Research and Professional Interests:

The general area of research interest in my lab is virus-host cell interactions concerning human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Currently, the molecular and cell biology of HCV replication is the main focus of the lab.

Projects:

1. Characterization of cellular factors for HIV infection and HCV replication using a variety of biochemistry, cell biology and molecular biology techniques.
2. Dissection of the molecular mechanisms of HCV replication in vitro, especially of the adaptive mutations that enhance viral replication in cell culture

Key Technologies:

1. Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated gene inactivation
2. Viral vector-mediated gene delivery and expression
3. Cell-based assays for HIV infection and HCV replication
4. Fluorescent microscopy for studying intracellular localization and transport of proteins as well as viral particles.
5. Biochemical and molecular interactions between biomolecules (i.e. RNA-protein and protein-protein interactions)

Selected Publications:

1. Yang F, Robotham JM, Nelson HB, Irsigler A, Kenworthy R, Tang H. Cyclophilin A is an Essential Cofactor for Hepatitis C Virus Infection and the Principal Mediator of Cyclosporine A Resistance In Vitro. J Virol. 2008 Apr 2; [Epub ahead of print]
    
2. Liu Z, Kenworthy R, Green C, Tang H. Molecular determinants of nucleolar translocation of RNA helicase A. Exp Cell Res. 2007 Oct 15;313(17):3743-54. Epub 2007 Aug 14.
    
3. Robida JM, Nelson HB, Liu Z, Tang H. Characterization of Hepatitis C Virus Subgenomic Replicon Resistance to Cyclosporine A In Vitro. J Virol. 2007 Mar 21; [epub ahead of print]
    
4. Nelson HB, Tang H. Effect of cell growth on hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication and a mechanism of cell confluence-based inhibition of HCV RNA and protein expression. J Virol. 2006 Feb;80(3):1181-90.
    
5. Waninger S, Kuhen K, Hu X, Chatterton JE, Wong-Staal F, Tang H. Identification of cellular cofactors for human immunodeficiency virus replication via a ribozyme-based genomics approach. J Virol. 2004 78(23):12829-12837.
    
6. Tang H, Peng T, Wong-Staal F. Novel technologies for studying virus-host interaction and discovering new drug targets for HCV and HIV. Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2002 2(5):541-7.
    
7. Kuwabara T, Warashina M, Sano M, Tang H, Wong-Staal F, Munekata E, Taira K. Recognition of engineered tRNAs with an extended 3' end by Exportin-t (Xpo-t) and transport of tRNA-attached ribozymes to the cytoplasm in somatic cells. Biomacromolecules. 2001 2(4):1229-42.
    
8. Yang JP, Tang H, Reddy TR, Wong-Staal F. Mapping the functional domains of HAP95, a protein that binds RNA helicase A and activates the constitutive transport element of type D retroviruses. J Biol Chem. 2001 276(33):30694-700.
    
9. Reddy TR, Tang H, Xu W, Wong-Staal F. Sam68, RNA helicase A and Tap cooperate in the post-transcriptional regulation of human immunodeficiency virus and type D retroviral mRNA. Oncogene. 2000 19(32):3570-5.
    
10. Tang H, Wong-Staal F. Specific interaction between RNA helicase A and Tap, two cellular proteins that bind to the constitutive transport element of type D retrovirus. J Biol Chem. 2000 275(42):32694-700.
     
11. Westberg C, Yang JP, Tang H, Reddy TR, Wong-Staal F. A novel shuttle protein binds to RNA helicase A and activates the retroviral constitutive transport element. J Biol Chem. 2000 275(28):21396-401.
     
12. Tang H, Kuhen KL, Wong-Staal F. Lentivirus replication and regulation. Annu Rev Genet. 1999;33:133-70.
     
13. Reddy TR, Xu W, Mau JK, Goodwin CD, Suhasini M, Tang H, Frimpong K, Rose DW, Wong-Staal F. Inhibition of HIV replication by dominant negative mutants of Sam68, a functional homolog of HIV-1 Rev. Nat Med. 1999 5(6):635-42.
     
14. Tang H, McDonald D, Middlesworth T, Hope TJ, Wong-Staal F. The carboxyl terminus of RNA helicase A contains a bidirectional nuclear transport domain. Mol Cell Biol. 1999 19(5):3540-50.
     
15. Li J, Tang H, Mullen TM, Westberg C, Reddy TR, Rose DW, Wong-Staal F. A role for RNA helicase A in post-transcriptional regulation of HIV type 1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1999 96(2):709-14.
     
16. Reddy TR, Tang H, Li X, Wong-Staal F. Functional interaction of the HTLV-1 transactivator Tax with activating transcription factor-4 (ATF4). Oncogene. 1997 14(23):2785-92.
     
17. Tang H, Gaietta GM, Fischer WH, Ellisman MH, Wong-Staal F. A cellular cofactor for the constitutive transport element of type D retrovirus. Science. 1997 276(5317):1412-5.
     
18. Tang H, Xu Y, Wong-Staal F. Identification and purification of cellular proteins that specifically interact with the RNA constitutive transport elements from retrovirus D. Virology. 1997 Feb 17;228(2):333-9.
     

Postdoctoral Associates:

Liu, Zhe
Robotham, Jason Michael

Graduate Students:

Kenworthy, Rachael N
Nelson, Heather
Robida, John M.
Yang, Feng

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