Wenwei Li
Associate Research ScientistCards
About
Research
Publications
2024
Beta Spike-Presenting SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particle Vaccine Confers Broad Protection against Other VOCs in Mice
Ullah I, Symmes K, Keita K, Zhu L, Grunst M, Li W, Mothes W, Kumar P, Uchil P. Beta Spike-Presenting SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particle Vaccine Confers Broad Protection against Other VOCs in Mice. Vaccines 2024, 12: 1007. PMID: 39340037, PMCID: PMC11435481, DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12091007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchImmune responseVirus-like particlesBeta spikesCross-protective immune responsesSARS-CoV-2 immunitySARS-CoV-2Effective immune responseEffective humoral immune responseHumoral immune responseAncestral spikeT cellsVaccination regimenSARS-CoV-2 virus-like particlesVaccine platformMouse modelVariant spike proteinsOmicron spikeBeta variantDisease burdenNon-infectiousReduce virus spreadImmunityVariant spikesFusion glycoproteinSpike proteinStructure and inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 spike refolding in membranes
Grunst M, Qin Z, Dodero-Rojas E, Ding S, Prévost J, Chen Y, Hu Y, Pazgier M, Wu S, Xie X, Finzi A, Onuchic J, Whitford P, Mothes W, Li W. Structure and inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 spike refolding in membranes. Science 2024, 385: 757-765. PMID: 39146425, PMCID: PMC11449073, DOI: 10.1126/science.adn5658.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAngiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2Antibodies, NeutralizingAntibodies, ViralBetacoronavirusCell MembraneCOVID-19Cryoelectron MicroscopyElectron Microscope TomographyHumansMolecular Dynamics SimulationPeptidyl-Dipeptidase AProtein DomainsProtein MultimerizationProtein RefoldingSARS-CoV-2Spike Glycoprotein, CoronavirusVirus InternalizationViral spike-receptor interactions monitored by cryo-electron tomograpy on membranes
Mothes W, Li W, Grunst M, Qin Z, Nand E. Viral spike-receptor interactions monitored by cryo-electron tomograpy on membranes. Biophysical Journal 2024, 123: 24a. DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.11.251.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchBioorthogonal click labeling of an amber-free HIV-1 provirus for in-virus single molecule imaging
Ao Y, Grover J, Gifford L, Han Y, Zhong G, Katte R, Li W, Bhattacharjee R, Zhang B, Sauve S, Qin W, Ghimire D, Haque M, Arthos J, Moradi M, Mothes W, Lemke E, Kwong P, Melikyan G, Lu M. Bioorthogonal click labeling of an amber-free HIV-1 provirus for in-virus single molecule imaging. Cell Chemical Biology 2024, 31: 487-501.e7. PMID: 38232732, PMCID: PMC10960674, DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.12.017.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHIV-1Human immunodeficiency virus-1HIV-1 provirusMinimally invasive approachImmunodeficiency virus-1HIV-1 systemInvasive approachImmune evasionEnvVirus 1Virus entryStudies of virus entryCell entrySingle-molecule Forster resonance energy transferStructural dynamicsSingle molecule imagingMultiple conformational statesForster resonance energy transferCellsClick chemistryVirion internalizationResonance energy transferMolecule imagingEnergy transferLabeling of proteins
2023
HIV-1 Env trimers asymmetrically engage CD4 receptors in membranes
Li W, Qin Z, Nand E, Grunst M, Grover J, Bess J, Lifson J, Zwick M, Tagare H, Uchil P, Mothes W. HIV-1 Env trimers asymmetrically engage CD4 receptors in membranes. Nature 2023, 623: 1026-1033. PMID: 37993716, PMCID: PMC10686830, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06762-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHIV-1 Env trimersCD4 moleculeHuman immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infectionEnv trimersAntibody-mediated immune responsesEnv-CD4 interactionVirus-1 infectionVaccine immunogen designViral envelope glycoproteinsHIV-1Immune responseCD4 receptorImmunogen designEnvelope glycoproteinVirus-like particlesCD4EnvHost cell membrane
2022
The flagellar motor protein FliL forms a scaffold of circumferentially positioned rings required for stator activation
Tachiyama S, Chan KL, Liu X, Hathroubi S, Li W, Peterson B, Khan M, Ottemann K, Liu J, Roujeinikova A. The flagellar motor protein FliL forms a scaffold of circumferentially positioned rings required for stator activation. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2022, 119: e2118401119. PMID: 35046042, PMCID: PMC8794807, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2118401119.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAmino Acid SequenceBacterial Physiological PhenomenaBacterial ProteinsFlagellaHelicobacter pyloriMembrane ProteinsModels, MolecularMolecular Motor ProteinsMultiprotein ComplexesProtein BindingProtein ConformationProtein Interaction Domains and MotifsProtein TransportStructure-Activity RelationshipConceptsStator unitsStomatin/prohibitin/flotillin/HflK/C (SPFH) domainWild-type cellsSignificant structural similarityPeriplasmic domainAssembly factorsFlagellar motorAccessory proteinsFliLLinker regionActive conformationFlagellar baseC-domainMotBStructural similarityStator assemblyProteinPutative mechanismsElectron tomography reconstructionsIntact motorCellsActivationDomainMotAHelix
2021
Structural basis and mode of action for two broadly neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 emerging variants of concern
Li W, Chen Y, Prévost J, Ullah I, Lu M, Gong SY, Tauzin A, Gasser R, Vézina D, Anand SP, Goyette G, Chaterjee D, Ding S, Tolbert WD, Grunst MW, Bo Y, Zhang S, Richard J, Zhou F, Huang RK, Esser L, Zeher A, Côté M, Kumar P, Sodroski J, Xia D, Uchil PD, Pazgier M, Finzi A, Mothes W. Structural basis and mode of action for two broadly neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 emerging variants of concern. Cell Reports 2021, 38: 110210. PMID: 34971573, PMCID: PMC8673750, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110210.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchVariants of concernProtective immune responseReceptor-binding domainImmune responseImmunogen designSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Syndrome coronavirus 2Mode of actionSARS-CoV-2 spikeSARS-CoV-2Vaccine immunogen designAntibody therapyCoronavirus 2Β-coronavirusMonoclonal antibodiesS1 subunitS2 subunitAntibodiesTherapyVariantsRSK1 SUMOylation is required for KSHV lytic replication
Liu Z, Liu C, Wang X, Li W, Zhou J, Dong P, Xiao M, Wang C, Zhang Y, Fu J, Zhu F, Liang Q. RSK1 SUMOylation is required for KSHV lytic replication. PLOS Pathogens 2021, 17: e1010123. PMID: 34871326, PMCID: PMC8675914, DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010123.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSUMO-interacting motifKSHV lytic replicationKaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirusSarcoma-associated herpesvirusEfficient KSHV lytic replicationLytic replicationDownstream substrate phosphorylationAmino acid position 166SUMO-SIM interactionsOverall phosphorylation levelMultiple cellular processesPost-translational modificationsKSHV ORF45Substrate phosphorylationSUMO modificationCellular processesDownstream substratesRSK1 activationDownstream kinasesMAPK pathwaySequence analysisRSK1SUMOylationPhosphorylation levelsPosition 166Real-Time Conformational Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Spikes on Virus Particles
Lu M, Uchil P, Li W, Terry D, Gorman J, Zhang B, Zhou T, Ding S, Liu L, Ho D, Mascola J, Finzi A, Kwong P, Blanchard S, Mothes W. Real-Time Conformational Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Spikes on Virus Particles. Biophysical Journal 2021, 120: 276a. PMCID: PMC7879775, DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.11.1757.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2020
Real-Time Conformational Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Spikes on Virus Particles
Lu M, Uchil PD, Li W, Zheng D, Terry DS, Gorman J, Shi W, Zhang B, Zhou T, Ding S, Gasser R, Prévost J, Beaudoin-Bussières G, Anand SP, Laumaea A, Grover JR, Liu L, Ho DD, Mascola JR, Finzi A, Kwong PD, Blanchard SC, Mothes W. Real-Time Conformational Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Spikes on Virus Particles. Cell Host & Microbe 2020, 28: 880-891.e8. PMID: 33242391, PMCID: PMC7664471, DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2020.11.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSingle-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transferReceptor-binding domainSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Conformational dynamicsSyndrome coronavirus 2SARS-CoV-2 spikeCoronavirus disease 2019Distinct conformational statesMechanism of neutralizationHuman receptor angiotensinVirus particlesConvalescent plasmaCoronavirus 2Disease 2019Enzyme 2Fluorescence resonance energy transferReceptor angiotensinVaccine developmentImmunogen designViral entryConformational changesDistinct conformationsS recognition