Conggang Zhang
Research Area
We work on innate immunity and mitochondrial quality control, focusing on DNA induced innate immune signaling pathway, the PINK1-Parkin pathway, autoimmune diseases, bacteria and inflammation. The laboratory uses cell biology, structural biology, biochemistry and immunology methods to study the core mechanisms and potential applications of innate immunity and mitochondrial regulation. Our current research is mainly focused on 1. mitochondrial dynamics and quality control, and innate immunity regulation mechanism; 2. bacterial cyclic nucleotide metabolism pathway and immune regulation mechanism; 3. potential applications in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and neurodegenerative diseases
Selected Publications
1. Zhang C ⃰, Shang G ⃰, Gui X, Bai X, Zhang X, Chen J. Z. (2019). Structural Basis of STING Binding with and Phosphorylation by TBK1. Nature. 567: 394-398
2. Zhang C, Wang R, Liu Z, Bunker E, Lee S, Giuntini M, Chapnick D, and Liu X. (2019). The plant triterpenoid celastrol blocks PINK1-dependent mitophagy by disrupting PINK1’s association with the mitochondrial protein TOM20. J Biol Chem. 294: 7472-7487
3. Shang G ⃰, Zhang C ⃰, Chen J. Z, Bai X, Zhang X. (2019). Cryo-EM Structures of STING Reveal Its Mechanism of Activation by Cyclic GMP-AMP. Nature. 567: 389-393
4. Zhang C ⃰, Liu Z ⃰, Bunker E ⃰, Ramirez A, Lee S, Peng Y, Tan AC, Eckhardt SG, Chapnick DA, Liu X. (2017). Sorafenib Targets the Mitochondrial Electron Transport Chain Complexes and ATP Synthase to Activate the PINK1-Parkin Pathway and Modulate Cellular Drug Response. J Biol Chem. 292: 15105-15120
5. Zhang, C., Lee, S., Peng, Y., Bunker, E., Shen, C., Giaime, E., Shen, J., Shen, J., Zhou, Z., and Liu, X. (2015). A chemical genetic approach to probe the function of PINK1 in regulating mitochondrial dynamics. Cell research. 25(3):394-7.
6. Zhang, C., S. Lee, Y. Peng, E. Bunker, E. Giaime, J. Shen, Z. Zhou, and X. Liu. (2014). PINK1 Triggers Autocatalytic Activation of Parkin to Specify Cell Fate Decisions. Curr Biol. 24:1854-65.
7. Lee, S ⃰., Zhang, C ⃰., and Liu, X. (2014). Role of Glucose Metabolism and ATP in Maintaining PINK1 Levels During Parkin-mediated Mitochondrial Damage Responses. J Biol Chem. 290(2):904-17.