Haixin Sui
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Haixin Sui, PhD

Cellular and Molecular Basis of Diseases - Structural Cell Biology
PhD, Dalian University of Technology, China (1996)
Postdoctoral training: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Research Interests

We are interested in understanding the structural basis of macromolecular assemblies in their functional context. The lab utilizes structural imaging methods, in combination with molecular and biochemical approaches, to study the structure and regulation of macromolecular complexes and organelles in cells. The integrated information provides unique insights into the functional mechanisms of macromolecular assemblies and sub-cellular organelles. Our current projects focus on the cilia of epithelial cells for sensing  and responding to extracellular environmental changes.

We investigate the structure of primary cilia in kidney cells to understand the structural basis of their sensory functions. Primary cilia of epithelial cells are whip-like organelles extending into extra-cellular space away from the cell surface.  They serve as cell antennae for sensing extra-cellular signals. Primary cilia are microtubule-based complexes enveloped by a ciliary membrane that includes an extensive complement of membrane proteins. Specific ciliary membrane proteins e.g. Wnt and Hedgehog, are key players in signaling pathways that are critical for embryonic development and organgenesis.

We are also interested in the structural regulation of epithelial cells in responding to extracellular environmental changes. In addition, we study the structures of macromolecular complexes of infectious pathogens in collaboration with other Wadsworth scientists.

Driven by the needs of our research projects, we also develop and implement new methods for specimen preparation and computational image processing in electron microscopy.

Learn more at the 3D Electron Microscopy Group pages.

 

Select Publications
Sun S, Liang B, Koplas A, Tikhonenko I, Nachury M, Khodjakov A and Sui H. Intraflagellar transport trains can switch rails and move along multiple microtubules in intact primary cilia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025; In press
Miao L, Lu Y, Nusrat A, Fan G, Zhang S, Zhao L, Wu CL, Guo H, Huyen TLN, Zheng Y, Fan ZC, Shou W, Schwartz RJ, Liu Y, Kumar A, Sui H, Serysheva II, Burns AR, Wan LQ, Zhou B, Evans SM, Wu M. Tunneling Nanotube-Like structures regulate distant cellular interactions during heart formation. Science. 2025; March 13 (In press):
Majumder S, Das S, Li P, Yang N, Dellario H, Sui H, Guan Z, Sun W. Pneumonic plague protection induced by a monophosphoryl lipid A decorated Yersinia outer-membrane-vesicle vaccine. Small. 2024; Apr;20 (15): e2307066. DOI: 10.1002/smll.202307066
Pubmed Web Address
Sui H. Sugar, sugar: Glucose activates motion in pancreatic cilia. Sci Adv. 2022; Sep 23;8 (38): eade4450. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade4450
Pubmed Web Address
Sun S, Fisher RL, Bowser SS, Pentecost BT, Sui H. Three-dimensional architecture of epithelial primary cilia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019; 116 (19): 9370-9379.
Pubmed Web Address
Bowler M, Kong D, Sun S, Nanjundappa R, Evans L, Farmer V, Holland A, Mahjoub MR, Sui H, Loncarek J. High-resolution characterization of centriole distal appendage morphology and dynamics by correlative STORM and electron microscopy. Nat Comm. 2019; Mar 1;10 (1): 993. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-08216-4
Pubmed Web Address
He J, Hsieh C, Wu Y, Schmelzer T, Wang P, Lin Y, Marko M, Sui H. Cryo-FIB specimen preparation for use in a cartridge-type cryo-TEM. Journal of Structural Biology. 2017; 199 (2): 114-119.
Pubmed Web Address
Magidson V, He J, Ault JG, O’Connell CB, Yang NC, McEwen BF, Sui H, and Khodjakov A. Radial expansion and compaction of the outer kinetochore during mitosis: Changes in the kinetochore shape during mitosis. Journal of Cell Biology. 2016; 212 (3): 307-19.
Pubmed Web Address
Kishchenko G, Danev D, Fisher R, He J, Hsieh C, Marko M, Sui H. Effect of fringe-artifact correction on sub-tomogram averaging from Zernike phase-plate cryo-TEM. Journal of Structural Biology. 2015; 191 (3): 299-305.
Pubmed Web Address
Sui HX, Downing KH. Structural Basis of Interprotofilament Interaction and Lateral Deformation of Microtubules. Structure. 2010; 18 (8): 1022-1031.
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Sui H, Downing KH. Molecular architecture of axonemal microtubule doublets revealed by cryo-electron tomography. Nature. 2006; 442 (7101): 475-478.
Pubmed Web Address
Sui H, Han BG, Lee JK, Walian P, Jap BK. Structural basis of water-specific transport through the AQP1 water channel. Nature. 2001; 414 (6866): 872-878.
Pubmed Web Address
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