Principal investigator
Name:
Kun DouAssistant Professor , PhD, Assistant Professor
Position:
Affiliation:
School of Life Science and Technology
Honor:
Education Background:
- 2005/09-2009/06, Hunan University, B.S.
- 2009/09-2014/06, Beijing Normal University / National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing (NIBS), Ph.D.
Working Experience:
- 2014/07-2015/08, National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing (NIBS), Postdoctoral Fellow
- 2015/08-2020/01, Carnegie Institution for Science, department of embryology, Postdoctoral Fellow
- 2020/01-Present, ShanghaiTech University, School of Life Science and Technology, Assistant Professor (TENURE-TRACK)
Group Introduction
Research Area:
Transposon Biology and Epigenetic Regulation
Research Interests:
Transposons, also known as “jumping genes”, are the most abundant residents in almost all eukaryote genomes. Activation of transposons can lead to genome instability and may cause cancer. It was found that more than 75 human diseases can be caused by transposon integration. For example, retrotransposon LINE1 mobilizing into the genomic locus of APC or FVIII led to colon cancer or hemophilia, respectively. Therefore, it is essential to study how transposon invade host genome. Dr. Dou’s group is using fruit fly as a major model organism to study the following mechanisms: 1) Transposon suppression by the host; 2) Transposon propagation in the host. We will exploit the advantages of fruit fly, including rich genetic resources, short life cycle, to facilitate our study and to uncover new mechanisms. We are also expecting to extend our knowledge in fruit fly to mammalian systems to better understand transposon regulation in mammals.
Representative Publications (*First Author, # Corresponding Author)
- 1. Li, Chongyang*; Meng, Zhe*; Wen, Qiuju; Yang, Wenjuan; Xu, Yaqian; Lyu, Yuening; Guo, Yile; Lyu, Tong; Shen, Dan; Dou, Kun.Translesion DNA polymerases Rev1 and PolH promote LTR-retrotransposon transcription by safeguarding Pol II occupancy in both germline and somatic tissues of Drosophila.Nucleic Acids Research. 23 Sep 2025. 53(17).
- 2. Shen, Dan*; Xu, Yaqian*; Shi, Qi; Li, Chongyang; Meng, Zhe; Wen, Qiuju; Wang, Chenhui; Dou, Kun.Retrotransposon 3S18 forms self-protective aggregates and prolongs mid-oogenesis.CELL REPORTS. 22 Jul 2025. 44(7).
- 3. Jin, Zhaohui*; Meng, Zhe*; Liu, Yanchao*; Li, Chongyang; Zhang, Xuedi; Yin, Yue; Gao, Guanjun; Dou, Kun; Huang, Ying.Structural basis of thymidine-rich DNA recognition by Drosophila P75 PWWP domain.Communications Biology. 01 Dec 2025. 8(1).
- 4. Xu, Yaqian*; Dou, Kun.A protocol for real-time tracking of transposon products and host proteins in Drosophila ovaries.STAR Protocols. 19 Dec 2025. 6(4).
- 5. Dou, Kun*; Liu, Yanchao*; Zhang, Yingpei; Wang, Chenhui; Huang, Ying; Zhang, Zz Zhao.Drosophila P75 safeguards oogenesis by preventing H3K9me2 spreading.JOURNAL OF GENETICS AND GENOMICS. 20 Apr 2020. 47(4):187-199.
- 6. Wang, Lu*; Dou, Kun*; Moon, Sungjin; Tan, Frederick J.; Zhang, Z. Z. Zhao.Hijacking Oogenesis Enables Massive Propagation of LINE and Retroviral Transposons.CELL. 2018. 174(5):1082+.
- 7. Dou, Kun*; Huang, Chao-Feng*; Ma, Ze-Yang; Zhang, Cui-Jun; Zhou, Jin-Xing; Huang, Huan-Wei; Cai, Tao; Tang, Kai; Zhu, Jian-Kang; He, Xin-Jian.The PRP6-like splicing factor STA1 is involved in RNA-directed DNA methylation by facilitating the production of Pol V-dependent scaffold RNAs.NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH. 2013. 41(18):8489-8502.
- 8. Han, Yong-Feng*; Dou, Kun*; Ma, Ze-Yang; Zhang, Su-Wei; Huang, Huan-Wei; Li, Lin; Cai, Tao; Chen, She; Zhu, Jian-Kang; He, Xin-Jian.SUVR2 is involved in transcriptional gene silencing by associating with SNF2-related chromatin-remodeling proteins in Arabidopsis.CELL RESEARCH. 2014. 24(12):1445-1465.
- 9. Moon, Sungjin*; Cassani, Madeline*; Lin, Yu An; Wang, Lu; Dou, Kun; Zhang, Z. Z. Zhao.A Robust Transposon-Endogenizing Response from Germline Stem Cells.DEVELOPMENTAL CELL. 2018. 47(5):660+.
- 10. Wang, Chenhui*; Guo, Xingting; Dou, Kun; Chen, Hongyan; Xi, Rongwen.Ttk69 acts as a master repressor of enteroendocrine cell specification in Drosophila intestinal stem cell lineages.DEVELOPMENT. 01 Oct 2015. 142(19):3321-3331.
- 11. Zhang, Cui-Jun*; Zhou, Jin-Xing*; Liu, Jun*; Ma, Ze-Yang; Zhang, Su-Wei; Dou, Kun; Huang, Huan-Wei; Cai, Tao; Liu, Renyi; Zhu, Jian-Kang; He, Xin-Jian.The splicing machinery promotes RNA-directed DNA methylation and transcriptional silencing in Arabidopsis.EMBO JOURNAL. 2013. 32(8):1128-1140.
- 12. Li, Peng*; Li, Jun; Li, Ming; Dou, Kun; Zhang, Mei-Jun; Suo, Fang; Du, Li-Lin.Multiple end joining mechanisms repair a chromosomal DNA break in fission yeast.DNA REPAIR. 2012. 11(2):120-130.
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