Author

Z. Cai

Listed by name: these papers carry no ORCID for this author, so different people with the same name may be mixed together.

Biology Disciplines

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Microbiology· 13 Biochemistry· 4 Cancer Biology· 3 Immunology· 3 Biophysics· 2 Cell Biology· 2

Signature Assays, Organisms & Methods

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Approach:experimental assay· 24 Organism:human· 12 Research Focus:host-pathogen & immune response· 11 Organism:mouse· 11 Approach:statistical model· 10 Research Focus:cell type annotation· 9 Assay:bulk RNA-seq· 7 Research Focus:drug response / drug discovery· 7

Frequent Co-Authors

Y. Liu· 5 shared Z. Zhang· 5 shared L. Liu· 4 shared C. Xie· 3 shared D. Zhou· 3 shared L. Yang· 3 shared Y. Chen· 3 shared Y. Ding· 3 shared

Activity by Year

2018-2024 · peak 8/yr

Co-Author Collaboration Network

10 top collaborators · 12 mutual co-author links

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5 shared papersMicrobiology

Y. Liu

Mutual co-authors in cluster

Author profile →

33 papers

Recent·Most cited

Unicellular cyanobacteria rely on sodium energetics to fix N2

S. Tang, X. Cheng, Y. Liu, L. Liu, D. Liu, Q. Yan, J. Zhu, J. Zhou, K. Hammerschmidt, Z. Cai

This study shows that unicellular cyanobacteria rely on sodium energetics for N2 fixation, which may explain their low abundance in coastal waters due to insufficient NaCl levels.

bioRxiv · Mar 8, 2024 · PreprintMicrobiology

A polydiolcitrate-MoS2 composite for 3D printing Radio-opaque, Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffolds

B. M. Szydlowska, Y. Ding, C. Moore, Z. Cai, C. G. Torres-Castanedo, E. Jones, M. C. Hersam, C. Sun, G. A. Ameer

This paper develops a polydiolcitrate-MoS2 composite for 3D printing bioresorbable vascular scaffolds that are X-ray visible and suitable for non-invasive monitoring.

bioRxiv · Oct 27, 2023 · PreprintBioengineering

Bet hedging in a unicellular microalga

S. Tang, Y. Liu, K. Hammerschmidt, J. Zhu, X. Cheng, L. Liu, J. Zhou, Z. Cai

The paper demonstrates bet hedging in the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis through reversible phenotypic diversification into mobile and non-mobile subunits, enhancing population persistence under environmental stress.

bioRxiv · Sep 8, 2023 · PreprintEcology

XBB.1.5 Spike Protein COVID-19 Vaccine Induces Broadly Neutralizing and Cellular Immune Responses Against EG.5.1 and Emerging XBB Variants

N. Patel, J. F. Trost, M. Guebre-Xabier, H. Zhou, J. Norton, D. Jiang, Z. Cai, M. Zhu, A. M. Marchese, A. M. Greene, R. M. Mallory, R. Kalkeri, F. Dubovsky, G. Smith

This study shows that a monovalent XBB.1.5 spike protein vaccine induces broader neutralizing antibodies and stronger cellular immunity against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants compared to bivalent vaccines.

bioRxiv · Aug 30, 2023Immunology

Cooperative progression of colitis and leukemia modulated by clonal hematopoiesis via PTX3/IL-1β; pro-inflammatory signaling

H. He, Y. Wen, H. Yu, J. Liu, Q. Huo, W. Jin, Z. Wang, G. Du, J. Du, H. Wang, Z. Zhao, Z. Cai

This study shows that clonal hematopoiesis driven by TET2 mutations interacts with inflammatory signals like PTX3/IL-1β to promote colitis and leukemia through a gut-bone marrow axis.

bioRxiv · Aug 29, 2023Immunology

Expansion Strategy-Driven Micron-Level Resolution Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Lipids in Mouse Brain Tissue

Y. L. Hung, C. Xie, J. Wang, X. Diao, R. Li, X. Wang, S. Qiu, J. Fang, Z. Cai

This paper introduces a method to enhance spatial resolution in lipid mass spectrometry imaging of mouse brain tissue by using a swellable polyelectrolyte gel, achieving subcellular-level visualization.

bioRxiv · Aug 28, 2023Biochemistry

Mechanically stimulated osteocytes maintain tumor dormancy in bone metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer by releasing small extracellular vesicles

J. Xie, Y. Xu, X. Liu, L. Long, J. Chen, C. Huang, Y. Shao, Z. Cai, Z. Zhang, R. Zhou, J. Leng, X. Bai, Q. Song

This study shows that mechanically stimulated osteocytes release extracellular vesicles containing microRNAs that inhibit NSCLC cell proliferation and bone metastasis progression.

bioRxiv · Jun 14, 2023Cancer Biology

Multiscale imaging of corneal endothelium damage and effects of Rho Kinase inhibitor application in mouse models of acute ocular hypertension

Z. Cai, Y. Zhang, R. Fang, B. Brenner, J. Kweon, C. Sun, J. Goldberg, H. F. Zhang

The paper uses multiscale imaging to study corneal endothelium damage in mouse models, finding that Rho Kinase inhibitors reduce fully-distorted tight junctions under acute ocular hypertension.

bioRxiv · May 18, 2023Biophysics

Endothelial cell-derived lactate triggers mesenchymal stem cell histone lactylation to attenuate osteoporosis

J. Wu, M. Hu, H. Jiang, j. ma, C. Xie, Z. Zhang, X. Zhou, J. Zhao, Z. Tao, Y. Meng, Z. Cai, T. Song, C. Zhang, R. Gao, H. Song, , X. Zhou

This study shows that endothelial cell lactate promotes BMSC histone lactylation, enhancing osteogenesis and reducing osteoporosis, with exercise increasing lactate to alleviate the condition.

bioRxiv · Mar 6, 2023 · PreprintCell Biology

Interior pH Sensing Residue of Human Voltage-Gated Proton Channel Hv1 is Histidine 168

M. Shen, Y. Huang, Z. Cai, V. V. Cherny, T. E. DeCoursey, J. Shen

This paper uses CpHMD simulations to identify H168 as an interior pH sensor in hHv1, supporting previous electrophysiological findings.

bioRxiv · Dec 7, 2022Biophysics

Rapid generation of CD19 CAR-T Cells by minicircle DNA enables anti-tumor activity and prevents fatal CAR-B leukemia

X. Ye, Y. Wu, Z. Cai, Q. Yuan, J. Cai

This study develops a method using minicircle DNA to rapidly generate CD19 CAR-T cells that are effective and safe, avoiding genomic integration risks.

bioRxiv · Nov 25, 2022Cancer Biology

Chiral Derivatization-enabled Discrimination and Visualization of Proteinogenic Amino Acids by Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry

C. Xie, Y. Chen, X. Wang, Y. Song, Y. Shen, X. Diao, L. Zhu, J. Wang, Z. Cai

This paper develops a method using chiral derivatization and TIMS-MS to separate and visualize 19 pairs of chiral amino acids in complex biological samples.

bioRxiv · Jul 4, 2022Biochemistry

SARS-CoV-2 S protein antagonizes type I interferon downstream signal pathway through interacting and attenuating phosphorylation of STAT1/STAT2

W. Ni, W. Li, Z. Cai, W. Guo, Y. Zheng, Y. Zhao, Z. Wu, S. Liang, J. Ye, X. Guo, D. Zhou, X. Wu, C. Zhou, M. Tang, Y. Chen, , K. Xu

This study identifies how SARS-CoV-2 S protein inhibits type I interferon signaling by interacting with and reducing phosphorylation of STAT1/STAT2, preventing ISGF3 complex formation and ISG expression.

bioRxiv · Jun 6, 2022Microbiology

R-BIND 2.0: An Updated Database of Bioactive RNA-Targeting Small Molecules and Associated RNA Secondary Structures

A. Donlic, E. G. Swanson, L.-Y. Chiu, S. L. Wicks, A. Umuhire Juru, Z. Cai, K. J. Kassam, C. Laudeman, B. Sanaba, A. Sugarman, E. Han, B. S. Tolbert, A. E. Hargrove

R-BIND 2.0 updates the database of RNA-targeting small molecules by refining curation, analyzing RNA structures, and introducing a search algorithm for structure-based ligand discovery.

bioRxiv · Mar 14, 2022Biochemistry

BDSF is a degradation-prone quorum-sensing signal detected by the histidine kinase RpfC of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris

X.-Q. Tian, Y. Wu, Z. Cai, W. Qian

This study identifies BDSF as a degradation-prone quorum-sensing signal in Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, detected by RpfC, with lower physiological activity than DSF due to RpfB-mediated degradation.

bioRxiv · Jan 3, 2022Microbiology

Construction of a potent pan-vaccine based on the evolutionary tendency of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

Y. Zhao, W. Ni, S. Liang, L. Dong, M. Xiang, Z. Cai, D. Niu, Q. Zhang, D. Wang, Y. Zheng, Z. Zhang, D. Zhou, W. Guo, Y. Pan, X. Wu, , K. Lan

This study constructs a pan-vaccine (S6) based on the evolutionary patterns of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to combat diverse variants, showing broader neutralization than existing vaccines.

bioRxiv · Dec 21, 2021 · PreprintMicrobiology

Novel compound inhibitors of HIV-1NL4-3 Vpu

C. A. Robinson, T. D. Lyddon, H. M. Gil, D. T. Evans, Y. V. Kuzmichev, J. Richard, A. Finzi, S. Welbourn, L. Rasmussen, N. M. Nebane, V. V. Gupta, S. Ananthan, Z. Cai, E. R. Wonderlich, C. Augelli-Szafran, , M. C. Johnson

This study identifies two compounds that inhibit HIV-1NL4-3 Vpu activity but are strain-specific.

bioRxiv · Jul 30, 2021Microbiology

SARS-CoV-2 Spike Pseudoviruses: A Useful tool to study virus entry and address emerging neutralization escape phenotypes

R. Kalkeri, Z. Cai, S. Lin, J. Farmer, Y. V. Kuzmichev, F. Koide

This paper develops a BSL2 pseudovirus neutralization assay to assess SARS-CoV-2 variant neutralization, showing it is reproducible and effective for evaluating vaccine efficacy against emerging variants.

bioRxiv · Jul 16, 2021Microbiology

Intranasal administration of a monoclonal neutralizing antibody protects mice against SARS-CoV-2 infection

S. Halwe, A. Kupke, K. Vanshylla, F. Liberta, H. Gruell, M. Zehner, C. Rohde, V. Kraehling, M. Gellhorn-Serra, C. Kreer, M. Kluever, L. Sauerhering, J. Schmidt, Z. Cai, F. Han, , S. Becker

This paper describes a monoclonal antibody, DZIF-10c, that effectively neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 and its variants when administered intranasally to mice, offering potential for topical treatment.

bioRxiv · Jun 9, 2021Microbiology

PLURIPOTENT STEM CELL-DERIVED CARDIOVASCULAR PROGENITORS DIFFFERENTIATED ON LAMININ 221 REGENERATE AND IMPROVE FUNCTION OF INFARCTED SWINE HEARTS

L. Yap, L. Y. Chong, C. Tan, S. Adusumalli, M. Seow, J. Guo, Z. Cai, S. J. Loo, E. Lim, N. Lath, L. Ye, E. G. Petretto, K. Tryggvason

This paper differentiates pluripotent stem cells into cardiovascular progenitors on laminin 221 and shows improved heart function in infarcted pigs.

bioRxiv · Apr 29, 2021 · PreprintCell Biology

Nosocomial Pseudomonas aeruginosaregulates alginate biosynthesis and Type VI secretion system during adaptive and convergent evolution for coinfection in critically ill COVID-19 patients

J.-X. Qu, Z. Cai, X. Duan, H. Zhang, S. Han, K. Yu, Z. Jiang, Y. Zhang, Y. Liu, Y. Liu, L. Liu, L. Yang

This study investigates how Pseudomonas aeruginosa adapts and evolves during coinfection with COVID-19, showing it overexpresses alginate and reduces Type VI secretion system to enhance biofilm formation and suppress virulence.

bioRxiv · Apr 9, 2021 · PreprintMicrobiology

Lkb1 is a master regulator of VSMC fate and function in mice

Z. Cai, P. Song, S. You, Z. Liu, F. Zhao, J. Mu, X. Zheng, Y. Ding, L. Xiao, T. Ramprasath, Y. Qiu, B. He, M.-H. Zou

This study shows that Lkb1 is essential for maintaining vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) identity and function in mice, as its deletion leads to vascular abnormalities and aneurysm formation.

bioRxiv · Dec 12, 2020 · PreprintPhysiology

Expression analysis of photosynthesis-related genes in albino Artocarpus heterophyllus seedlings leaves

Z. Cai, J. Dong, X. Zhang, Q. Qu, F. Wu, L. Cao, S. Li, Z. Wang, D. Zhou, J. Luo, X. Yu

The paper investigates photosynthesis-related gene expression in albino Artocarpus heterophyllus seedlings, finding down-regulated genes in pigment synthesis and photosynthesis pathways.

bioRxiv · Oct 20, 2020 · PreprintPhysiology

Persistent bacterial coinfection of a COVID-19 patient caused by a genetically adapted Pseudomonas aeruginosa chronic colonizer

J.-X. Qu, Z. Cai, Y. Liu, X. Duan, S. Han, Y. Zhu, Z. Jiang, Y. Zhang, C. Zhuo, Y. Liu, Y. Liu, L. Liu, L. Yang

The paper describes a genetically adapted Pseudomonas aeruginosa small colony variant causing persistent bacterial coinfection in a COVID-19 patient, showing enhanced biofilm formation and quorum sensing.

bioRxiv · Aug 5, 2020Microbiology

In vivo CRISPR screening identifies Fli1 as a transcriptional safeguard that restrains effector CD8 T cell differentiation during infection and cancer

Z. Chen, E. Arai, O. Khan, Z. Zhang, S. F. Ngiow, Y. He, H. Huang, S. Manne, Z. Cao, A. E. Baxter, Z. Cai, E. Freilich, M. A. Ali, J. R. Giles, J. E. Wu, , J. Shi

The paper identifies Fli1 as a transcriptional regulator that limits effector CD8 T cell differentiation during infection and cancer, showing its deletion enhances TEFF responses and immunity.

bioRxiv · May 20, 2020 · PreprintImmunology

Small Molecule Targeting IRES Domain Inhibits Enterovirus 71 Replication via an Allosteric Mechanism that Stabilizes a Ternary Complex

J. Davila-Calderon, N. N. Patwardhan, L.-Y. Chiu, A. L. Sugarman, Z. Cai, S. R. Penutmutchu, M.-L. Li, G. Brewer, A. E. Hargrove, B. S. Tolbert

The paper identifies a small molecule that inhibits EV71 replication by stabilizing a ternary complex with RNA and AUF1 protein via an allosteric mechanism.

bioRxiv · Mar 10, 2020Biochemistry

Hierarchical dinucleotide distribution in genome along evolution and its effect on chromatin packing

Z. Cai, Y. He, S. Liu, Y. Xue, H. Quan, L. Zhang, Y. Q. Gao

The paper quantifies species-specific CpG distribution patterns across genomic scales and shows their correlation with chromatin structure in mammals and avians.

bioRxiv · Feb 20, 2020 · PreprintEvolutionary Biology

Mutant p53 Drives Clonal Hematopoiesis through Modulating Epigenetic Pathway

S. Chen, Q. Wang, H. Yu, M. L. Capitano, S. Vemula, S. C. Nabinger, R. Gao, C. Yao, M. Kobayashi, Z. Geng, A. Fahey, D. Henley, S. Z. Liu, E. R. Wolf, B. Ramdas, , Y. Liu

This study identifies mutant p53's role in promoting clonal hematopoiesis by modulating the EZH2-mediated epigenetic pathway.

bioRxiv · Apr 24, 2019Cancer Biology

Infection of Plasmodiophora brassicae changes the fungal endophyte community of tumourous stem mustard roots as revealed by high-throughput sequencing and culture-dependent methods

X. Tian, D. Wang, Z. Mao, L. Pan, J. Liao, Z. Cai

This study examines how Plasmodiophora brassicae infection alters the fungal endophyte community in stem mustard roots using sequencing and culture methods, finding reduced diversity and shifts in dominant taxa.

bioRxiv · Apr 5, 2019Microbiology

Homologous Recombination as an Evolutionary Force in African Swine Fever Viruses

Z. Zhu, C.-T. Xiao, Y. Fan, Z. Cai, C. Lu, G. Zhang, T. Jiang, Y. Tan, Y. Peng

This study analyzes ASFV genomes to show that homologous recombination contributes to genetic diversity through indels, with conserved enzymes involved in recombination.

bioRxiv · Dec 16, 2018 · PreprintMicrobiology