1. 病原RNA及核酶等RNA元件的结构与机制研究，并基于结构助力开发靶向RNA药物；
2. 开发优化基于冷冻电镜技术解析RNA三维结构的方法；
3. 与蛋白/RNA质量控制相关的生物大分子机器的结构与机制研究。
特任教授, 博士生导师。入选国家海外高层次人才青年项目，中国科学院百人计划，安徽省海外创新人才计划等。现任中国生物物理学会冷冻电子显微学分会委员。2010年本科毕业于吉林大学，2015年博士毕业于北京大学。2015年7月-2021年4月先后在美国贝勒医学院、斯坦福大学任博士后、研究科学家。
2021年5月加入中国科学技术大学生命科学与医学部，组建RNA结构生物学实验室。至今，在国际知名期刊发表论文70余篇，包括Nature、Science、Nature Methods、Molecular Cell、Cell Research、Nature Structure & Molecular Boilogy、Science Advances、Nature Communications、PNAS等杂志。
联系方式：Email: kmzhang@ustc.edu.cn
招生招聘：
实验室长期招聘具有各类研究背景的优秀博士后，待遇从优。同时热忱欢迎本科生前来攻读博士学位或实习。
发表文章：（列举2016-2024年第一或通讯作者（含共同）文章；按时间倒序排序（且序号倒序）；所有共同第一作者均加注上标“#”字样，通讯作者及共同通讯作者均加注上标“*”字样，唯一第一作者且非通讯作者无加注；本人姓名加粗显示）
Google Scholar:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=dRjlvdkAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate
42. Zhang X, Li S, Zhang K*. Cryo-EM: A window into the dynamic world of RNA molecules. Curr Opin Struct Biol. 2024 Oct;88:102916. doi: 10.1016/j.sbi.2024.102916. Epub 2024 Sep 3. PMID: 39232250.
41. Zhao X, Gao Y, Gong Q, Zhang K*, Li S*. Elucidating the Architectural dynamics of MuB filaments in bacteriophage Mu DNA transposition. Nat Commun. 2024 Jul 31;15(1):6445. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-50722-1. PMID: 39085263; PMCID: PMC11292022.
40. Fan P#, Sun M#, Zhang X#, Zhang H, Liu Y, Yao Y, Li M, Fang T, Sun B, Chen Z, Chi X, Chen L, Peng C, Chen Z, Zhang G, Ren Y, Liu Z, Li Y, Li J, Li E, Guan W, Li S, Gong R*, Zhang K*, Yu C*, Chiu S*. A potent Henipavirus cross-neutralizing antibody reveals a dynamic fusion-triggering pattern of the G-tetramer. Nat Commun. 2024 May 21;15(1):4330. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-48601-w. PMID: 38773072; PMCID: PMC11109247.
39. Chen L#, Sun M#, Zhang H#, Zhang X#, Yao Y#, Li M, Li K, Fan P, Zhang H, Qin Y, Zhang Z, Li E, Chen Z, Guan W, Li S, Yu C*, Zhang K*, Gong R*, Chiu S*. Potent human neutralizing antibodies against Nipah virus derived from two ancestral antibody heavy chains. Nat Commun. 2024 Apr 6;15(1):2987. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-47213-8. PMID: 38582870; PMCID: PMC10998907.
38. Chen X#, Raiff A#, Li S, Guo Q, Zhang J, Zhou H, Timms RT, Yao X, Elledge SJ, Koren I*, Zhang K*, Xu C*. Mechanism of Ψ-Pro/C-degron recognition by the CRL2FEM1B ubiquitin ligase. Nat Commun. 2024 Apr 26;15(1):3558. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-47890-5. PMID: 38670995; PMCID: PMC11053023.
37. Wang D#, Guo Q#, Wu Z, Li M, He B, Du Y, Zhang K*, Tao Y*. Molecular mechanism of antihistamines recognition and regulation of the histamine H1 receptor. Nat Commun. 2024 Jan 2;15(1):84. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-44477-4. PMID: 38167898; PMCID: PMC10762250.
36. Chen J#, Chen H#, Li S#, Lin X, Hu R, Zhang K*, Liu L*. Structural and mechanistic insights into ribosomal ITS2 RNA processing by nuclease-kinase machinery. Elife. 2024 Jan 5;12:RP86847. doi: 10.7554/eLife.86847. PMID: 38180340.
35. Li S#*, Hsieh KY#, Kuo CI, Lin TC, Lee SH, Chen YR, Wang CH, Ho MR, Ting SY, Zhang K*, Chang CI*. A 5+1 assemble-to-activate mechanism of the Lon proteolytic machine. Nat Commun. 2023 Nov 13;14(1):7340. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-43035-2. PMID: 37957149; PMCID: PMC10643698.
34. Zhao S#, Olmayev-Yaakobov D#, Ru W, Li S, Chen X, Zhang J, Yao X, Koren I*, Zhang K*, Xu C*. Molecular basis for C-degron recognition by CRL2APPBP2 ubiquitin ligase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 Oct 24;120(43):e2308870120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2308870120. Epub 2023 Oct 16. PMID: 37844242; PMCID: PMC10614623.
33. Jie Deng, Xianyang Fang*, Lin Huang*, Shanshan Li, Lilei Xu, Keqiong Ye*, Jinsong Zhang, Kaiming Zhang*, Qiangfeng Cliff Zhang*. RNA structure determination: From 2D to 3D. Fundamental Research. Volume 3, Issue 5, 2023, Pages 727-737, ISSN 2667-3258.
32. Li S*, Palo MZ, Zhang X, Pintilie G, Zhang K*. Snapshots of the second-step self-splicing of Tetrahymena ribozyme revealed by cryo-EM. Nat Commun. 2023 Mar 16;14(1):1294. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-36724-5. PMID: 36928031; PMCID: PMC10020454.
31. Wang M#, He J#, Li S, Cai Q, Zhang K*, She J*. Structural basis of vitamin C recognition and transport by mammalian SVCT1 transporter. Nat Commun. 2023 Mar 13;14(1):1361. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-37037-3. PMID: 36914666; PMCID: PMC10011568.
30. Zhang X, Li S#*, Pintilie G, Palo MZ, Zhang K*. Snapshots of the first-step self-splicing of Tetrahymena ribozyme revealed by cryo-EM. Nucleic Acids Res. 2023 Feb 22;51(3):1317-1325. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkac1268. PMID: 36660826; PMCID: PMC9943679.
29. He J, Wang M, Li S, Chen L, Zhang K*, She J*. Cryo-EM structure of the plant nitrate transporter AtCLCa reveals characteristics of the anion-binding site and the ATP-binding pocket. J Biol Chem. 2023 Feb;299(2):102833. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102833. Epub 2022 Dec 26. PMID: 36581207; PMCID: PMC9898749.
28. Su S#, Li S#, Deng T#, Gao M, Yin Y, Wu B, Peng C, Liu J, Ma J*, Zhang K*. Cryo-EM Structures of Human m6A Writer Complexes.Cell Res. 2022 Nov;32(11):982-994. doi: 10.1038/s41422-022-00725-8. Epub 2022 Sep 27. PMID: 36167981; PMCID: PMC9652331.
27. Li S, Palo MZ, Pintilie G, Zhang X, Su Z, Kappel K, Chiu W*, Zhang K*, Das R*. Topological crossing in the misfolded Tetrahymena ribozyme resolved by cryo-EM. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Sep 13;119(37):e2209146119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2209146119. Epub 2022 Sep 6. PMID: 36067294; PMCID: PMC9477386.
26. Guo Q#, Zhao S#, Francisco-Velilla R, Zhang J, Embarc-Buh A, Abellan S, Lv M, Tang P, Gong Q, Shen H, Sun L, Yao X, Min J, Shi Y, Martínez-Salas E*, Zhang K*, Xu C*. Structural basis for Gemin5 decamer-mediated mRNA binding. Nat Commun. 2022 Sep 2;13(1):5166. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-32883-z. PMID: 36056043; PMCID: PMC9440017.
25. Zhang K#, Li S#, Wang Y, Wang Z, Mulvenna N, Yang H, Zhang P, Chen H, Li Y, Wang H, Gao Y, Wigneshweraraj S, Matthews S, Zhang K*, Liu B*. Bacteriophage protein PEIP is a potent Bacillus subtilis enolase inhibitor. Cell Rep. 2022 Jul 5;40(1):111026. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111026. PubMed PMID: 35793626.
24.Zhang K*,#, Horikoshi N#, Li S, Powers S, Hameedi M, Pintilie G, Chae H, Khan Y, Suomivuori C, Dror R, Sakamoto K*, Chiu W*, and Wakatsuki S*. Cryo-EM, Protein Engineering, and Simulation Enable the Development of Peptide Therapeutics against Acute Myeloid Leukemia. ACS Cent. Sci. 2022 Feb 7; doi.org/10.1021/acscentsci.1c01090
23. Li S#, Hsieh KY#, Kuo CI, Su SC, Huang KF, Zhang K*, Chang CI*. Processive cleavage of substrate at individual proteolytic active sites of the Lon protease complex. Sci Adv. 2021 Nov 12;7(46):eabj9537. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abj9537. Epub 2021 Nov 10. PubMed PMID: 34757797.
22. Liu B#*, Li S#, Liu Y#, Chen H, Hu Z, Wang Z, Zhao Y, Zhang L, Ma B, Wang H, Matthews S, Wang Y*, Zhang K*. Bacteriophage Twort protein Gp168 is a β-clamp inhibitor by occupying the DNA sliding channel. Nucleic Acids Res. 2021 Nov 8;49(19):11367-11378. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkab875. PubMed PMID: 34614154; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8565349.
21. Cogan DP#, Zhang K#, Li X, Li S, Pintilie GD, Roh SH, Craik CS, Chiu W*, Khosla C*. Mapping the catalytic conformations of an assembly-line polyketide synthase module. Science. 2021 Nov 5;374(6568):729-734. doi: 10.1126/science.abi8358. Epub 2021 Nov 4. PubMed PMID: 34735239.
20. Li S, Hsieh KY, Kuo CI, Lee SH, Pintilie GD, Zhang K*, Chang CI*. Complete three-dimensional structures of the Lon protease translocating a protein substrate. Sci Adv. 2021 Oct 15;7(42):eabj7835. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abj7835. Epub 2021 Oct 15. PubMed PMID: 34652947; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8519571.
19. Li S, Hsieh KY, Su SC, Pintilie GD, Zhang K*, Chang CI*. Molecular basis for ATPase-powered substrate translocation by the Lon AAA+ protease. J Biol Chem. 2021 Oct;297(4):101239. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101239. Epub 2021 Sep 24. PubMed PMID: 34563541; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8503904.
18.Zhang K#, Zheludev IN#, Hagey RJ#, Haslecker R, Hou YJ, Kretsch R, Pintilie GD, Rangan R, Kladwang W, Li S, Wu MT, Pham EA, Bernardin-Souibgui C, Baric RS, Sheahan TP, D'Souza V, Glenn JS*, Chiu W*, Das R*. Cryo-EM and antisense targeting of the 28-kDa frameshift stimulation element from the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome. Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2021 Sep;28(9):747-754. doi: 10.1038/s41594-021-00653-y. Epub 2021 Aug 23. PubMed PMID: 34426697. (Cover Story)
17. Su Z#*, Zhang K#, Kappel K#, Li S, Palo MZ, Pintilie GD, Rangan R, Luo B, Wei Y, Das R*, Chiu W*. Cryo-EM structures of full-length Tetrahymena ribozyme at 3.1 Å resolution. Nature. 2021 Aug;596(7873):603-607. doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03803-w. Epub 2021 Aug 11. PubMed PMID: 34381213; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8405103.
16. Li H#, Zhang K#, Binzel DW, Shlyakhtenko LS, Lyubchenko YL, Chiu W, Guo P*. RNA nanotechnology to build a dodecahedral genome of single-stranded RNA virus. RNA Biol. 2021 Apr 29;:1-11. doi: 10.1080/15476286.2021.1915620. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 33845711.
15.Zhang K*, Pintilie GD, Li S, Schmid MF, Chiu W*. Resolving individual atoms of protein complex by cryo-electron microscopy. Cell Res. 2020 Dec;30(12):1136-1139. doi: 10.1038/s41422-020-00432-2. Epub 2020 Nov 2. PubMed PMID: 33139928; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7605492.
14.Zhang K, Li S, Pintilie G, Chmielewski D, Schmid MF, Simmons G, Jin J, Chiu W*. A 3.4-Å cryo-electron microscopy structure of the human coronavirus spike trimer computationally derived from vitrified NL63 virus particles. QRB Discov. 2020 Nov 17;1:e11. doi: 10.1017/qrd.2020.16. PubMed PMID: 34192263; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7737156.
13. Kappel K#, Zhang K#, Su Z#, Watkins AM, Kladwang W, Li S, Pintilie G, Topkar VV, Rangan R, Zheludev IN, Yesselman JD, Chiu W*, Das R*. Accelerated cryo-EM-guided determination of three-dimensional RNA-only structures. Nat Methods. 2020 Jul;17(7):699-707. doi: 10.1038/s41592-020-0878-9. Epub 2020 Jul 2. PubMed PMID: 32616928; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7386730.
12. Partin AC#, Zhang K#, Jeong BC, Herrell E, Li S, Chiu W, Nam Y*. Cryo-EM Structures of Human Drosha and DGCR8 in Complex with Primary MicroRNA. Mol Cell. 2020 May 7;78(3):411-422.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.02.016. Epub 2020 Mar 27. PubMed PMID: 32220646; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7214211.
11.Zhang K#, Wang S#, Li S#, Zhu Y#, Pintilie GD, Mou TC, Schmid MF, Huang Z*, Chiu W*. Inhibition mechanisms of AcrF9, AcrF8, and AcrF6 against type I-F CRISPR-Cas complex revealed by cryo-EM. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 Mar 31;117(13):7176-7182. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1922638117. Epub 2020 Mar 13. PubMed PMID: 32170016; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7132274.
10. McClelland LJ#, Zhang K#, Mou TC#, Johnston J, Yates-Hansen C, Li S, Thomas CJ, Doukov TI, Triest S, Wohlkonig A, Tall GG, Steyaert J, Chiu W*, Sprang SR*. Structure of the G protein chaperone and guanine nucleotide exchange factor Ric-8A bound to Gαi1. Nat Commun. 2020 Feb 26;11(1):1077. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-14943-4. PubMed PMID: 32103024; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7044438.
9. Guo S#, Vieweger M#, Zhang K#, Yin H, Wang H, Li X, Li S, Hu S, Sparreboom A, Evers BM, Dong Y, Chiu W, Guo P*. Ultra-thermostable RNA nanoparticles for solubilizing and high-yield loading of paclitaxel for breast cancer therapy. Nat Commun. 2020 Feb 20;11(1):972. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-14780-5. PubMed PMID: 32080195; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7033104.
8.Zhang K#, Li S#, Kappel K#, Pintilie G, Su Z, Mou TC, Schmid MF, Das R*, Chiu W*. Cryo-EM structure of a 40 kDa SAM-IV riboswitch RNA at 3.7 Å resolution. Nat Commun. 2019 Dec 3;10(1):5511. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-13494-7. PubMed PMID: 31796736; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6890682.
7.Zhang K#, Zhang H#, Li S#, Pintilie GD, Mou TC, Gao Y, Zhang Q, van den Bedem H, Schmid MF, Au SWN*, Chiu W*. Cryo-EM structures of Helicobacter pylori vacuolating cytotoxin A oligomeric assemblies at near-atomic resolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019 Apr 2;116(14):6800-6805. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1821959116. Epub 2019 Mar 20. PubMed PMID: 30894496; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6452728.
6. Guo M#, Zhang K#, Zhu Y, Pintilie GD, Guan X, Li S, Schmid MF, Ma Z, Chiu W*, Huang Z*. Coupling of ssRNA cleavage with DNase activity in type III-A CRISPR-Csm revealed by cryo-EM and biochemistry. Cell Res. 2019 Apr;29(4):305-312. doi: 10.1038/s41422-019-0151-x. Epub 2019 Feb 27. PubMed PMID: 30814678; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6461802.
5. Michalska K#, Zhang K#, March ZM#, Hatzos-Skintges C, Pintilie G, Bigelow L, Castellano LM, Miles LJ, Jackrel ME, Chuang E, Jedrzejczak R, Shorter J*, Chiu W*, Joachimiak A*. Structure of Calcarisporiella thermophila Hsp104 Disaggregase that Antagonizes Diverse Proteotoxic Misfolding Events. Structure. 2019 Mar 5;27(3):449-463.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.str.2018.11.001. Epub 2018 Dec 27. PubMed PMID: 30595457; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6403000.
4. Jun H#, Shepherd TR#, Zhang K#, Bricker WP, Li S, Chiu W, Bathe M*. Automated Sequence Design of 3D Polyhedral Wireframe DNA Origami with Honeycomb Edges. ACS Nano. 2019 Feb 26;13(2):2083-2093. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.8b08671. Epub 2019 Jan 24. PubMed PMID: 30605605; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6679942.
3.Zhang K#, Keane SC#, Su Z, Irobalieva RN, Chen M, Van V, Sciandra CA, Marchant J, Heng X, Schmid MF, Case DA*, Ludtke SJ*, Summers MF*, Chiu W*. Structure of the 30 kDa HIV-1 RNA Dimerization Signal by a Hybrid Cryo-EM, NMR, and Molecular Dynamics Approach. Structure. 2018 Mar 6;26(3):490-498.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.str.2018.01.001. Epub 2018 Feb 2. PubMed PMID: 29398526; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5842133.
2. Li H#, Zhang K#, Pi F, Guo S, Shlyakhtenko L, Chiu W, Shu D, Guo P*. Controllable Self-Assembly of RNA Tetrahedrons with Precise Shape and Size for Cancer Targeting. Adv Mater. 2016 Sep;28(34):7501-7. doi: 10.1002/adma.201601976. Epub 2016 Jun 20. PubMed PMID: 27322097; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5059845.
1. Veneziano R#, Ratanalert S#, Zhang K#, Zhang F, Yan H, Chiu W, Bathe M*. Designer nanoscale DNA assemblies programmed from the top down. Science. 2016 Jun 24;352(6293):1534. doi: 10.1126/science.aaf4388. Epub 2016 May 26. PubMed PMID: 27229143; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5111087.