Protein Research
Laboratory

Gene expression in cells is dynamically and intricately regulated in response to both external and internal signals. Transcription factors (TFs) bind to promoter regions to either activate or repress the expression of target genes. Therefore, research on TFs is crucial for understanding how cells adapt at the transcriptional level when they detect changes in molecular signals. The Cha group has been delving into how the DNA-binding activities of TFs are modulated at the atomic level.

EnfR: hydrogen production controlling transcription factor in archaea

[Related publications]

Da-Woon Bae^¶, Seong Hyuk Lee^¶, Ji Hye Park, Se-Young Son, Yuxi Lin, Jung Hyen Lee, Bo-Ram Jang, Kyu-Ho Lee, Young-Ho Lee, Hyun Sook Lee, Sung Gyun Kang, Byoung Sik Kim, Sun-Shin Cha*

"An archaeal transcription factor EnfR with a novel ‘eighth note’ fold controls hydrogen production of a hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus onnurineus NA1"

Nucleic Acids Research, Oct 13;51(18):10026-10040 (2023)

The Fur superfamily: metal sensing transcription factors in bacteria

[Related publications]

Young Jun An^¶, Bo-Eun Ahn^¶, A-Reum Han, Hae-Mi Kim, Kyung Min Chung, Jung-Ho Shin, Yoo-Bok Cho,

Jung-Hye Roe* and Sun-Shin Cha*

"Structural basis for the specialization of Nur, a nickel-specific Fur homologue, in metal sensing and DNA recognition"

Nucleic Acids Research, Jun;37(10):3442-3451 (2009)

Jung-Ho Shin^¶, Hoi Jong Jung^¶, Young Jun An, Yoo-Bok Cho, Sun-Shin Cha*, Jung-Hye Roe* 

"Graded expression of zinc-responsive genes through two regulatory zinc-binding sites in Zur"

PNAS, Mar 22;108(12):5045-5050 (2011)

Seung-Hwan Choi, Kang-Lok Lee, Jung-Ho Shin, Yoo-Bok Cho, Sun-Shin Cha, and Jung-Hye Roe*

"Zinc-dependent regulation of zinc import and export genes by Zur"

Nature Communications, 8:15812 (2017)

Yunchan Choi, Junseock Koh*, Sun-Shin Cha, and Jung-Hye Roe*

"Activation of Zinc uptake regulator by zinc binding to three regulatory sites"

• Nucleic Acids Research, Feb 13:gkae079 (2024)

Mlc

[Related publications]

Tae-Wook Nam, Ha Il Jung, Young Jun An, Young-Ha Park, Sang Hee Lee, Yeong-Jae Seok, and Sun-Shin Cha

"Analyses of Mlc–IIBGlc  interaction and a  plausible molecular mechanism of MIc inactivation by membrane sequestration"

PNAS, Jan;22(10):3751-3756 (2008)