huang@illinois.edu
411 Roger Adams Lab
Office: (217) 333-3967
Fax: (217) 244-5858
Mail to:
Department of Biochemistry
419 Roger Adams Lab B-4
University of Illinois, U-C
600 S Mathews Ave
Urbana, IL 61801
Raven H Huang
Associate Professor of Biochemistry
Associate Professor of Biophysics
Affiliate, Department of Chemistry
Education
B.S. and M.S. 1986 Nankai University
Ph.D. 1995 University of Washington
Postdoc. 1996-99 Harvard University
Teaching Interests
Functional and structural characterization of protein enzymes involved in RNA modification and editing, site-specific RNA cleavage, and RNA repair.
The major research in our laboratory focuses on studies of RNA-protein interaction. We are particularly interested in protein enzymes acting on RNA. Using integrated approaches of chemical biology, biochemistry, and structural biology, we strive to provide insight into RNA substrate recognition and reaction mechanisms of the protein enzymes. The research can further be divided into three specific areas that are related to one another.
RNA Modification and Editing. Various RNAs, tRNA in particular, experience post-transcriptional modifications. To date, more than 100 modified nucleotides have been found in RNA. These modifications are important for the biological functions of RNAs. We are interested in mechanistic studies of RNA-modifying enzymes, especially those enzymes involved in hypermodifications near the anticodon of tRNA. In addition, enzymes involved in RNA and DNA editing are also the focus of our study.
RNA Cleavage. Protein synthesis is fundamental to living cells. Therefore, it is a main target of various toxins for cell killing. One strategy employed by some bacteria and viruses for cell killing is to cleave essential RNAs (rRNAs, tRNAs, and mRNAs) involved in protein translation, carried out by a class of toxins called ribotoxins. Our research focuses on discovery, biochemical and structural characterization of ribotoxins that target tRNAs.
RNA Repair. To prevent cell death, organisms employ enzymes to repair the damaged RNA cleaved by ribotoxins. Recently, we discovered a bacterial RNA repair system composed of two bacterial proteins Pnkp and Hen1. The novelty of the bacterial repair system is that, in addition to restore the ribotoxin-cleaved RNA to its original form, bacterial Hen1 adds a methyl group at the repair junction to protect the repaired RNA against further ribotoxin attack. Thus, the repaired RNA is “better than new”.
Representative Publications
Chan, C.M., Zhou, C., Huang, R.H. (2009). Reconstituting bacterial RNA repair & modification system in vitro. Science, 326, 247.
Chan, C.M., Zhou, C., Brunzelle, J.S., Huang, R.H. (2009). Structural and biochemical insights into 2’-O-methylation at the 3’-terminal nucleotide of RNA by Hen1. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 106, 17699-17704.
Zhou, C., Huang, R.H. (2008). Crystallographic snapshots of eukaryotic dimethylallyltransferase acting on tRNA: insight into tRNA recognition and reaction mechanism. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 105, 16142-16247.
Xie, W., Zhou, C., Huang, R.H. (2007). Structure of tRNA dimethylallyltransferase: RNA modification through a channel. J. Mol. Biol. 367, 872-881.
Luna-Chavez, C., Lin, Y., Huang, R. H. (2006). Molecular basis of inhibition of the ribonuclease activity in colicin E5 by its cognate immunity protein”, J. Mol. Biol. 358, 571-579.
Elias, Y., Huang, R.H. (2005). Biochemical and structural studies of A-to-I editing by tRNA:A34 deaminases at the wobble position of transfer RNA. Biochemistry 44, 12057-12065.
Phannachet, K., Huang, R.H. (2004). Conformational change of pseudouridine 55 synthase upon its association with RNA substrate. Nucleic Acids Res. 32, 1422-1429.
Xie, W., Liu, X., Huang, R.H. (2003). Chemical trapping and structure of a catalytic tRNA-guanine transglycosylase covalent intermediate. Nat. Struct. Biol. 10, 781-788.
Huang, H., Chopra, R., Verdine, G.L., Harrison, S.C. (1998). Structure of a covalently trapped catalytic complex of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase: implications for drug resistance. Science 282, 1669-1675.
Huang, H., Zhu, L., Reid, B.R., Drobny, G.P., Hopkins, P.B. (1995). Solution structure of a cisplatin-induced DNA interstrand cross-Link. Science 270, 1842-1845.