Whitney Yin

Yin, Whitney
Assistant Professor in Chemistry & Biochemistry

E-mail: whitney.yin@mail.utexas.edu

Website: http://research.cm.utexas.edu/whitney.yin/

Main Office: MBB 3.422AA
Phone: 471-5583

Mailing Address:
The University of Texas at Austin - ICMB
1 University Station A4800
2500 Speedway; MBB 3.422BA
Austin, TX 78712-1095

Graduate Students:

  • Chang, Hae Ryung
  • Knight, Jeff
  • Lee, Young Sam
  • Meng, Qingchao

    • Post Doc Students:

  • Matsunaga, Michio

    • Research Summary:
       Our research focuses structural and functional studies of gene transcription and DNA replication in mitochondria. Mitochondrial transcription system has combined features of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. We aim at understanding molecular insight in how transcription factors and RNA polymerase recognize special features of DNA and RNA, such as the promoters and termination sequences. Mutations on either mitochondrial DNA and/or DNA polymerase gamma (Pol gamma) have been found in patients with severe genetic disorders. In addition, Pol gamma is a major target for antiviral drug adverse reaction, causing dose- and time-dependent drug toxicity. We are condcucting structural and functional studies of mitochondrial DNA replication, with long-term goals to illustrate the molecular basis for Pol gamma mutation implicated human diseases, and provide structural insight to drug toxicity for reagents designed against HIV reverse transcriptase. Mitochondrial functions are ultimately under the control of nuclease - all proteins involved in transcription and replication are nuclear-coded and transported into mitochondria across the membranes; we are interested in the communication between the two organelles.
     
    Publications:
    Structural insights into human mitochondrial DNA replication and disease-related polymerase mutations (2009) Cell 139(2), 312-24.
    Each monomer of the dimeric accessory protein for human mitochondrial DNA polymerase has a distinct role in conferring processivity (2009) J Biol Chem Oct.26, [Epub ahead of print].
    Drosophila Omi, a mitochondrial-localized IAP antagonist and proapoptotic serine protease (2007) EMBO J 26, 3144-56.
    Mechanism for de novo RNA synthesis and initiating nucleotide specificity by T7 RNA polymerase (2007) J Mol Biol 370, 256-68.
    The structural mechanism of translocation and helicase activity in T7 RNA polymerase (2004) Cell 116, 393-404.
    Structural basis for the transition from initiation to elongation transcription in T7 RNA polymerase (2002) Science 298, 1387-95.

     
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