We are interested in studying 3D structures of proteins and their interactions with other proteins, nucleic acids, and small molecule ligands, using NMR spectroscopy along with other techniques in biochemistry and molecular biology, aiming to reveal protein structure-function relationship and molecular mechanisms for protein functions, including the roles of anti-tumor gene HREV-107 family proteins in cell death, the structural basis of bacterial nucleoid-associated proteins in transcription regulation, the function of pro-apoptotic protein Bcl-XL in autophagy, the mechanism of glutaredoxins in iron and oxygen sensing, and protein folding using SARS-CoV main protease as a model.

1. Q. Huang, B. Duan, X. Dong*, S. Fan*, B. Xia*. GapR binds DNA through dynamic opening of its tetrameric interface. Nucleic Acids Research. 48, 9372-9386(2020)
2. Y. Liao, B. Duan, Y. Zhang, X. Zhang, B. Xia*. Excessive ER-phagy mediated by the autophagy receptor FAM134B results in ER stress, the unfolded protein response, and cell death in HeLa cells. J Biol Chem. 294(52):20009-20023(2019)
3. B. Duan, P. Ding, T. R. Hughes, W. W. Navarre, J. Liu, B. Xia*. How Bacterial Xenogeneic Silencer Rok Distinguishes Foreign from Self DNA in Its Resident Genome. Nucleic Acids Research. 46, 10514-10529(2018)
4. S. Jin, P. Ding, P. Chu, H. Li, J. Sun, D. Liang, F. Song, B. Xia*. Zn(II) can mediate self-association of the extracellular C-terminal domain of CD147. Protein & Cell. 9, 310–315(2018).
5. P. Ding, X. Zhang, S. Jin, B. Duan, P. Chu, Y. Zhang, Z. Chen, B. Xia*, F. Song*. CD147 functions as the signaling receptor for extracellular divalent copper in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Oncotarget. 8,51151-51163(2017).
6. Y. Kuang, K. Ma, C. Zhou, P. Ding, Y. Zhu, Q. Chen, B. Xia*. Structural basis for the phosphorylation of FUNDC1 LIR as a molecular switch of mitophagy. Autophagy. 12,2363-2373(2016)
7. P. Ding, K. A. McFarland, S. Jin, G. Tong, B. Duan, A. Yang, T. R. Hughes, J. Liu, S. L. Dove*, W. W. Navarre*, B. Xia*. A Novel AT-Rich DNA Recognition Mechanism for Bacterial Xenogeneic Silencer MvaT. PLoS Pathogens. 11, e1004967(2015)
8. X. Kang, N. Zhong, P. Zou, S. Zhang, C. Jin, B. Xia*. "Foldon unfolding mediates the interconversion between Mpro-C monomer and 3D domain-swapped dimer", Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 84, 9721-8(2012).
9. B. R.G. Gordon, Y Li, A. Coteb, M. T. Weirauch, P. Ding, T. R. Hughes, W. W. Navarre, B. Xia*, and J. Liu* “Structural basis for recognition of AT-rich DNA by unrelated xenogeneic silencing proteins”, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 108, 10690-5(2011).
10. S. Tian, J. Lin, J. Zhou, X. Wan, Y. Li, X. Ren, W. Yu, W. Zhong, J. Xiao, F. Sheng, Y. Chen, C. Jin, S. Li, Z. Zheng*, and B. Xia* “Beclin 1-independent autophagy induced by a Bcl-XL/Bcl-2 targeting compound Z18”, Autophagy 6: 1032-41 (2010).
11. B. R.G. Gordon, Y. Li , L. Wang , A. Sintsova , H. V. Bakel , S. Tian, W. W. Navarre, B. Xia*, and J. Liu* “Lsr2 is A Nucleoid-Associated Protein that Targets AT-Rich Sequences and Virulence Genes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis”, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 107: 5154-5159 (2010).
12. S. Zhang, N. Zhong, F. Xue, X. Kang, X. Ren, J. Chen, C. Jin, Z. Lou and B. Xia* “3D domain swapping as a mechanism to lock the active conformation in a super-active octamer of SARS-CoV main protease”, Protein Cell 1: 371–83 (2010).