Dr Chun Guo
School of Biosciences
Lecturer
c.guo@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 3648
+44 114 222 3648
Alfred Denny Building
Full contact details
Dr Chun Guo
School of Biosciences
Alfred Denny Building
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
School of Biosciences
Alfred Denny Building
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
- Profile
-
Brief career history
- 2015–Present: Lecturer, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield
- 2013–2015: Research Fellow, School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol
- 2009–2013: Senior Research Associate, School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol
- 2002–2009: Research Associate, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester
- 1999–2002: PhD, Leicester School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University, U.K.
- 1996–1999: Lecturer, Department of Human Anatomy, Medical College of Soochow University, China.
- 1991–1996: Teaching Assistant, Department of Human Anatomy, Medical College of Soochow University, China.
- 1986–1991: MBBS, Medical College of Soochow University, China
- Research interests
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Protein SUMOylation and deSUMOylation in Health and Disease
My research interests are to understand the basic cell biology and signaling pathways associated with protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) in cell death, survival, and repair following stress, and to translate the findings into animal models of human diseases and into treatments for human disease.
One type of PTM is SUMOylation, which involves the attachment of a small protein called Small Ubiquitin-related Modifier (SUMO) to target proteins.
SUMOylation is essential for the survival of all plant and animal cells because it regulates protein-protein interactions, either promoting or hindering specific interactions according to the molecular environment.
Thus the functional consequences of SUMO attachment vary greatly depending on the substrate and the cell type, and in most cases remain only poorly understood.
SUMOylation can be reversed by the action of SUMO proteases to cleave the bond between proteins. This is called deSUMOylation.
The largest and most characterised family of SUMO proteases is that of the sentrin-specific proteases (SENPs). Specific targets and physiological roles for SENPs are largely unknown.
In my laboratory, a combination of techniques including molecular cell biology, biochemistry, genetics, pharmacology, and histology is used to address the roles of protein SUMOylation and deSUMOylation in health and disease, particularly in ischemia and age-related diseases such as neurodegeneration and cancer.
The results may lead to better understanding of disease processes, more effective therapies, an enhancement to the quality of life of both patients and their carers, and finally, an easing of the substantial economic burden that ischemia and age-related diseases currently impose.
- Publications
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Show: Featured publications All publications
Featured publications
Journal articles
- SUMOylation of MFF coordinates fission complexes to promote stress-induced mitochondrial fragmentation. Science Advances, 10(40).
- Iron chelation promotes mitophagy through SENP3-mediated deSUMOylation of FIS1. Autophagy, 1-3.
- The SUMO protease SENP3 regulates mitochondrial autophagy mediated by Fis1. EMBO reports. View this article in WRRO
- SENP3 promotes an Mff-primed Bcl-xL-Drp1 interaction involved in cell death following ischemia. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 9.
- A combined modelling and experimental study of heat shock factor SUMOylation in response to heat shock. Journal of Theoretical Biology.
- Increased SUMO-2/3-ylation mediated by SENP3 degradation is protective against cadmium-induced caspase 3–dependent cytotoxicity. Journal of Toxicological Sciences, 42(5), 529-538. View this article in WRRO
- SENP3-mediated deSUMOylation of Drp1 facilitates interaction with Mff to promote cell death.. Scientific Reports, 7. View this article in WRRO
- Wrestling with stress: Roles of protein SUMOylation and deSUMOylation in cell stress response. IUBMB Life, 66(2), 71-77.
- SENP3-mediated deSUMOylation of dynamin-related protein 1 promotes cell death following ischaemia. The EMBO Journal, 32(11), 1514-1528. View this article in WRRO
- The β-Arrestin-2 Scaffold Protein Promotes c-Jun N-terminal Kinase-3 Activation by Binding to Its Nonconserved N Terminus. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 283(23), 15903-15911.
- Absence of α7 integrin in dystrophin-deficient mice causes a myopathy similar to Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Human Molecular Genetics, 15(6), 989-998.
- Paradigmatic identification of MMP-2 and MT1-MMP activation systems in cardiac fibroblasts cultured as a monolayer. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, 94(3), 446-459.
- Type I Collagen-induced MMP-2 Activation Coincides with Up-regulation of Membrane Type 1-Matrix Metalloproteinase and TIMP-2 in Cardiac Fibroblasts. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 278(47), 46699-46708.
- SENP3-FIS1 axis promotes mitophagy and cell survival under hypoxia. Cell Death & Disease, 15(12).
Conference proceedings papers
- Towards data-driven modelling of SUMOylation following heat shock. Proceedings of 2020 7th International Conference on Biomedical and Bioinformatics Engineering (pp 16-21). Kyoto, Japan, 6 November 2020 - 9 November 2020. View this article in WRRO
Preprints
- SUMOylation of MFF is required for stress-induced mitochondrial fission, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- The SUMO Protease SENP3 regulates Mitochondrial Autophagy mediated by Fis1, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
All publications
Journal articles
- SUMOylation of MFF coordinates fission complexes to promote stress-induced mitochondrial fragmentation. Science Advances, 10(40).
- α7nACh receptor, a promising target to reduce BBB damage by regulating inflammation and autophagy after ischemic stroke. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 179. View this article in WRRO
- Chronic but not acute nicotine treatment ameliorates acute inflammation-induced working memory impairment by increasing CRTC1 and HCN2 in adult male mice. CNS Neuroscience and Therapeutics, 30(2). View this article in WRRO
- Role of crosstalk between Glial cells and immune cells in blood-brain barrier damage and protection after acute ischemic stroke. Aging and disease. View this article in WRRO
- Targeting the blood–brain barrier to delay aging-accompanied neurological diseases by modulating gut microbiota, circadian rhythms, and their interplays. Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, 13(12), 4667-4687. View this article in WRRO
- Computational study of SENP1 in cancer by novel natural compounds and ZINC database screening. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 14. View this article in WRRO
- The NG2-glia is a potential target to maintain the integrity of neurovascular unit after acute ischemic stroke. Neurobiology of Disease, 180. View this article in WRRO
- Iron chelation promotes mitophagy through SENP3-mediated deSUMOylation of FIS1. Autophagy, 1-3.
- The SUMO protease SENP3 regulates mitochondrial autophagy mediated by Fis1. EMBO reports. View this article in WRRO
- SENP3 promotes an Mff-primed Bcl-xL-Drp1 interaction involved in cell death following ischemia. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 9.
- A combined modelling and experimental study of heat shock factor SUMOylation in response to heat shock. Journal of Theoretical Biology.
- Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition).. Autophagy.
- Commentary: Analysis of SUMO1-conjugation at synapses. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 11, 345-345. View this article in WRRO
- Increased SUMO-2/3-ylation mediated by SENP3 degradation is protective against cadmium-induced caspase 3–dependent cytotoxicity. Journal of Toxicological Sciences, 42(5), 529-538. View this article in WRRO
- SENP3-mediated deSUMOylation of Drp1 facilitates interaction with Mff to promote cell death.. Scientific Reports, 7. View this article in WRRO
- Wrestling with stress: Roles of protein SUMOylation and deSUMOylation in cell stress response. IUBMB Life, 66(2), 71-77.
- SENP3-mediated deSUMOylation of dynamin-related protein 1 promotes cell death following ischaemia. The EMBO Journal, 32(11), 1514-1528. View this article in WRRO
- An Improved Transplantation Strategy for Mouse Mesenchymal Stem Cells in an Acute Myocardial Infarction Model. PLoS One, (6)(6), e21005-e21005. View this article in WRRO
- Differential Regulation of Elastic Fiber Formation by Fibulin-4 and -5. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 284(36), 24553-24567.
- The β-Arrestin-2 Scaffold Protein Promotes c-Jun N-terminal Kinase-3 Activation by Binding to Its Nonconserved N Terminus. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 283(23), 15903-15911.
- 185 Abnormal electrical function of the heart caused by loss of integrin alpha7gene. European Journal of Heart Failure Supplements, 6(1), 43-43.
- Absence of α7 integrin in dystrophin-deficient mice causes a myopathy similar to Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Human Molecular Genetics, 15(6), 989-998.
- The regulation of Bax by c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) is a prerequisite to the mitochondrial-induced apoptotic pathway. FEBS Letters, 580(5), 1320-1326.
- Paradigmatic identification of MMP-2 and MT1-MMP activation systems in cardiac fibroblasts cultured as a monolayer. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, 94(3), 446-459.
- Targeted Deletion of mek5 Causes Early Embryonic Death and Defects in the Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 5/Myocyte Enhancer Factor 2 Cell Survival Pathway. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 25(1), 336-345.
- Type I Collagen-induced MMP-2 Activation Coincides with Up-regulation of Membrane Type 1-Matrix Metalloproteinase and TIMP-2 in Cardiac Fibroblasts. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 278(47), 46699-46708.
- Inhibition of furin attenuates type I collagen-induced MMP-2 activation in cardiac fibroblasts. BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, 135.
- Divergent regulations of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in adult rat cardiac fibroblasts: Mechanism of proMMP-2 activation. BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, 133, U69-U69.
- SENP3-FIS1 axis promotes mitophagy and cell survival under hypoxia. Cell Death & Disease, 15(12).
Conference proceedings papers
- Towards data-driven modelling of SUMOylation following heat shock. Proceedings of 2020 7th International Conference on Biomedical and Bioinformatics Engineering (pp 16-21). Kyoto, Japan, 6 November 2020 - 9 November 2020. View this article in WRRO
Preprints
- SUMOylation of MFF is required for stress-induced mitochondrial fission, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- The SUMO Protease SENP3 regulates Mitochondrial Autophagy mediated by Fis1, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- SUMOylation of MFF coordinates fission complexes to promote stress-induced mitochondrial fragmentation. Science Advances, 10(40).
- Research group
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PhD projects
- Investigating the Roles for deSUMOylation Enzyme SENP3 in Autophagy Impaired by α-synuclein
- Uncovering novel molecular targets for cancer chemoprevention in oral squamous cell carcinoma
- Teaching activities
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- BioMed Undergraduate Tutorials
- BioMed Undergraduate Final Year Project Supervision (Molecular and Cell biology)
- Postgraduate Research Project Supervision (Molecular and Cell biology)
- Undergraduate and Postgraduate Human Neuroanatomy (Core-Teaching)
- Professional activities and memberships
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- Member of the Anatomical Society (2016)
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2018)
- Member of the British Society for Cell Biology (2019)
- Peer reviewer for scientific journals including EMBO Journal, Nature Communications, Autophagy, The FASEB Journal, iScience, Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology, Journal of Molecular Medicine, Biochemical Journal and Scientific Reports
- Peer reviewer for grant-awarding bodies including BBSRC, British Heart Foundation, Royal Society and BRACE – Alzheimer’s Research