CHEN, Gang
Adjunct Associate Professor

Education Background
PhD (University of Rochester, USA)
MSc (University of Rochester, USA)
BSc (University of Science and Technology of China, PR China)

Research Field
Biophysical chemistry, Chemical biology, RNA folding and molecular recognition, Developing chemical probes and therapeutic drugs targeting RNA structures
Email
chengang@cuhk.edu.cn
Biography
Dr Gang CHEN is an Associate Professor in the School of Life and Health Sciences (LHS), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK-Shenzhen). He received his B.S. degree in Chemistry at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in 2001. He did his Ph.D. studies with Prof. Douglas TURNER in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Rochester. His Ph.D. work involved thermodynamic and NMR studies of RNA internal loops. A better understanding of the sequence dependence of thermodynamics for RNA structures will improve the accuracy of the RNA secondary structure prediction programs such as MFOLD and RNAstructure. He earned his Ph.D. in 2005. He was a postdoctoral fellow in Prof. Ignacio TINOCO’s lab in the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley from January 2006 to June 2009. His research in TINOCO lab was on single-molecule mechanical unfolding and folding of RNA pseudoknots by laser optical tweezers, which provided new insights into ribosomal reading-frame regulation by cis-acting mRNA structures. He was a Research Associate in Prof. David MILLAR's lab in the Department of Molecular Biology at The Scripps Research Institute working on HIV-1 Rev-RRE assembly using single-molecule fluorescence techniques. In July 2010, he joined the faculty in the Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He joined LHS at CUHK-Shenzhen in 2020.?
His team has been focused on (1) using biophysical and biochemical methods (including single-molecule manipulation using high-resolution optical tweezers) for probing the ?molecular interactions accounting for the structures, stabilities, dynamics, and functions of RNAs and RNA-ligand complexes; and (2) developing RNA structure-targeting programmable chemically modified peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) and other functional molecules as chemical probes, diagnostic tools, and therapeutic drugs. The team’s high-impact research on targeting RNA duplexes has generated significant interests in the RNA community. The team has been invited to contribute to (1) a review article on RNA triplexes in the journal Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: RNA, (2) a book chapter (published by Springer) on recognition and targeting of mature miRNA and miRNA hairpin precursor by duplex and triplex formation, respectively, (3) a methods article for the Journal of Visualized Experiments on sequence-specific and selective recognition of double-stranded RNAs over single-stranded RNAs by chemically modified peptide nucleic acids, (4) a News & Views article for the journal Nature Chemical Biology on the importance of base triples, junctions, and other non-Watson-Crick interactions in facilitating catalytic reactions of an RNA enzyme, and (5) an article in the Future of Biochemistry special issue in the journal Biochemistry (invited by the Editor-In-Chief, Prof Alanna Schepartz). The interdisciplinary team welcomes talents to join us to probe and target RNA sequences and structures with the ultimate goals of developing modern biological tools, disease diagnosis methods, and precision medicines.?

Academic Publications
Book Chapter
1. Patil, K.M., and Chen, G.* (2016) Recognition of RNA sequence and structure by duplex and triplex formation: targeting miRNA and pre-miRNA, in Modified Nucleic Acids in Biology and Medicine, (Volker A. Erdmann, Stefan Jurga and Jan Barciszewski, Eds.), Springer series: RNA Technologies. Doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-34175-0_13
Patents Filed?
1. Singapore Provisional patent: 1R. ?Title: Compositions and Methods For Inhibition of RNA Editing For Treatment of Cancer.?
Inventors: 1) Leilei CHEN; 2) Daryl Jin Tai TAY; 3) Gang CHEN ?
Applicants: 1) National University of Singapore; 2) Nanyang Technological University
2. PAT/179/14/15/PCT, ?Title: Modified Peptide Nucleic Acids And Their Use. ?
Inventors: 1) Gitali DEVI; 2) Desiree-Faye TOH Kaixin; 3) Kiran M. PATIL; 4) QU Qiuyu; 5) Manikantha MARASWAMI; 6) Elzbieta KIERZEK; 7) XIAO Yunyun; 8) LOH Teck Peng; 9) ZHAO Yanli; 10) CHEN Gang. ?
Applicants: 1) Nanyang Technological University; 2) Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences. ?Singapore PCT Application No: ?PCT/SG2015/050319. ?International Filing Date: 15 September 2015.
Journal papers:
1. Maity, A., Winnerdy, F.R., Chang, W.D., Chen, G., and Phan, A.T.* (2020) Intra-locked G-quadruplex structures formed by irregular DNA G-rich motifs. Nucleic Acids Res. 48, 3315–3327. (IF: 11.561)
2. Ong, A.A.L.#, Tan, J.#, Bhadra, M., Dezanet, C., Patil, K.M., Chong, M.S., Kierzek, R., Decout, J.-L., Roca, X., and Chen, G.* (2019) RNA secondary structure-based design of antisense peptide nucleic acids for modulating disease-associated aberrant tau pre-mRNA alternative splicing. Molecules, 24, 3020. (IF: 3.098)?
3. Krishna, M.S., Wang, Z., Bowry, J., Wang, Z., Zheng, L., Bowry, J., Ong, A.A.L., Mu, Y., Prabakaran, M., and Chen, G.* (2019) Incorporating G-C Pair-Recognizing Guanidinium into PNAs for Sequence and Structure Specific Recognition of dsRNAs over dsDNAs and ssRNAs. Biochemistry, 58, 3777-3788. (IF: 2.997)
4. Ong, A.A.L.#, Toh, D.-F.K.#, Krishna, M.S., Patil, K.M., Okamura, K., and Chen, G.* (2019) Incorporating 2-thiouracil into short dsRNA-binding PNAs for enhanced recognition of A-U pairs and for targeting a microRNA hairpin precursor. Biochemistry, 58, 3444-3453. (IF: 2.997)
5. Krishna, M.S., Toh, D.-F.K., Meng, Z., Ong, A.A.L., Wang, Z., Lu, Y., Xia, K., Prabakaran, M., and Chen, G.* (2019) Sequence- and structure-specific probing of RNAs by short nucleobase-modified dsRNA-binding PNAs incorporating a fluorescent light-up uracil analog. Anal. Chem., 91, 5331-5338. (IF: 6.042)
6. Tan, J.#, Yang, L.#, Ong, A.A.L., Shi, J., Zhong, Z., Lye, M.L., Liu, S., Lisowiec-Wachnicka, J., Kierzek, R., Roca, X.,* Chen, G.* (2019) A disease-causing intronic point mutation C19G alters tau exon 10 splicing via RNA secondary structure rearrangement. Biochemistry, 58, 1565-1578. (IF: 2.997)
7. Kesy, J.#, Patil, K.M.#, Kumar, S.M.#, Shu, Z., Yee, Y.H., Zimmermann, L., Ong, A.A.L., Toh, D.-F.K., Krishna, M.S., Yang, L., Decout, J.-L., Luo, D., Prabakaran, M.,* Chen, G.,* and Kierzek, E.* (2019) A short chemically modified dsRNA-binding PNA (dbPNA) inhibits influenza viral replication by targeting viral RNA panhandle structure. Bioconjugate Chem., 30, 931-943. (IF: 4.485)
8. Ong, A.A.L.#, Toh, D.-F.K.#, Patil, K.M.#, Meng, Z., Yuan, Z., Krishna, M.S., Devi, G. Haruehanroengra, P., Lu, Y., Xia, K., Okamura, K., Sheng, J., and Chen, G.* (2019) General recognition of U-G, U-A, and C-G pairs by double-stranded RNA-binding PNAs incorporating an artificial nucleobase. Biochemistry, 58, 1319-1331. (IF: 2.997)?
9. Yang, L., Zhong, Z., Tong, C., Jia, H., Liu, Y., and Chen, G.* (2018) Single-molecule mechanical folding and unfolding of RNA hairpins: Effects of single A-U to A?C pair substitutions and single proton binding and implications for mRNA structure-induced ?1 ribosomal frameshifting. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 140, 8172-8184. (IF: 14.357)
10. Patil, K.M.#, Toh, D.-F.K.#, Yuan, Z.#, Meng, Z.#, Shu, Z., Zhang, H., Ong, A.A.L., Krishna, M.S., Lu, L., Lu, Y.,* and Chen, G.* (2018) Incorporating uracil and 5-halouracils into short peptide nucleic acids for enhanced recognition of A-U pairs in dsRNAs. Nucleic Acids Res. 46, 7506-7521. (IF: 11.561)
11. Maraswami, M., Chen, G.,* and Loh, T.-P.* (2018) Iridium(III)-catalyzed selective and mild C-H amidation of cyclic N-sulfonyl ketimines with organic azides. Adv. Synth. Catal. 360, 416-421. (IF: 5.123)
12. Puah, R.Y.#, Jia, H.#, Maraswami, M.#, Toh, D.-F.K.#, Ero, R.#, Yang, L., Patil, K.M., Ong, A.A.L., Krishna, M.S., Sun, R., Tong, C., Huang, M., Chen, X., Loh, T.-P., Gao, Y.G., Liu, D.X.,* and Chen, G.* (2018) Selective binding to mRNA duplex regions by chemically modified peptide nucleic acids stimulates ribosomal frameshift. Biochemistry 57, 149-159. (IF: 2.997)
Invited for the Future of Biochemistry special issue, ?
Cover highlight of 44 faces representing the Future of Biochemistry, ?
Editorial
13. Maraswami, M., Pankajakshan, S., Chen, G.,* and Loh, T.-P.* (2017) Palladium-catalyzed direct C-H trifluoroethylation of aromatic amides. Org. Lett. 19, 4223-4226. (IF: 6.492)
14. Chen, H., Jia, H., Tham, H.P., Qu, Q., Xing, P., Zhao, J., Phua, S.Z.F., Chen, G.,* and Zhao, Y.* (2017) Theranostic prodrug vesicles for imaging guided co-delivery of camptothecin and siRNA in synergetic cancer therapy. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 9, 23536-23543. (IF: 8.097)
15. Toh, D.-F.K.#, Patil, K.M.#, and Chen, G.* (2017) Sequence-specific and selective recognition of double-stranded RNAs over single-stranded RNAs by chemically modified peptide nucleic acids. J. Vis. Exp. 127, e56221. (IF: 1.325)
16. Zhong, Z., Yang, L., Zhang, H., Shi, J., Vandana, J., Lam, D.T.U.H., Olsthoorn, R.C.L., Lu, L., and Chen, G.* (2016) Mechanical unfolding kinetics of the SRV-1 gag-pro mRNA pseudoknot: possible implications for ?1 ribosomal frameshifting stimulation. Sci. Rep. 6, 39549. (IF: 4.122)
17. Toh, D.-F.K.#, Devi, G.#, Patil, K.M., Qu, Q., Maraswami, M., Xiao, Y., Loh, T.-P., Zhao, Y.,* and Chen, G.* (2016) Incorporating a guanidine-modified cytosine base into triplex-forming PNAs for the recognition of a C-G pyrimidine-purine inversion site of an RNA duplex. Nucleic Acids Res. 44, 9071-9082. (IF: 11.561)
18. Tan, J., Ho, J.X.J., Zhong, Z., Luo, S., Chen, G., and Roca, X.* (2016) Noncanonical registers and base pairs in human 5’ splice-site selection. Nucleic Acids Res. 44, 3980-3921. (IF: 11.561)
19. Guo, S., Kierzek, E., Chen, G., Zhou, Y.J., and Wong, S.K.* (2015) TMV mutants with poly(A) tracts of different lengths demonstrate structural variations in 3′UTR affecting viral RNAs accumulation and symptom expression. Sci. Rep. 5, 18412. (IF: 4.122)
20.?Zhong, Z., and Chen, G.* (2015) How RNA catalyzes cyclization. Nat. Chem. Biol. 11, 830-831. (IF: 13.843)
21.?Zhong, Z., Soh, L.H., Lim, M.H., and Chen, G.* (2015) A U?U pair-to-U?C pair mutation-induced RNA native structure destabilization and stretching-force-induced RNA misfolding. ChemPlusChem 80, 1267-1278. (IF: 3.205)
22. Zhang, L., Liu, H., Shao, Y.,* Lin, C., Jia, H., Chen, G.,* Yang, D.,* and Wang, Y. (2015) Selective lighting up of epiberberine alkaloid fluorescence by fluorophore-switching aptamer and stoichiometric targeting of human telomeric DNA G-quadruplex multimer. Anal. Chem. 87, 730-737. (IF: 6.042)
23.?Devi, G.#, Zhou, Y.#, Zhong, Z.#, Toh, D.-F.K.#, and Chen, G.* (2015) RNA triplexes: From structural principles to biological and biotech applications. Wiley Interdiscip. Rev. RNA 6, 111-128. (IF: 5.844)
24. Ma, X.#, Devi, G.#, Qu, Q., Toh, D.-F.K., Chen, G.,* and Zhao, Y.* (2014) Intracellular delivery of antisense peptide nucleic acid by fluorescent mesoporous silica nanoparticles. Bioconjugate Chem. 25, 1412-1420. (IF: 4.485)
25. Devi, G., Yuan, Z., Lu, Y., Zhao, Y.,* and Chen, G.* (2014) Incorporation of thio-pseudoisocytosine into triplex-forming peptide nucleic acids for enhanced recognition of RNA duplexes. Nucleic Acids Res. 42, 4008-4018. (IF: 11.561)
26. Zhou, Y., Kierzek, E., Loo, Z.P., Antonio, M., Yau, Y.H., Chuah, Y.W., Geifman-Shochat, S., Kierzek, R.,* and Chen, G.* (2013) Recognition of RNA duplexes by chemically modified triplex-forming oligonucleotides. Nucleic Acids Res. 41, 6664-6673. (IF: 11.561)
27. Tinoco, I., Jr.,* Chen, G., and Qu, X. (2010) RNA reactions one molecule at a time, in RNA Worlds, (Gesteland, R.F., Cech, T.R., and Atkins, J.F., Eds.), Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. Cold Spring Harb. Perspect. Biol. 2, a003624. doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a003624. (IF: 9.274)
28. Chen, G., Chang, K.Y., Chou, M.Y., Bustamante, C., and Tinoco, I., Jr.* (2009) Triplex structures in an RNA pseudoknot enhance mechanical stability and increase efficiency of –1 ribosomal frameshifting. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 106, 12706-12711. (IF: 9.504)
29. Chen, G., Kennedy, S.D., and Turner, D.H.* (2009) A CA+ pair adjacent to a sheared GA or AA pair stabilizes size-symmetric RNA internal loops. Biochemistry 48, 5738-5752. (IF: 2.997)
30. Chen, G., Wen, J.D., and Tinoco, I., Jr.* (2007) Single-molecule mechanical unfolding and folding of a pseudoknot in human telomerase RNA. RNA 13, 2175-2188. (IF: 4.490)
31. Chen, G., Kierzek, R., Yildirim, I., Krugh, T.R., Turner, D.H.,* and Kennedy, S.D. (2007) Stacking effects on local structure in RNA: Changes in the structure of tandem GA pairs when flanking GC pairs are replaced by isoG-isoC pairs. J. Phys. Chem. B 111, 6718-6727. (IF: 3.146)
32. Shankar, N., Kennedy, S.D., Chen, G., Krugh, T.R., and Turner, D.H.* (2006) The NMR structure of an internal loop from 23S ribosomal RNA differs from its structure in crystals of 50S ribosomal subunits. Biochemistry 45, 11776-11789. (IF: 2.997)
33. Chen, G., Kennedy, S.D., Qiao, J., Krugh, T.R., and Turner, D.H.* (2006) An alternating sheared AA pair and elements of stability for a single sheared purine-purine pair flanked by sheared GA pairs in RNA. Biochemistry 45, 6889-6903. (IF: 2.997)
34. Chen, G., and Turner, D.H.* (2006) Consecutive GA pairs stabilize medium-size RNA internal loops. Biochemistry 45, 4025-4043. (IF: 2.997)
35. Chen, G., Znosko, B.M., Kennedy, S.D., Krugh, T.R., and Turner, D.H.* (2005) Solution structure of an RNA internal loop with three consecutive GA pairs. Biochemistry 44, 2845-2856. (IF: 2.997)
36. Chen, G., Znosko, B.M., Jiao, X., and Turner, D.H.* (2004) Factors affecting thermodynamic stabilities of RNA 3 × 3 internal loops. Biochemistry 43, 12865-12876. (IF: 2.997)
37. Cui, Y.,* Chen, G., Ren, J., Shao, M., Xie, Y., and Qian, Y.* (2003) Solvothermal syntheses of β-Ag2Se crystals with novel morphologies. J. Solid State Chem. 172, 17-21. (IF: 2.179)
38. Cui, Y.,* Chen, J., Chen, G., Ren, J., Yu, W., and Qian, Y. (2001) Bis(2,2-bipyridine-N,N')tetra-μ-chloro-tetracopper(I). Acta Crystallogr. Sect. C 57, 349-351. (IF: 8.678)
39. Shao, M., Mo, M., Cui, Y., Chen, G., and Qian, Y.* (2001) The effect of agitation states on hydrothermal synthesis of Bi2S3 nanorods. J. Cryst. Growth 233, 799-802. (IF: 1.573)
40. Cui, Y.,* Ren, J., Chen, G., Qian, Y.,* and Xie, Y. (2001) A simple route to synthesize MInS2 (M = Cu, Ag) nanorods from single-molecule precursors. Chem. Lett., (3) 236-237. (IF: 1.485)
41. Cui, Y.,* Ren, J., Chen, G., Yu, W., and Qian Y. (2000) Poly[lead(II)-μ-4,4-bipyridine-N:N'-di-μ-bromo]. Acta Crystallogr. Sect. C 56, E552-E553. (IF: 8.678)
42. Cui, Y., Chen, G., Ren, J., Qian, Y.,* and Huang, J.* (2000) Syntheses, structures and magnetic behaviors of di- and trinuclear pivalate complexes containing both cobalt(II) and lanthanide(III) ions. Inorg. Chem. 39, 4165-4168. (IF: 4.700)
43. Cui, Y.,* Zhang, X., Zheng, F., Ren, J., Chen, G., Qian, Y., and Huang J. (2000) Two mixed-metal carboxylate-base adducts. Acta Crystallogr. Sect. C 56, 1198-1200. (IF: 8.678)