Molecular and structural cell biology
Soluble nuclear transport factors, including Importin-α and -β, facilitate nucleocytoplasmic transport. For nuclear import, importins recognize nuclear localization signals (NLS) carried by cargo molecules to transfer cargoes from one side of the nuclear envelope-embedded nuclear pore complex (NPC) to the other. Apart from mediating nuclear transport, Importin-α and -β may play important roles in regulating many other cellular functions. I established my own research group at IMB in 2015 and we have been using a multidisciplinary approach—combining biochemical, structural, and biophysical methods—to study how nuclear transport factors modulate cellular functions beyond nucleocytoplasmic transport.
Molecular Basis of γ-TuRC-Facilitated Microtubule Nucleation
Error-free cell division depends on the assembly of a bipolar microtubulebased spindle. During spindle assembly, microtubule nucleation spatially and temporally controls de novo microtubule synthesis at different microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs) (e.g. the centrosome). In addition to controlling microtubule number, microtubule polarity and the dynamic properties of the newly-assembled polymers are also highly regulated within the cell in order to establish the bipolar microtubule array. While great progress has been made in producing a “parts list” (e.g. γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) and its attachment factors) for microtubule nucleation, it is still unclear how these components work together to give rise to new microtubules. Hence, our goal is to reveal the molecular basis of γ-tubulin-based microtubule nucleation, particularly focusing on how microtproteins Mzt1 and Mzt2 modulate γ-TuRC cellular targeting and –mediated microtubule formation.
- PDF, 2015, Lab. Cell Biology and Chemistry, The Rockefeller Univ.
- Ph.D., 2009, Lab. Cell Biology, The Rockefeller Univ.
- MS, 2000, Dept. Biochemistry, Natl. Yang-Ming Univ.
- BS, 1998, Dept. Biology, Fu-Jen Catholic Univ.
- 2015-2018, Newly-Appointment Academic Research Grants of Academia Sinica
- 2015-2018, Young Talent Investigator Recruitment Award, Ministry of Science and Technology
- 2017-2021, Career Development Award
- 2023-2027, Investigator award
- 2023, Academia Sinica Early-Career Investigator Research Achievement Award
Publications arising from my own independent laboratory (Since 2015; corresponding* only)
- Liao, C.C., Wang, Y.S., Pi, W.C., Wang, C.H., Wu, Y.M., Chen, W.Y.*, Hsia, K.C.* (2023). Structural convergence endows nuclear transport receptor Kap114p with a novel transcriptional repressor function toward TATA-box binding protein. Nature Communications 14(1):5518.
- Shankar, S., Hsu, Z.T., Ezquerra, A., Li, C.C., Huang, T.L., Coyaud, E., Viais, R., Grauffel, C., Raught, B. Lim, C., Lüders, J.*, Tsai, S.Y.*, Hsia, K.C.* (2022) A γ-tubulin complex-dependent pathway suppresses ciliogenesis by promoting cilia disassembly. Cell Reports 41(7), 111642.
- Shih, P.Y., Shankar, S., Lee, S.P., Fang, Y.L., Chen, H., Wang, T.F., Hsia, K.C.*, Hsueh, Y.P.* (2022). Zinc-induced phase transition modulates synaptic distribution of autism-linked CTTNBP2. Nature Communications 13(1):2664.
- Chang, C.C., Hsia, K.C.* (2021) More than a zip code: global modulation of cellular function by nuclear localization signals. FEBS J. doi: 10.1111/febs.15659 (Invited review).
- Huang, T.L., Wang, H.J., Chang, Y.C., Wang, S.W., Hsia, K.C.* (2020) Promiscuous binding of microprotein Mozart1 to 𝛾-TuRC mediates specific subcellular localization to control microtubule array formation. Cell Reports 31(13), 107836.
- Wieczork, M., Huang, T.L., Urnavicius, L., Hsia, K.C.*, Kapoor, T.M.* (2020) MZT proteins form multi-faceted structural modules within the 𝛾-tubulin ring complex. Cell Reports 31(13), 107791 (Cover of the issue).
- Liao, C.C., Shankar, S., Pi, W.C., Ahmed, G.R., Chen, W.Y., Hsia, K.C.* (2020) Karyopherin Kap114p-mediated trans-repression controls ribosomal gene expression under saline stress. EMBO reports, 21(7):e48324.
- Chang, C.C., Chen, C.J., Grauffel, C., Pien, Y.C., Lim, C., Tsai, S.Y.*, Hsia, K.C.* (2019) Ran pathway-independent regulation of mitotic Golgi disassembly by Importin-α. Nature Communications 10(1):4307.
- Chang, C.C., Huang, T.L., Shimamoto, Y., Tsai, S.Y., Hsia, K.C.* (2017) Regulation of mitotic spindle assembly factor NuMA by Importin-β. J. Cell Biol. 216(11):3453-3462.
Publications arising from earlier work (First author only)
- Hsia, K.C., Wilson-Kubalek E,M., Dottore A., Hao, Q., Tsai, K.L., Forth S., Shimamoto Y., Milligan, R.A., Kapoor, T.M. (2014) Reconstitution of the augmin complex provides insights into its architecture and function. Nat. Cell Biol. 16(9):852-863 (Cover of the issue).
- Hsia, K.C., Hoelz, A. (2010). “Crystal structure of α-COP in complex with ϵ-COP provides insight into the architecture of the COPI vesicular coat” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 107(25):11271-11276.
- Hsia, K.C., Stavropoulos, P., Blobel, G., Hoelz, A. (2007). “Architecture of a coat for the nuclear pore membrane.” Cell 131(7):1313-1326.
- Hsia, K.C., Chak, K.F., Liang, P.H., Cheng, Y.S., Ku, W.Y., Yuan, H.S. (2004). “DNA binding and degradation by the HNH protein ColE7.” Structure 12(2):205-214.
