Publications

At UT Health San Antonio (2019-present)

2020

Maranon D.G.*, Sharma N.*, Huang, Y*, Selemenakis P., Wang M., Altina N., Zhao W.#, and Wiese C.# (2020) NUCKS1 controls RAD54 activity in homologous recombination DNA repair. J. Cell Biol. 219 (10): e201911049. (*Co-first authors; #Co-corresponding authors)

Liang F., Miller A. S., Tang C., Maranon D., Williamson E. A., Hromas R., Wiese C., Zhao W., Sung P., and Kupfer G. M. (2020) Role of the UAF1 DNA Binding Activity in RAD51-Mediated Homologous DNA Pairing and Homology-directed DNA Repair. J. Biol. Chem., 295 (24), 8186-8194

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2019

Zhao, W.*#, Wiese C.*, Kwon Y., Hromas R., and Sung P. #. (2019) The BRCA Tumor Suppressor Network in Chromosome Damage Repair by Homologous Recombination. Annual Review of Biochemistry 88:23.1-23.25 (*Co-first authors; #Co-corresponding authors)

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Srinivasan G., Williamson. E.A., Kimi Kong K., Jaiswal A.S., Huang G., Kim H., Schärer O., Zhao W., Burma S., Sung P., and Hromas R. (2019). MiR223-3p promotes synthetic lethality in BRCA1-deficient cancers. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. August 27, 2019 116 (35) 17438-17443

Steinfeld J.B., Beláň O., Kwon Y., Terakawa T., Al-Zain A., Smith M.J., Crickard J.B., Qi Z., Zhao W., Rothstein R., Symington L.S., Sung P., Boulton S.J., Greene E.C.. (2019) Defining the influence of Rad51 and Dmc1 lineage-specific amino acids on genetic recombination. Genes Dev. September 1, 2019 33: 1191-1207

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Prior to UT Health San Antonio (2005-2018)

2018

Welty S., Teng Y., Liang Z., Zhao W., Sanders L., Greenamyre J. T., Maria Eulalia Rubio M. E., Thathiah A., Kodali R., Wetzel R., Levine A. S. and Lan L. (2018). RAD52 is required for RNA-templated recombination repair in post-mitotic neurons. J Biol Chem. 293, 1353-1362.

Rao T., Longerich S., Zhao W., Aihara H., Sung P., Xiong Y. (2018). Importance of homo-dimerization of Fanconi-associated nuclease 1 in DNA flap cleavage. DNA Repair. 64:53-58.

2017

Zhao, W. #, Steinfeld J.B., Liang F., Chen X., Maranon D. G., Jian Ma C., Kwon Y., Rao T., Wang W., Sheng C., Song X., Deng Y., Jimenez-Sainz J., Lu L., Jensen R.B., Xiong Y., Kupfer G.M., Wiese C., Greene E.C.# and Sung P. #. (2017). BRCA1-BARD1 promotes RAD51-mediated homologous DNA pairing. Nature 550: 360–365 (#Co-corresponding authors) (Highlighted in Nature News & Views; attracted 68 media attentions; ranked within the top one percent of over 276,000 research articles of a similar age; F1000 Recommended)

Xu, J.*, Zhao, L*, Xu, Y.*, Zhao, W.*, Sung, P. and Wang, H-W.. (2017) Cryo-EM structures of human recombinase RAD51 filaments in the catalysis of DNA strand exchange. Nat Struct Mol Biol. 24:40-46 (*Co-first authors)(F1000 Recommended)

2016

Borgogno, M. V., Monti, M. R., Zhao, W., Sung, P., Argarana, C. E. and Pezza, R.J. (2016). Tolerance of DNA Mismatches in Dmc1 Recombinase-Mediated DNA Strand Exchange. J Biol Chem. 291, 4928-4938.

2015

Trego, S. K., Groesser, T., Davalos, R. A., Parplys, C. A., Zhao, W., Nelson, R. M., Hlaing, A., Shih, B., Rydberg, B., Pluth, M. J., Tsai, M. S., Hoeijmakers, J. J., Sung, P., Wiese, C., Campisi, J., and Cooper, K. P. (2015). XPG Partners with BRCA1 and BRCA2 in Homologous Recombination to Maintain Genome Stability. Molecular Cell 61, 535-546.

Parplys, C. A.*, Zhao, W.*, Sharma,N.*, Groesser, T., Liang, F., Leung, G. S., Grundt, K., Dray, E., Idate, R., Østvold, A.C., Schild, D., Sung, P. and Wiese,C. (2015). NUCKS1 is a novel RAD51AP1 paralog required for homologous recombination and genome stability. Nucleic Acids Res., 43: 9817-9834. (*Co-first authors)

Zhao, W., Vaithiyalingam, S., San Filippo, J., Maranon, D.G., Jimenez-Sainz, J., Fontenay, G.V., Kwon, Y., Leung, S. G., Lu, L., Jensen, R. B.,Chazin, W.J., Wiese, C., Sung, P.(2015). Promotion of BRCA2-dependent Homologous Recombination by DSS1 via RPA Targeting and DNA Mimicry. Molecular Cell 59:176-187. (Cover of the issue July 16th; F1000 Recommended)

Zhao, W.#, Sung P#. (2015). Significance of ligand interactions involving Hop2-Mnd1 and the RAD51 and DMC1 recombinases in homologous DNA repair and XX ovarian dysgenesis. Nucleic Acids Res. 43, 4055-4066. (#Co-corresponding authors)

Lee, J.Y., Terakawa, T., Qi, Z., Steinfeld, J. B., Redding, S., Kwon, Y., Gaines, W. A., Zhao, W., Sung, P., and Greene, E. C. (2015). Base triplet recognition during DNA strand exchange by the Rad51/RecA family of recombinases. Science 349, 977-981. (F1000 Recommended)

2014

Zhao, W., Saro, D., Hammel, M., Kwon, Y., Xu, Y., Rambo, R.P., Williams, G.J., Chi, P., Lu, L., Pezza, R.J., et al. (2014). Mechanistic insights into the role of Hop2-Mnd1 in meiotic homologous DNA pairing. Nucleic Acids Res. 42, 906-917.

Moktan, H., Guiraldelli, M.F., Eyster, C.A., Zhao, W., Lee, C.Y., Mather, T., Camerini-Otero, R.D., Sung, P., Zhou, D.H., and Pezza, R.J. (2014). Solution Structure and DNA-binding Properties of the Winged Helix Domain of the Meiotic Recombination HOP2 Protein. J Biol Chem. 289, 14682-14691.

Buisson, R., Niraj, J., Pauty, J., Maity, R., Zhao, W., Coulombe, Y., Sung, P., and Masson, J.Y. (2014). Breast Cancer Proteins PALB2 and BRCA2 Stimulate Polymerase eta in Recombination-Associated DNA Synthesis at Blocked Replication Forks. Cell Reports 6, 553-564.

2012

Dunlop, M.H., Dray, E., Zhao, W., San Filippo, J., Tsai, M.S., Leung, S.G., Schild, D., Wiese, C., and Sung, P. (2012). Mechanistic insights into RAD51-associated protein 1 (RAD51AP1) action in homologous DNA repair. J Biol Chem. 287, 12343-12347.

2011

Dunlop, M.H., Dray, E., Zhao, W., Tsai, M.S., Wiese, C., Schild, D., and Sung, P. (2011). RAD51-associated protein 1 (RAD51AP1) interacts with the meiotic recombinase DMC1 through a conserved motif. J Biol Chem. 286, 37328-37334.

2010

Niu, H., Chung, W.H., Zhu, Z., Kwon, Y., Zhao, W., Chi, P., Prakash, R., Seong, C., Liu, D., Lu, L., Ira, G., and Sung, P. (2010). Mechanism of the ATP-dependent DNA end-resection machinery from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Nature 467, 108-111.

2009

Robertson, R.B., Moses, D.N., Kwon, Y., Chan, P., Zhao, W., Chi, P., Klein, H., Sung, P., and Greene, E.C. (2009). Visualizing the disassembly of S. cerevisiae Rad51 nucleoprotein filaments. J Mol Biol. 388, 703-720.

2008

Raynard, S., Zhao, W., Bussen, W., Lu, L., Ding, Y.Y., Busygina, V., Meetei, A.R., and Sung, P. (2008). Functional role of BLAP75 in BLM-topoisomerase IIIalpha-dependent holliday junction processing. J Biol Chem. 283, 15701-15708.

During Ph.D.

Zhang, Y., Pu, H., Wang, Q., Cheng, S., Zhao, W., Zhang, Y., and Zhao, J. (2007). PII is important in regulation of nitrogen metabolism but not required for heterocyst formation in the Cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. J Biol Chem. 282, 33641-33648.

Hu, B., Yang, G., Zhao, W., Zhang, Y., and Zhao, J. (2007). MreB is important for cell shape but not for chromosome segregation of the filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. Mol Microbiol. 63, 1640-1652.

Zhao, W.*, Ye, Z.*, and Zhao, J. (2007). RbrA, a cyanobacterial rubrerythrin, functions as a FNR dependent peroxidase in heterocysts in protection of nitrogenase from damage by hydrogen peroxide in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. Mol Microbiol. 66, 1219-1230. (*Co-first authors)

Zhao, W., Guo, Q., and Zhao, J. (2007). A membrane-associated Mn-superoxide dismutase protects the photosynthetic apparatus and nitrogenase from oxidative damage in the Cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. Plant Cell Physiol. 48, 563-572.

Chen, X., Cui, D., Liu, C., Li. H., Zhao, W. (2006) Sample Pretreatment Microfluidic Chip for DNA extraction from Rat Peripheral Blood. Chem J Chinese U. 27, 618-621.

Shi, Y.*, Zhao, W.*, Zhang, W., Ye, Z., and Zhao, J. (2006). Regulation of intracellular free calcium concentration during heterocyst differentiation by HetR and NtcA in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 103, 11334-11339. (*Co-first authors)

Zhao, Y., Shi, Y., Zhao, W., Huang, X., Wang, D., Brown, N., Brand, J., and Zhao, J. (2005). CcbP, a calcium-binding protein from Anabaena sp. PCC 7120, provides evidence that calcium ions regulate heterocyst differentiation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 102, 5744-5748.