Research Areas

The laboratory mainly focuses on the molecular mechanisms of viral genome replication and transcription machinery, as well as the important protein complexes involved in virus-host interactions, using the integrated approaches of structural biology, biochemistry, biophysics and cell biology. Besides, the laboratory is also interest in designing antiviral strategies and developing antiviral drugs based on the structural information.

1. Virus-host interactions

2. Viral genome replication and transcription

Highlights

Dr. Jun Ma mainly focused on the molecular mechanisms governing the protein complexes which play important roles in the fundamental life processes, using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) single-particle analysis in combination with biochemical, biophysical and cell biological approaches. To date, together with the colleagues and collaborators, Dr. Jun Ma has got many achievements and authored several peer-review publications as co-first author in Cell, Science, Nature, Nature Communications, Cell Research and Nature Plants. Dr. Jun Ma was supported by the Youth Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Member of Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the CAS and the Beijing Nova Program.

1. The cryo-EM structure of Machupo virus RNA polymerase (L protein) in complex with matrix protein Z furthered the understanding of the inhibitory mechanism of arenavirus replication machinery and provided a novel perspective to develop antiviral drugs. (Nature Communications, 2021)

The cryo-EM structure of the VEEV virus-like particles (VEEV VLPs) in complex with LDLRAD3 extracellular domain 1 (LDLRAD3-D1) revealed the assembly mechanism of alphaviruses and the binding mechanism of VEEV with its human receptor LDLRAD3. (Nature, 2021)

Honors

• 2020 - 2023   Beijing Nova Program 

• 2019 - 2022   Member of Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the CAS

Selected Publications

1. Jun Ma^#, Shuangyue Zhang^#, Xinzheng Zhang. Structure of Machupo virus polymerase in complex with matrix protein Z. Nature Communications, 2021, doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-26432-3.

2. Bingting Ma^#, Cuiqing Huang^#, Jun Ma^#, Ye Xiang*, Xinzheng Zhang*. Structure of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus with its receptor LDLRAD3. Nature, 2021, doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03909-1.

3. Lilan You^#, Jun Ma^#, Jiuyu Wang^#, Daria Artamonova, Min Wang, Liang Liu, Hua Xiang, Konstantin Severinov, Xinzheng Zhang*, Yanli Wang*. Structure studies of the CRISPR-Csm complex reveal mechanism of co-transcriptional interference. Cell, 2019, 176(1-2):239-253.

4. Xiaowei Pan^#, Jun Ma^#, Xiaodong Su^#, Peng Cao, Wenrui Chang, Zhenfeng Liu, Xinzheng Zhang*, Mei Li*. Structure of the maize photosystem I supercomplex with light harvesting complexes I and II. Science, 2018, 360(6393):1109-1113.

5. Xiaodong Su^#, Jun Ma^#, Xuepeng Wei^#, Peng Cao^#, Dongjie Zhu, Wenrui Chang, Zhenfeng Liu*, Xinzheng Zhang*, Mei Li*. Structure and assembly mechanism of plant C₂S₂M₂-type PSII-LHCII supercomplex. Science, 2017, 357(6353):815-820.