YANG Daiwen (Associate Professor)   Contact Information: Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore Science Drive 4 Singapore 117543 Fax: 67792486 email:dbsydw@nus.edu.sg

Research Areas:

NMR, Macromolecular Structure, Dynamics and Automation.

Research Interests:

Biomolecular structures provide important source of information for understanding biological function at the molecular level and are the basis for many studies in research areas such as structure-based drug design and homology modeling. My research focuses, firstly, on development of NMR methods for the study of high molecular weight proteins and protein complexes, secondly, on application of NMR techniques to determine structures of biologically important proteins, thirdly, on development and application of novel NMR methods for the study of functionally relevant dynamics, fourthly, on automation of data analysis that significantly reduces the time needed for protein-structure determination, and lastly, on identification of bioactive compounds from herbs one the basis of affinity selection and NMR techniques.

Current projects:

1. Development of NMR methods for the study of large proteins
Currently, structure determination by NMR is very costly for medium and large sized proteins because one has to grow the cells in heavy water (2H2O) with so-called deuteration technique. To overcome the problems caused by deuteration or/and specific isotope labeling, we are developing techniques to assign NMR resonances of side chains and to determine protein structures of large proteins (> 40 kDa) without using deuterium labeling.

2. Structural and dynamic characterization of biologically important proteins
We are working on proteins from two families, one is cell-cell adhesion proteins that are important for cell recognition while the other is proteins relevant to small GTPase that are important for signal transduction and apoptosis. Undergoing projects focus on structure determination of DdCAD-1, BCH domain, SAM domain, and EEN. We are also investigating the relationship among structure, dynamics and function. At the same time, we are developing new methods for measuring dynamics more efficiently.

3. Automation of data analysis
We are developing computer programs for automated protein structure determination on the basis of sequence specific assignment or graphic algorithm without chemical shift assignment.

4. Identification of bioactive compounds from herbs
Bioactive compounds are identified on the basis of cell line tests and then purified and characterized with affinity techniques and NMR techniques.

Research Accomplishments:

1. Development of a novel experiment for assignment of methyl groups in uniformly 13C-labeled large proteins.
2. Solution structures of Ng, SAM domain and DdCAD-1.
3. Development of novel experiments for probing side chain dynamics.
4. Development of an automated program for sequential assignment of large proteins.

Selected Publications:

1. D. W. Yang, Y. Zheng, D. Liu & D. F. Wyss, Sequence Specific Assignments of Methyl Groups in High Molecular Weight Proteins, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 126, 3710-3711 (2004).

2. X.Y. Ran, H. H. Miao, F.S. Sheu & D.W.Yang, Structural and Dynamic Characterization of a Neuron-specific Protein Kinase C Substrate, Neurogranin, Biochemistry, 42, 5143-5150 (2003).

3. D. Fan, Y. Zheng, D. W. Yang & J. Wang, NMR Solution Structure and Dynamics of an Exchangeable Apolipoprotein Locusta Migratoria Apolipophorin III, J. Biol. Chem., 278, 21212-20 (2003).

4. W.D. Liu , Y. Zheng, D. P. Cistola & D.W.Yang, Measurements of Methyl 13C Cross-correlation in Uniformly 13C-, 15N-labeled Proteins, J. Biomol. NMR, 27, 351-364 (2003).
   

Complete list of Publications-->