GUO-MIN LI
Professor
B.S., Wuhan University
Ph.D., Wayne State University
Phone: (859) 257-7053
E-mail: gmli@uky.edu

Research Interests  |  Publications  |  PubMed

The Cover of Cell - Sept. 9, 2005

Research Interest:

Research interest in Dr. Li’s laboratory is focused on DNA mismatch repair. DNA mismatch repair is an important genome-maintenance system that corrects
mismatched base pairs generated during normal DNA metabolism and mediates
cellular response to DNA damage. Defects in mismatch repair genes are the
genetic basis of certain types of human cancer, including hereditary
nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). To fully understand the molecular
mechanisms of the mismatch repair system in human cells, Dr. Li’s laboratory is investigating the following related problems:

1. Identification, characterization, and reconstitution of the human DNA mismatch repair reaction in vitro.
2. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying specific genetic alterations of mismatch repair genes associated with HNPCC and other cancers.
3. Identification and characterization of proteins involved in DNA damage-induced, mismatch repair-mediated apoptosis.
4. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms by which DNA loop structures are processed in human cells.

Representative Publications

Zhang, Y., Yuan, F., Presnell, S., Tian, K., Gao, Y., Tomkinson, A., Gu, L., and Li, G.-M. (2005) Reconstitution of human DNA mismatch repair in a purified system. Cell 122, 693-705.

Yuan, F., Gu, L., Guo, S., Wang, C., and Li, G.-M. (2004) Evidence for involvement of HMGB1 protein in human DNA mismatch repair. J. Biol. Chem. 279, 20935-20940.

Guo, S., Presnell, S., Yuan, F., Zhang, Y., Gu, L., and Li., G.-M. (2004) Differential requirement for PCNA  in 5’ and 3’ nick-directed excision in human mismatch repair. J. Biol. Chem. 279, 16912-7.

McCulloch, S.D., Gu, L., and Li, G.-M. (2003) Bi-directional processing of DNA loops by mismatch repair dependent and independent pathways in human cells. J. Biol. Chem. 278, 3891-3896.

Wu, J., Zhu, B., Yu, J., Zhu, H., Kindy, M., Gu, L., Seidel, A., Li, G,-M. (2003) In vitro and in vivo modulations of benzo[c]phenathrene-DNA adducts by mismatch repair system. Nucleic Acids Res. 31, 6428-6434.

McCulloch, S.D., Gu, L., and Li, G.-M. (2003) Nick-dependent and independent processing of large DNA loops in human cells. J. Biol. Chem. 278, 50803-50809.

Gu, L., Brown, B., ., Zhang, F., and Li, G.-M. (2002) Mismatch repair deficiency in hematological malignancies with microsatellite instability. Oncogene, 21, 5758-5764.

Murata, H. Khatta, N., Kang, Y., Gu, L., and Li, G.-M  (2002) Genetic and epigenetic modifications of hMSH2 and hMLH1 in sporadic breast cancer with microsatellite instability. Oncogene, 21, 5969-5703.

Ramilo, C., Gu, L., Guo, S., Zhang, X., Pattrick, S., Turchi, J. and Li, G.-M. (2002) Partial reconstitution of human DNA mismatch repair in vitro: Characterization of the role of hRPA.  Mol. Cell. Biol. 22, 2037-2046.

Wu, J., Gu, L. Geacintov, N.E. and Li, G.-M. (1999) Mismatch repair processing of carcinogen-DNA adducts triggers apoptosis. Mol. Cell. Biol. 19, 8292-8301.