Dennis J. Zhang

The paper shows how two reverse transcriptases with different templating strategies work together to produce complementary DNA for antiviral defense.

The paper describes a non-canonical mechanism in Type VI retrons where reverse transcribed ssDNA derepresses translation of an antiviral toxin, providing phage defense without detectable msDNA.

The paper identifies DRT10, an antiviral reverse transcriptase, and shows its structural and mechanistic similarities to telomerase, suggesting a bacterial origin for telomerase.

This paper engineers type I-F CAST systems for targeted gene insertion in human cells by combining structural insights with rational design to improve efficiency and PAM flexibility.

The paper reveals a novel DNA homopolymer synthesis mechanism by DRT9, triggered by viral infection to induce abortive infection and population-level immunity.

The paper demonstrates that bacterial reverse transcriptases synthesize extrachromosomal genes via rolling-circle amplification to confer antiviral immunity.

This study identifies sequence requirements for CRISPR-associated transposon DNA integration using mutagenesis libraries and reveals a novel role for IHF in transposition.