RNA is not merely a messenger of genetic information, but a key molecule that precisely regulates a wide range of cellular processes. Because viruses hijack the RNA regulatory machinery of host cells to facilitate their own replication, studying viral RNA provides not only insight into the viruses themselves, but also an effective approach to uncovering previously unknown RNA regulatory mechanisms in host cells. Our laboratory aims to elucidate, at the molecular level, how viruses regulate and exploit RNA within host cells, and to apply the novel RNA regulatory mechanisms discovered through this process to the development of antiviral therapeutics and RNA-based drugs. To achieve these goals, we employ a range of approaches including molecular biology, biochemistry, and bioinformatics.

•    Jung S-J*, Seo JJ*, Lee S*, Hyun S-I, Lee J-e, Lee S, Lee Y, Chang H, Lee H, Kim J-H, Kim VN (2025) RNA stability enhancers for durable, based-modified mRNA therapeutics. Nature Biotechnology. (*co-first authors)

•    Kim H-J, Cho S-Y, Jung S-J, Cho Y-J, Roe J-H, Kim K-d (2024) Non-Mitochondrial Aconitase-2 mediates the transcription of nuclear-encoded electron transport chain genes in fission yeast. Journal of Microbiology.

 

•    Seo JJ*, Jung S-J*, Yang J, Choi D-E, Kim VN (2023) Functional viromic screens uncover regulatory RNA elements. Cell. 186(15):3291–3306 (*co-first authors)

•    Cho S-Y, Jung S-J, Kim K-d, Roe J-H (2021) Non-mitochondrial aconitase regulates the expression of iron-uptake genes by controlling the RNA turnover process in fission yeast. Journal of Microbiology. 59(12):1075–1082

•    Kim D*, Lee Y-s*, Jung S-J*, Yeo J*, Seo JJ, Lee Y-Y, Lim J, Chang H, Song J, Yang J, Kim J-s, Jung G, Ahn K, Kim VN (2020) Viral hijacking of the TENT4-ZCCHC14 complex protects viral RNAs via mixed tailing. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. 27(6):581–588
(*co-first authors)

•    Jung S-J*, Choi Y*, Lee D, Roe J-H (2019) Nuclear aconitase antagonizes heterochromatic silencing by interfering with Chp1 binding to DNA. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 516(3):806–811 (*co-first authors)

•    Jung S-J, Seo Y, Lee KC, Lee D, Roe J-H (2015) Essential function of Aco2, a fusion protein of aconitase and mitochondrial ribosomal protein bL21, in mitochondrial translation in fission yeast. FEBS Letters. 589(7):822–8 (selected as a critical research in the journal)