Chuanhai Fu Ph.D.

Office    Room 205, Medical Sciences Building, School of Life Sciences, 443 Huangshan road, Hefei, Anhui, China 230027

Tel          (+86) 551 63600805

Email    chuanhai@ustc.edu.cn

vResearch key words: microtubule, mitochondria, mitosis

(1)  Microtubule dynamics

Microtubules are hollow tubular structures composed of 13 protofilaments within which α-，β-tubulin heterodimers bind to one another in a head-to-tail fashion. This structural arrangement confers the physical properties of polarity and dynamics to microtubules and thus allows microtubules to have a wide range of cellular functions including transporting organelles, directing cell motility, and mediating chromosome segregation. It is often found that microtubule associated proteins (MAPs) are expressed abnormally, and/or mutated, in tumor cells, making MAPs highly relevant to tumorigenesis. Hence, our research efforts are focused on investigating how MAPs are involved in regulating microtubule dynamics and mediating formation of the cell-type specific microtubule arrays.

(2)  Mitochondria dynamics

Mitochondria are the powerhouse of a cell, constantly undergoing fusion and fission and intimately interacting with the cytoskeleton. Mitochondria malfunctions are associated with neuron degenerative diseases, aging, and tumorigenesis. Employing high spatiotemporal resolution microscopy, yeast genetics, and biochemistry, we aim to reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying mitochondria dynamics and regulating microtubule-mitochondria interactions.

(3)  Mitosis

Mitosis is a fundamental process of life. During mitosis, chromosomes are segregated and equally divided into two daughter cells. Mitosis errors are usually correlated with failures of chromosome segregation, leading to more severe problems such as genomic instability, birth defects and cancer. My laboratory is interested in understanding the fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying spindle and chromosome dynamics during mitosis. We combine yeast genetics, quantitative live-cell imaging, biochemical and cell biological approaches to dissect organization, dynamics and regulation of the spindle in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

vStaff and trainees

·   Postdoctoral fellow: Shengnan Zheng, Jiajia He

·   Technician: Xiaofang Yuan

·  Graduate students: Yanze Jian, Ling Liu, Lingyun Nie, Javairia Yousuf Cheema, Mengdan Zhu, Zhikai Chen, Yongkang Chu, Zheng Fang, Biyu Zheng, Ke Liu, Yifan Wu, Yueyue Jiang, Shuping Luo

·   Undergraduate students: Shenghao Zhang

vSelected publications (*corresponding):

vWei W, Zheng B, Zheng S, Wu D, Chu Y, Zhang S, Wang D, Ma X, Liu X, Yao X*, Fu C*. 2022. The Cdc42 GAP Rga6 promotes monopolar outgrowth of spores. J Cell Biol. 222(1):e202202064

vWu Z, Xu H, Wang P, Liu L, Cai J, Chen Y, Zhao X, You X, Liu J, Guo X, Xie T, Feng J, Zhou F, Li R, Xie Z, Xue Y*, Fu C*, Liang Y*. 2022. The entry of unclosed autophagosomes into vacuoles and its physiological relevance. PLoS Genet. 8(10):e1010431

vWang X, Zheng F, Yi YY, Wang GY, Hong LX, McCollum D, Fu C*, Wang Y*, Jin QW.*. 2022. Ubiquitination of CLIP-170 family protein restrains polarized growth upon DNA replication stress. Nature Commun. 13(1):5565

vGe X, He Z, Cao C, Xue T, Jing J, Ma R, Zhao W, Liu L, Jueraitetibaike K, Ma J, Feng Y, Qian Z, Zou Z, Chen L, Fu C*, Song N*, Yao B*. 2022. Protein palmitoylation-mediated palmitic acid sensing causes blood-testis barrier damage via inducing ER stress. Redox Biol. 54:102380

vZheng S, Zheng B, Liu Z, Liu X, Yao X, Wei W*, Fu C*. 2022. The Cdc42 GTPase activating protein Rga6 promotes the cortical localization of Septin. J Cell Sci. 135(4):jcs259228

vDong F, Zhu M, Zheng F, Fu C*. 2022. Mitochondrial fusion and fission are required for proper mitochondrial function and cell proliferation in fission yeast. FEBS J. 2022 Jan;289(1):262-278 (Cover story)

vRasul F, Zheng F, Dong F, He J, Liu L, Liu W, Cheema J, Wei W*, Fu C*. 2021. Emr1 regulates the number of foci of the endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria encounter structure complex. Nature Commun. 12(1):521

vZhang M^#, Zheng F^#, Xiong Y, Shao C, Wang C, Wu M, Niu X, Dong F, Zhang X*, Fu C*, Zang J*. 2021. Centromere targeting of Mis18 requires the interaction with DNA and H2A-H2B in fission yeast. Cell Mol Life Sci. 78(1):373-384

vZheng F^#, Dong F^#, Yu S, Li T, Jian Y, Nie L, Fu C*. 2020. Klp2 and Ase1 synergize to maintain meiotic spindle stability during metaphase I. J Biol Chem. 295(38):13287-13298

vZheng F^#, Jia B^#, Dong F, Liu L, Rasul F, He J, Fu C*. 2019. Glucose starvation induces mitochondrial fragmentation depending on the dynamin GTPase Dnm1/Drp1 in fission yeast. J Biol Chem. 294(47):17725-17734 (Cover story)

vLiu W, Zheng F, Wang Y, Fu C*. 2019. Alp7-Mto1 and Alp14 synergize to promote interphase microtubule regrowth from the nuclear envelope. J Mol Cell Biol. 11(11):944-955

vNiu X, Zheng F*, Fu C*. 2019. The concerted actions of Tip1/CLIP-170, Klp5/Kinesin-8, and Alp14/XMAP215 regulate microtubule catastrophe at the cell end. J Mol Cell Biol. 11(11):956-966

vShen J^#, Li T^#, Niu X^#, Liu W, Zheng S, Wang J, Wang F, Cao X, Yao X, Zheng F*, Fu C*. 2019. The J-domain cochaperone Rsp1 interacts with Mto1 to organize noncentrosomal microtubule assembly. Mol Biol Cell. 30(2):256-267

vZheng S, Dong F, Rasul F, Yao X, Jin QW, Zheng F*, Fu C*. 2018. Septins regulate the equatorial dynamics of the separation initiation network kinase Sid2p and glucan synthases to ensure proper cytokinesis. FEBS J. 285(13):2468-2480

vZhu Q, Zheng F, Liu AP, Qian J, Fu C*, Lin Y*. 2016. Shape Transformation of the Nuclear Envelope during Closed Mitosis. Biophys J. 111(10):2309-2316

vZheng F, Li T, Jin D, Syrovatkina V, Scheffler K, Tran PT*, Fu C*. 2014. Csi1p recruits alp7p/TACC to the SPB for bipolar spindle formation. Mol Biol Cell. 25(18):2750-60.

v Syrovatkina V#, Fu C#, Tran PT. 2013. Antagonistic spindle motors and MAPs regulate metaphase spindle length and chromosome segregation. Curr Biol. 23: 2423-9 (#cofirst)

vFu C*, Jain D, Costa J, Velve-Casquillas G, Tran PT*. 2011. Mmb1p binds mitochondria to dynamic microtubules. Curr Biol. 21:1431-39 (*corresponding) (Cover story)

vFu C, Ward JJ, Loiodice I, Velve-Casquillas G, Nedelec FJ, Tran PT. 2009. Phospho-regulated interaction between kinesin-6 Klp9p and microtubule bundler Ase1p promotes spindle elongation. Dev Cell 17: 257-67

vFu C, Yan F, Wu F, Wu Q, Whittaker J, Hu H, Hu R, Yao X. 2007. Mitotic phosphorylation of PRC1 at Thr470 is required for PRC1 oligomerization and proper central spindle organization. Cell Res 17: 449-57

vFu C, Ahmed K, Ding H, Ding X, Lan J, Yang Z, Miao Y, Zhu Y, Shi Y, Zhu J, Huang H, Yao X. 2005. Stabilization of PML nuclear localization by conjugation and oligomerization of SUMO-3. Oncogene 24: 5401-13

vResearch Opportunities:

Our lab is equipped with multiple advanced imaging systems including a spinning disk confocal microscope. This enables trainees to conduct cutting-edge research projects. We are seeking motivated undergraduates, postgraduate students, and post-doctoral fellows to join our research team. Applicants with expertise in molecular and cellular biology are particularly welcome. Please contact Dr. Fu Chuanhai (chuanhai@ustc.edu.cn) directly with your CV and a description of your previous research experience.