Eugene Kim

Pre-catalytic activation pathway of the Smc5/6 complex

This study defines the pre-catalytic activation pathway of the Smc5/6 complex using cryo-EM and conformational analysis, revealing a structural transition from Bridge to Engaged states.

Probing intracellular physical environments by rotational and translational single-particle tracking

This paper introduces a method combining rotational and translational single-particle tracking to analyze nanoscale dynamics, showing it reveals distinct biophysical features of cellular compartments.

SMC Motor Proteins Operate at the Near-Minimal Forces for DNA Loop Extrusion

This study presents a coarse-grained model to simulate SMC motor protein loop extrusion, showing they operate at near-minimal forces to overcome entropic barriers.

A bipartite mechanism for condensin II activation in mitosis

This study identifies a bipartite mechanism for condensin II activation in mitosis, showing how M18BP1 relieves autoinhibition and enables DNA loop formation.

Molecular Mechanism of Condensin I Activation by KIF4A

The paper identifies a conserved mechanism by which KIF4A activates condensin I through direct binding to NCAPG and displacement of auto-inhibitory interactions.

Loop extrusion-mediated plasmid DNA cleavage by the bacterial SMC Wadjet complex

This study reveals that the bacterial SMC Wadjet complex uses loop extrusion to specifically recognize and cleave plasmid DNA, establishing loop extrusion as a conserved mechanism across SMC complexes.

A DNA tension-dependent tug-of-war between dimeric SMC motors governs loop extrusion directionality

This study shows that dimeric SMC motors switch extrusion directionality based on DNA tension, with cohesin being constitutively biased toward one-sided extrusion.

Loop-extruding Smc5/6 organizes transcription-induced positive DNA supercoils

This study identifies Smc5/6's role in organizing transcription-induced positive DNA supercoils by initiating loop extrusion at cohesin-dependent boundaries.

Simultaneous orientation and 3D localization microscopy with a Vortex point spread function

This paper introduces a Vortex PSF for simultaneous orientation and 3D localization of single-molecules, demonstrating its effectiveness on DNA intercalators.

Condensin’s ATPase Machinery Drives and Dampens Mitotic Chromosome Condensation

This study shows that condensin complexes use opposing ATPase sites to drive and dampen chromosome condensation, with condensin II playing a key role in decatenation and axis formation.