Structure-functional Study of Proteins that Regulate Cell Proliferation and Differentiation

Organ development requires precise regulation of both the total number and the different types of cells. It has been shown that these two processes are linked based on mutual regulation between the cell cycle-regulator Geminin and homeodomain -containing transcription factors Hox. To understand the respective molecular mechanism, we conducted structure-functional study of Cdt1, Geminin, Mcm6 and Hox proteins by NMR and carried out relevant biochemical studies to delineate the structural basis of this regulation (Liu et al (2012) NAR 40, 3208; Zhou et al (2012) PNAS 109, 8931). We also studied histone H4–K20 mono-methyltransferase, SET8 and its roles in cell-cycle (Yin et al (2008) Cell Cycle 7,1423). Our results indicate that SET8 is a new cell-cycle regulator. These works are supported from Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (RGC664109, AoE/M-06/08, RGC663911, TUYF).