HKUST Annual Report 2018-19

24 ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 Lab to Market RNA POLYMERASE DISCOVERY Prof. HUANG Xuhui (Chemistry) discovered how RNA polymerase II maintains highly accurate gene transcription, locating the mechanisms that enable RNA polymerase II to carry out an intrinsic cleavage reaction to proofread RNA transcriptions and correct errors in RNA synthesis. When a nucleotide is added by mistake, RNA polymerase II can rewind bymoving backward (“backtracking”) to cleave the mis-incorporated nucleotide. The finding, published in Nature Catalysis , was made possible by quantum mechanics and molecular dynamics calculations, performed through large- scale high-performance computing. The work can provide new insights into how mis-regulation of transcription can lead to diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. PSD BREAKTHROUGH In a breakthrough study, biochemist Prof. ZHANG Mingjie (Life Science) and his research team uncovered how reconstituted postsynaptic density (PSD) could serve as a molecular platform for understanding synapse formation and plasticity. The study employed a biochemical reconstitution approach to show that multivalent interaction networks formed by major excitatory PSD scaffold proteins led to the formation of PSD-like assemblies via phase separation both in solution and on supported membrane bilayers. The reconstituted assemblies were able to cluster receptors, selectively concentrate enzymes, promote actin bundle formation, and expel inhibitory postsynaptic proteins. The research was published in Cell , and later selected as a “Best of Cell 2018” article. Research Highlights From basic science discoveries to public policy projects and a novel air quality tracking app, HKUST researchers are making a difference