南加州大学病毒研究专家尤教授

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James J.H. Ou
Professor
Molecular Microbiology & Immunology
School of Medicine  



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Send E-mail to:   [email protected]   
Telephone: 323-442-1720 Fax: 323-442-1721
Office: HMR 402A Mail Code: 9094 HSC

Education:
BS 1976 Zoology - National Taiwan University, Taiwan
PhD 1982 Molecular Virology - California Institute of Technology, Pasadena

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship:
1986 University of California, San Francisco

Started at USC: 1986

Research Topics: Virology, Gene Regulation/Transcription, Cancer Cell Biology

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Research Description


Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) can both cause severe liver diseases including hepatitis and liver cancer. The research of our laboratory is focused on the molecular biology of these two clinically important viruses. Our research goal is to understand how these two viruses replicate and induce hepatocellular oncogenesis.


HBV has a circular 3.2 Kb DNA genome that contains four overlapping transcription units. An ongoing research project of this laboratory is to understand how these four transcription units communicate with each other for their expressions. We are also interested in the biological functions of various HBV gene products. Recent studies of ours indicate that the subcellular localization of HBV core antigen is a regulated process and the HBV X protein is an auxiliary factor for HBV replication. Experiments are in progress to examine the significance of these findings in HBV replication and pathogenesis.


HCV is an RNA virus. The genome of this virus encodes at least ten viral gene products. Our attention at present is being focused on the structural proteins, which include the core protein and the E1 and E2 envelope proteins, and the NS2 protein. We are studying how these proteins interact with each other and with the viral RNA to regulate HCV replication and to form the mature virus particle. In addition, our recent studies have revealed the presence of a new HCV gene encoded by an alternative reading frame. We are investigating the molecular mechanism that regulates the expression of this new gene and its possible functions in the HCV life cycle.



Selected Publications


Zheng Y, Li J, Ou JH. Regulation of Hepatitis B Virus Core Promoter by Transcription Factors HNF1 and HNF4 and the Viral X Protein. J Virol. [ 2004 ] Jul;78(13):6908-14. PubMed


Lee KJ, Choi J, Ou JH, Lai MM. The C-terminal transmembrane domain of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA polymerase is essential for HCV replication in vivo. J Virol. [ 2004 ] Apr;78(7):3797-802. PubMed


Xu Z, Ou JH. Endogenous polymerase assay for the analysis of hepatitis B virus in transgenic mice. Methods Mol Med. [ 2004 ] 95:295-302. PubMed


Li J, Zheng Y, Choi J, Ou JH. Phosphorylation analysis of hepatitis B virus core protein in mammalian cells. Methods Mol Med. [ 2004 ] 95:227-33. PubMed


Choi J, Lee KJ, Zheng Y, Yamaga AK, Lai MM, Ou JH. Reactive oxygen species suppress hepatitis C virus RNA replication in human hepatoma cells. Hepatology. [ 2004 ] Jan;39(1):81-9. PubMed


Kojima H, Kaita KD, Xu Z, Ou JH, Gong Y, Zhang M, Minuk GY. The absence of up-regulation of telomerase activity during regeneration after partial hepatectomy in hepatitis B virus X gene transgenic mice. J Hepatol. [ 2003 ] Aug;39(2):262-8. PubMed


Zheng Y, Li J, Johnson DL, Ou JH. Regulation of hepatitis B virus replication by the ras-mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. J Virol. [ 2003 ] Jul;77(14):7707-12. PubMed


Choi J, Xu Z, Ou JH. Triple decoding of hepatitis C virus RNA by programmed translational frameshifting. Mol Cell Biol. [ 2003 ] Mar;23(5):1489-97. PubMed


Lin WJ, Li J, Lee YF, Yeh SD, Altuwaijri S, Ou JH, Chang C. Suppression of hepatitis B virus core promoter by the nuclear orphan receptor TR4. J Biol Chem. [ 2003 ] Mar 14;278(11):9353-60. PubMed


Xu Z, Choi J, Lu W, Ou JH. Hepatitis C virus f protein is a short-lived protein associated with the endoplasmic reticulum. J Virol. [ 2003 ] Jan;77(2):1578-83. PubMed