Jinwoo Ahn
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Phone (412) 383-6933
Fax (412) 648-9008

University of Pittsburgh
1055 Biomedical Science Tower 3

 

JInwoo Ahn

Associate Professor


Protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions are major events in many critical biological pathways. My research focuses on investigating the molecular and structural basis of these interactions. To that end, I utilize molecular biology and protein biochemistry approaches to obtain functionally active recombinant proteins. With those, we reconstitute and monitor biological events in vitro to directly correlate protein structure-function with biological outcome.  We utilize various bioanalytical and biophysical methodology including, but not limited to, CD, fluorescence, SEC-MALS, ITC, SPR, SWAX and HPLC as well as conventional biochemistry. We are currently studying HIV virulence factor-host protein interactions, Cullin-based E3 ubiquitin ligase assembly, regulation of tumor suppressor p53 and its homologs functions by repressors and activators.


Visit Jinwoo's lab website


Education & Training

Undergraduate
Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
B.S. 1991 in Chemistry

Graduate
The Ohio State University
Ph.D., 1997 in Chemistry

Postgraduate
Columbia University, New York
Postdoctoral Associate 1997 – 2003


Representative Publications


Zhou, X., Delucia, M., Hao, C., Hrecka, K., Monnie, C., Skowronski, J., Ahn, J. HIV-1 Vpr protein directly loads Helicase-like transcription factor (HLTF) onto the CRL4-DCAF1 E3 ubiquitin ligase. J. Biol. Chem. 292, 21117-21127 (2017)

Jang, S., Zhou, X., Ahn, J. Substrate specificity of SAMHD1 triphosphohydrolase activity is controlled by deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates and phosphorylation at Thr592. Biochemistry 55, 5635-5646 (2016)

Zhou, X., DeLucia, M., Ahn, J. SLX4/SLX1 independent downregulation of MUS81/EME1 by HIV-1 Vpr. J. Biol. Chem. 291, 16936-16947 (2016)

Wu, Y, Koharudin, L., Mehrens, J., DeLucia, M., Byeon, C.-H., Byeon, I.J., Calero, G., Ahn, J., and Gronenborn, A. M., Structural basis of clade-specific engagement of SAMHD1 restriction factors by lentiviral Vpx virulence factors.. J. Biol. Chem. 290, 17935-45 (2105)



Active Grants


University of Pittsburgh Center for HIV Protein Interactions (PCHPI), Core director and Project Leader
8/1/17 – 7/31/22
NIH P50GM082251

Structure and function relationships regulating SAMHD1’s dual enzymatic activities, Principal Investigator
7/1/15 – 6/30/20
NIH R01GM116642

The molecular basis of cardiolipin-protein interactions implicated in intrinsic apoptosis, Co-Investigator
9/1/16 – 8/31/20
NIH R01GM113908

Imaging of single HIV-1 uncoating and transport to the nucleus, Co-Investigator
3/24/17 – 2/28/22
NIH R01AI129862