J. D. Wang

Mitochondrial GTP Metabolism Regulates Reproductive Aging

This study shows that mitochondrial GTP metabolism regulates reproductive aging in C. elegans by controlling mitochondrial dynamics and homeostasis.

The nucleotide messenger (p)ppGpp is a co-repressor of the purine synthesis transcription regulator PurR in Firmicutes

This study shows (p)ppGpp acts as a co-repressor of PurR in Firmicutes, downregulating purine synthesis by enhancing PurR DNA binding, with implications across environments from the gut to pathogens.

Systemic characterization of pppGpp, ppGpp and pGpp targets in Bacillus reveal NahA converts (p)ppGpp to pGpp to regulate alarmone composition and signaling

The paper identifies pGpp as a third alarmone in Bacillus and shows NahA converts (p)ppGpp to pGpp, altering alarmone composition and stress response.

Molecular mechanism of regulation of the purine salvage enzyme XPRT by the alarmones pppGpp, ppGpp, and pGpp

This study identifies how alarmones pppGpp, ppGpp, and pGpp inhibit XPRT activity by competing with PRPP, revealing structural and regulatory differences between XPRT and HPRT.

Evolution of (p)ppGpp-HPRT regulation through diversification of an allosteric oligomeric interaction

The paper identifies a conserved (p)ppGpp binding motif in HPRT across species, showing that ligand binding varies with dimer-dimer interactions that evolved to regulate purine homeostasis.

Flux through lipid synthesis dictates bacterial cell size.

This study identifies lipid synthesis flux as the primary determinant of Escherichia coli cell size, showing its role in linking surface area expansion with cytoplasmic volume.