Quan Chen

Associate Professor, School of Life Sciences
University of Science & Technology of China

Tel: 86-551-3607450
Fax: 86-551-3600607
E-mail: chenquan@ustc.edu.cn

Personal Profile

Dr. Quan Chen obtained her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular biology from University of Science and Technology of China in 2007. Before starting her position at USTC, Quan conducted a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in Mayo Clinic Arizona focusing on structure and function studies of G-protein coupled receptors, and was a research associate at University of Southern California working on mRNA display based Zinc finger selection.

Research Interests

We are interested in the design of Artificial Transcription Factors and probing their applications in synthetic biology. Currently, we are focusing on reprogramming E.coli phenotype by developing zinc-finger based artificial transcription factors. We are also focusing on elucidate phenotype-related gene and metabolic network.

We are also attempting to design new molecular tools/switches for performing information processing and control biological functions in living systems and apply these tools to programming and probing biological systems. We are applying these technologies to address key challenges in synthetic biology including next generation bio-energy, biosynthesis as well as environmental protections.

Selected Publications

1. Miller, L.J., Chen, Q., Lam, P.C., Pinon, D.I., Sexton, P.M., Abagyan, R. and Dong, M.Refinement of glucagon-like peptide 1 docking to its intact receptor using mid-region photolabile probes and molecular modeling. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2011, 286:15895-15907

2. Chen, Q., Pinon, D.I., Miller, L.J., and Dong, M. Spatial approximations between residues 6 and 12 in the amino-terminal region of glucagon-Like peptide 1 and its receptor. a region critical for biological activity. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2010, 285: 24508-24518

3. Chen, Q., Miller, L.J., and Dong, M. Role of N-linked glycosylation in biosynthesis, trafficking, and function of the human glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor. Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab. 2010, 299(1): E62-8

4. Chen, Q., Pinon, D.I., Miller, L.J., and Dong, M. Molecular basis of glucagon-like peptide 1 docking to its intact receptor studied with carboxyl-terminal photolabile probes. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2009, 284: 34135-34144

5. Chen, Q., Niu, X., Xu, Y., Wu, J., and Shi, Y. Solution Structure and Backbone Dynamics of AF-6 PDZ domain/Bcr Peptide Complex. Protein Science, 2007, 16: 1053 - 1062

6. Niu, X., Chen, Q., Zhang, J., Shen, W., Shi, Y., and Wu, J. Interesting structural and dynamical behaviors exhibited by the AF-6 PDZ domain upon Bcr peptide binding. Biochemistry, 2007, 46(51):15042-15053

7. Ding, H., Xu, Y., Chen, Q., Dai, H., Tang, Y., Wu, J., and Shi, Y. Solution structure of human SUMO-3 C47S and its binding surface for Ubc9. Biochemistry, 2005, 44(8): 2790-2799

8. Zhang, X., Zhang, J., Li, X., Xu, J., Huang, H., Chen, Q., Wu, J., and Shi, Y. Compact molten globule-like state of hUBF HMG Box1 at extremely low pH. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 2005, 1748: 66?3

9. Chen, Q. and Shi, Y. Progress in SUMO modification research. Chinese Bulletin of Life Sciences, 2004, 16: 1-6

10. Xiao, Y., Chen, Q., Hang, J., Shi, Y., Wu, J., Hong, Y. and Wang, Y. Selective induction, purification and characterization of a laccase isozyme from the basidiomycete Trametes sp. AH28-2. Mycologia, 2004, 96(1):26-35