Xiaodong Cheng

Bipartite DNA binding domain of transcription factor BCL11B binds clustered short DNA sequence motifs

This paper investigates the DNA-binding properties of BCL11B's bipartite zinc finger domain and its mutations linked to neurodevelopmental disorders.

Regulation of BCL11A DNA binding and expression in human erythrocyte precursor HUDEP-2 cells

This study investigates BCL11A DNA binding mechanisms, epigenetic regulation, and small-molecule effects on its expression in human erythrocyte precursor cells.

Structure of human lymphoid-specific helicase HELLS in its autoinhibitory state

This paper determines the structure of HELLS in its autoinhibitory state and shows how CDCA7 and DNA activate it.

Inhibition of Clostridioides difficile-specific DNA adenine methyltransferase CamA by analogs of S-adenosyl-L-methionine

This study identifies SAM analogs that inhibit specific methyltransferases in pathogens and humans, offering potential antivirulence agents and chemical probes.

Structural basis of substrate specificity of Helix pomatia AMP deaminase and a chimeric ADGF adenosine deaminase

The paper determines the structure of HPAMPD, a mollusk adenosine deaminase with nucleotide specificity, and shows how it binds the 5-monophosphate group of AMP through specific structural elements.

Quinoline-based compounds can inhibit diverse enzymes that act on DNA

This study identifies quinoline-based compounds that inhibit DNA methyltransferases and other DNA-targeting enzymes, with compound 11 inducing DNA damage response in cancer cells.

The ICF syndrome protein CDCA7 harbors a unique DNA-binding domain that recognizes a CpG dyad in the context of a non-B DNA

The paper identifies a unique DNA-binding domain in CDCA7 that recognizes a CpG dyad in non-B DNA, linking it to DNA methylation specificity in ICF syndrome.

Mechanistic dissection of the CHD4 enhancers reveals cooperative functions among the homotypic ZNF410 clustered motifs

The paper investigates how ZNF410 regulates the CHD4 gene through enhancer regions, showing additive contributions from two enhancers and cooperative binding of ZNF410 to clustered motifs.

ZNF410 uniquely activates the NuRD component CHD4 to silence fetal hemoglobin expression

The paper identifies ZNF410 as a highly specific transcriptional activator in erythroid cells that regulates CHD4 and fetal hemoglobin expression.

Dual Histone Methyl Reader ZCWPW1 Facilitates Repair of Meiotic Double Strand Breaks

This study identifies ZCWPW1 as a dual histone methylation reader essential for meiotic DSB repair in vertebrates, showing its co-expression and co-evolution with PRDM9.