangi, P., and Zhao, X. (2015). SUMO-mediated regulation of DNA damage repair and responses. Trends in Biochemical Sciences 40, 233-242.

Xue, X., Sung, P., and Zhao, X. (2015). Functions and regulation of the multitasking FANCM family of DNA motor proteins. Genes & Development 29, 1777-1788.