Physical principles govern the motion and interactions of matters in nature, from galaxies to elementary particles, including biological systems. Cell is a molecular network composed by interactions between large number of biological macromolecules (e.g. proteins and nucleic acids) and small molecules. Proteins and nucleic acids are two types of most important organic matters in life. Proteins are the major carriers of life activities. Nucleic acids are not only the carrier of genetic information, but also play important functional roles. As we know, sequence determines structure and structure determines function. Different sequences of amino acids and nucleic acids fold into different three dimensional (3D) structures of proteins and nucleic acids, so as to carry out different functions. In addition, there are many life activities that are not accomplished by individual molecules, but complexes with interactions of different proteins, nucleic acids and small molecules. Misfolded structures or abnormal interactions result diseases, for example, the mad cow disease and the Alzheimer‟s disease. The principle that governs the formation of tertiary interactions of these important molecules and interactions among different molecules is the principle of lowest free energy in physics. Therefore, the mechanism of many life phenomena and major diseases can be essentially viewed as physics problems. The institute of biophysics is dedicated to study the structure, dynamics, interactions and network of biomolecules via computational and experimental approaches by developing theoretical models, and thus to reveal fundamental principles. We study the folding mechanism of biomolecules to predict 3D structures of proteins and nucleic acids. We study the interaction mechanisms of multiple molecules to predict the interactions between biomolecules and the functions of these molecular complexes. The methods we are using include computational modeling based on physical models and single molecule experiments, in combination with big data in biomedicine. We study the mechanism of major diseases and design novel drug molecules at various different levels.
Research subjects
A) Further improve the 3dRNA methods we proposed, develop a complete, automatic, fast and accurate computational platform to predict the structure of RNA and nucleic acid-protein complexes, and introduce single molecule experiments to verify these theoretical predictions.
B) Integrate our key advantages in molecular docking and big data mining, develop next-generation methods for structural prediction of biomolecular interactions and their complexes, and reveal the physical principles underlying biological processes.
C) Build protein-protein interaction network based on structure and energy, understand life activities, and reveal the mechanism of major diseases at system level.
Structure, interaction and dynamics is the foundation for biomolecules to carry out their functions. The study of biomolecular functions is a research on revealing the laws that governs the organization of biomolecules from 1D sequence to 3D structure and from individual molecules to molecular network. It is a research that investigates key interactions, dynamic features and their relation to structure at different levels. It is a research that discovers key factors and key design principles that determine functions from complex sequences, structures and dynamics.
On one hand, the general trend for computational biology about biomolecular structure and interaction worldwide is to develop key computational algorithms at different levels, resolve bottleneck problems by interdisciplinary approaches, apply these methods to study the mechanism of biological processes from bottom to the top, and understand life processes at single atom level and system level.
On the other hand, although great success has been achieved from previous research at molecular level, the fundamental mechanisms of most biological phenomena and major diseases are still not well understood. For example, the gene for various cancers has been identified, but the mechanisms of cancer initiation and development are still largely unknown, leaving most cancer types untreatable. Although the structure and function of some individual molecules are well understood, most physiological phenomena such as sleep cannot be well explained. This gap is likely resulted from the complexity of these phenomena and diseases. The description of any individual molecule or individual step cannot represent the whole process. At the scale of organism, every molecule performs its particular function. Molecular complexes such as ribosome, mitochondrion and plasma membrane also carry out their particular biological functions. These molecular modules build cells. Cells build tissues. Tissues build organisms. From the logic of life activities, the achievement of any biological functions is not isolated, but closely coupled to their environment. Life activities are carried out by different molecules or interactions of biological processes. These different molecules or biological processes make complex networks that are closely related to each other. They accomplish different functions at the same time, form a complex system. Therefore, the initiation of biological phenomena and major Scientific Research 106 diseases are systematic. Integrity must be considered when explaining life phenomenon and major diseases.
Group Members
Group leader: Yi Xiao, professor, doctoral supervisor, Bachelor's degree from Hunan Normal University, PhD from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, obtained the Governmental Special Allowance of the State Council, Trans-Century Excellent Talents by the Ministry of Education, China National Funds for Distinguished Young Scientists, state class persons selected for New Century Talents Project, associate editor of Acta Biophysica Sinica.
Other members:
Shengyou Huang, professor, doctoral supervisor, Bachelor's degree from Wuhan Univeristy, PhD from Wuhan Univeristy, young professionals in “1000 Young Talent Program”, national (top 100) excellent doctoral dissertation, national academia sinica award of China, natural science‟s first prize of Hubei Province, provincial excellent doctoral dissertation of Hubei.
Hao Yu, professor, doctoral supervisor, Bachelor's degree from University of Science and Technology of China, PhD from University of Alberta, young professionals in “100 Young Talent Program” of Hubei Province.
Shiyong Liu, associate professor, doctoral supervisor, Bachelor's degree from Peking University, PhD from Peking University. Changjun Chen, associate professor, doctoral supervisor, PhD from Huazhong University of Science and Technology.
Yanzhao Huang, associate professor, doctoral supervisor, PhD from Huazhong University of Science and Technolog
