Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology

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Name: SHEN Zhangfei

Email: szfzju@gmail.com

Tel: 13588874127

Research Field: Microbial Immunology and horizontal gene transfer

Personal Introduction:

I am a Principal Investigator at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. I earned my B.Sc. in Veterinary Medicine from Nanjing Agricultural University (2009.09 - 2014.06). I then pursued my Ph.D. in Animal Sciences at Zhejiang University (2014.09 - 2020.03), during which I conducted rigorous research, completed project design and experiments meticulously, and received multiple academic honors, accumulating profound academic expertise. From October 2018 to January 2020, I was a Ph.D. student at the Paul Scherrer Institute at Switzerland and Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, where I deepened my research in biochemistry, structural biology, and molecular signaling regulation, developing strong interdisciplinary research capabilities. Since March 2021, I have served as a Postdoctoral Scholar at The Ohio State University, focusing on elucidating the molecular mechanisms of novel bacterial immune signaling pathways and horizontal gene transfer using biophysical and biochemical approaches, with core research interests including nucleic acid recognition in anti-phage defense systems. I have published many high-impact papers in top journals as first or co-first author, including Nature, Cell, Molecular Cell, Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, Nature Communications, Science Advances, eLife, etc. Additionally, I received honors such as the 2024 ASBMB Postdoctoral Researcher Award and the Chinese National Fellowship for Ph.D. Students. I am an active member of ASBMB and the Biophysical Society, have delivered oral presentations at international conferences, and serve as a peer reviewer for many scientific journals. (https://www.x-mol.com/groups/shenlab)

Publications

  1. Yang, X.Y.#, Shen, Z.#, Wang, C., Nakanishi, K., Fu, T.M., 2024. DNA defense module eliminates plasmid invasion by DNA-guided DNA targeting. Cell, 187(19):5253-5266. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.07.028. PMID: 39173632.

  2. Shen, Z.#, Yang, X.Y.#, Xia, S., Huang, W., Taylor, D.J., Nakanishi, K., Fu, T.M., 2023.Oligomerization-mediated activation of a short prokaryotic Argonaute. Nature, 621, 154-161. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06456-z. PMID: 37494956.

  3. Shen, Z.#, Lin, Q.#, Yang, X.Y.#, Fosuah, E., Fu, T.M., 2023. Assembly-mediated activation of the SIR2-HerA supramolecular complex for anti-phage defense. Mol. Cell, 83, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.11.007. PMID: 38096827.

  4. Shen, Z., Assembly and Activation of the NLR Family in Innate Immune Regulation and Cell Death. Book: Cell Death Regulation in Pathology, IntechOpen, 14 May 2025. Crossref, doi:10.5772/intechopen.1010575.

  5. Yang, X.Y.#, Shen, Z.#, Xie, J., Greenwald, J., Marathe, I., Lin, Q., Xie, W.J., Wysocki, V.H., Fu, T.M., 2024. Molecular basis of Gabija anti-phage supramolecular assemblies. Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol., 31(8):1243-1250. doi: 10.1038/s41594-024-01283-w. PMID: 38627580.

  6. Li, Y.#, Shen, Z.#, Zhang, M.#, Yang, X.Y.#, Cleary, S.P., Xie, J., Marathe, I.A., Kostelic, M., Greenwald, J., Rish, A.D., Wysocki, V.H., Chen, C., Yu, Y., Chen, Q., Fu, T.M., 2024. PtuA and PtuB Assemble into an Inflammasome-like Oligomer for Anti-phage Defense. Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol., 31(3):413-423. doi: 10.1038/s41594-023-01172-8. PMID: 38177683.

  7. Rish, A.D.#, Shen, Z.#, Chen, Z., Zhang, N., Zheng, Q., Fu, T.M., 2023. Molecular mechanisms of Holliday junction branch migration catalyzed by an asymmetric RuvB hexamer. Nat. Commun., 14(1), 1-10. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-39250-6. PMID: 37322069.

  8. Fosuah E. #, Shen, Z.#, Wang, C., Lin, Q., Fu, T.M., 2025. Assembly and activation of the death-inducing signaling complex. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, in press.

  9. Wang, C.#, Shen, Z.#, Yang, X.Y., Fu, T.M., 2024. Structures and functions of short Argonautes. RNA Biol., 21(1):883-889. doi: 10.1080/15476286.2024.2380948. PMID: 39219231.

  10. Rish, A.D.#, Shen, Z.#, Fu, TM., 2022. It takes two to Tango: Two gates orchestrate the opening of human TRPM2. Cell Calcium, 101:102523. doi: 10.1016/j.ceca.2021.102523. Epub 2021 Dec 23. PMID: 34973600.

  11. Wang, T.M.#, Cao, Z.#, Shen, Z.#, Yang, J.W., Chen, X., Yang, Z., Xu, K., Xiang, X.W., Yu, Q.H., Song, Y.M., Wang, W.W., Tian, Y.N., Sun, L.N., Zhang, L.B., Guo, S., Zhou, N.M.,2020. Existence and functions of hypothalamic kisspeptin neuropeptide signaling system in a non-chordate deuterostome species. eLife, 9: e53370. doi: 10.7554/eLife.53370. PMID: 32513385.

  12. Shen, Z.#, Chen, Y.#, Hong, L.#, Cui, Z., Yang, H., He, X., Shi, Y., Shi, L., Han, F., Zhou, N.M., 2017. BNGR-A25L and -A27 are two functional G protein-coupled receptors for CAPA periviscerokinin neuropeptides in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. J. Biol. Chem., 292(40): 16554 - 16570. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M117.803445.  PMID: 28842502.

  13. Shen, Z., Jiang, X., Yan, L.L., Wang, W.W., Shi, Y., Shi, L.G., Liu, D.X., Zhou, N.M., 2018. Structural basis for the interaction of diapause hormone with its receptor in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. FASEB J., 32(3): 1338-1353. doi: 10.1096/fj.201700931R. PMID: 29101222.

  14. Shen, Z., Yang, X.Y., Chen, Y., Shi, L.G., 2018. CAPA periviscerokinin-mediated activation of MAPK/ERK signaling through Gq-PLC-PKC-dependent cascade and reciprocal ERK activation-dependent internalized kinetics of Bom-CAPA-PVK receptor. Insect Biochem. Mol. Biol., 98: 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2018.04.007. PMID: 29730398.

  15. Shen, Z., Xie, H.Q., Shi, L.G., 2018. Current research status of embryo diapause regulated by diapause hormone and its receptors in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Acta Entomologica Sinica, 61(11):1340-1349.

  16. Zheng, W., Rawson, S., Shen, Z., Tamilselvan, E., Smith, H.E., Halford, J., Shen, C., Murthy, S.E., Ulbrich, M.H., Sotomayor, M., Fu, T.M., Holt, J.R., 2023. TMEM63 proteins function as monomeric high-threshold mechanosensitive ion channels. Neuron, 111(20): 3195-3210. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.07.006. PMID: 37543036.

  17. Rish, A.D., Fosuah, E., Shen, Z., Marathe, I.A., Wysocki, V.H., Fu, T.M., 2025. Topological rearrangements activate the HerA-DUF anti-phage defense system. Mol. Cell, 85 (6), 1189-1201. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2025.02.001. PMID: 40010344.

  18. Zheng, W., Rawson, S., Shen, Z., Tamilselvan, E., Smith, H.E., Halford, J., Shen, C., Murthy, S.E., Ulbrich, M.H., Sotomayor, M., Fu, T.M., Holt, J.R., 2023. TMEM63 proteins function as monomeric high-threshold mechanosensitive ion channels. Neuron, 111(20): 3195-3210. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.07.006. PMID: 37543036.

  19. Wang, C., Rish, A.D., Armbruster, E.G., Xie, J., Loveland, A.B., Shen, Z., Gu, B., Korostelev, A.A., Pogliano, J., Fu, T.M., 2025. Disassembly activates Retron-Septu for antiphage defense. Science, 389(6762):eadv3344. doi: 10.1126/science.adv3344. PMID: 40504952.

  20. Savidge, A., Zhang, H., Annasaheb, A.V., Kehling, A.C., Sim, G., Shen, Z., Fu, T,M., Nakanishi, K., 2025. Neurodevelopmental disorder-linked Argonaute mutations permit delayed RISC formation and unusual shortening of miRNAs by 3'→5' trimming. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 122(46):e2524644122. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2524644122. PMID: 41237208.

  21. Zheng, W.#, Shen, C.#, Wang, L.#, Rawson, S.#, Xie, W.J., Nist-Lund, C., Wu, J., Shen, Z., Xia, S., Holt, J.R., Wu, H., Fu, T.M., 2022. pH regulates potassium conductance and drives a constitutive proton current in human TMEM175. Sci. Adv., 8(12): eabm1568. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abm1568. PMID: 35333573.

  22. Cao, Z.#, Yan, L.#, Shen, Z., Chen, Y., Shi, Y., He, X., Zhou, N., 2020. A novel splice variant of Gq-coupled Bombyx CAPA-PVK receptor 1 functions as a specific Gi/o-linked receptor for CAPA-PK. BBA-Mol. Cell Res., 1867(8):118718. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2020.118718. PMID: 32289337.

  23. Gu, L.#, Wang, L.#, Chen, H.#, Hong, J.#, Shen, Z., Dhall, A., Lao, T., Liu, C., Wang, Z., Xu, Y., Tang, H.W., Chakraborty, D., Chen, J., Liu, Z., Rogulja, D., Perrimon, N., Wu, H., Shi, Y., 2020. CG14906 (mettl4) methylates U2 snRNA m6A in Drosophila. Cell Discov., 6(1):1-4. doi: 10.1038/s41421-020-0178-7. PMID: 32637152.

  24. Tang, H.W., Weng, J.H., Lee, W.X., Hu, Y., Gu, L., Cho, S., Lee, G., Binari, R., Li, C., Cheng, M.E., Kim, A.R., Xu, J., Shen, Z., Xu, C., Asara, J.M., Blenis, J., Perrimon, N., 2021. mTORC1-chaperonin CCT signaling regulates m6A RNA methylation to suppress autophagy. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 118(10): e2021945118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2021945118. PMID: 33649236.

  25. Chen, H.#, Gu, L.#, Orellana, EA., Wang, Y., Guo, J., Liu, Q., Wang, L., Shen, Z., Wu, H., Gregory, R.I., Xing, Y., Shi, Y., 2020. METTL4 is an snRNA m6Am methyltransferase that regulates RNA splicing. Cell Res., 30(6): 544-547. doi: 10.1038/s41422-019-0270-4. PMID: 31913360.

  26. Xie, H., Li, X., Yang, W., Yu, L., Jiang, X., Chen, Y., Shen, Z., Li, C., Gu, M., Shi, L., 2020. N6-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-adenosine suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis in human gastric carcinoma through mediating mitochondrial dysfunction and cell cycle arrest. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 21(16): 5815. doi: 10.3390/ijms21165815. PMID: 32823628.

  27. Wang, S.L.#, Wang, W.W.#, Ma, Q., Shen, Z., Zhang, M.Q., Zhou, N.M., Zhang, C.X., 2019. Elevenin signaling modulates body color through the tyrosine-mediated cuticle melanism pathway. FASEB J., 33(9):9731-9741. doi: 10.1096/fj.201802786RR. PMID: 31162939.

  28. Xie, H., Li, X., Chen, Y., Lang, M., Shen, Z., Shi, L., 2019. Ethanolic extract of cordyceps cicadae exerts antitumor effect on human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells by inducing apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and endoplasmic reticulum stress. J. Ethnopharmacol., 20(231): 230-240. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2018.11.028. PMID: 30468850.

  29. Yang, J., Shen, Z., Jiang, X., Yang, H., Huang, H., Jin, L., Chen, Y., Shi, L., Zhou, N., 2016. Agonist-activated Bombyx corazonin receptor is internalized via an arrestin-dependent and clathrin-independent pathway. Biochemistry, 55(28): 3874-3887. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00250. PMID: 27348044.

  30. Jiang, X., Yang, J., Shen, Z., Chen, Y., Shi, L., Zhou, N., 2016. Agonist-mediated activation of Bombyx mori diapause hormone receptor signals to extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 through Gq-PLC-PKC-dependent cascade. Insect Biochem. Mol. Biol., 75: 78-88. doi: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2016.06.005. PMID: 27318251.

  31. Ye, Y.X., Pan, P.L., Xu, J.Y., Shen, Z., Kang, D., Lu, J.B., Hu, Q.L., Huang, H.J., Lou, Y.H., Zhou, N.M., Zhang, C.X., 2017. Forkhead box transcription factor L2 activates Fcp3C to regulate insect chorion formation. Open Biology, 7(6): 170061. doi: 10.1098/rsob.170061. PMID: 28615473.

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