Avinash Kumar, PhD
Associate Research Scientist in Cell BiologyAbout
Research
Publications
2026
Nonlinear stiffness of NompC gating spring and its implication in mechanotransduction
Wang Y, Jin P, Kumar A, Jan L, Cheng Y, Jan Y, Zhang Y. Nonlinear stiffness of NompC gating spring and its implication in mechanotransduction. Science Advances 2026, 12: eaeb6165. PMID: 41921004, PMCID: PMC13041742, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aeb6165.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMechanosensitive channelsAnkyrin repeat domainOptical tweezersNonlinear stiffnessLateral interactionsLow stiffnessSingle membrane proteinGatePiconewtonsDynamic rangeTweezersMembrane proteinsMechanical propertiesNOMPCDiverse mechanical stimuliGating springDisplacement methodElectrical signalsExtensive measuresStiffnessSNAP-25 disease variants affect synaptic transmission by destabilizing SNARE complexes within a multimeric SNARE ring
Vold V, Yang J, Østergaard M, Lassen A, Kádková A, Kumar A, Walter A, Zhang Y, Sørensen J. SNAP-25 disease variants affect synaptic transmission by destabilizing SNARE complexes within a multimeric SNARE ring. Cell Reports 2026, 45: 116870. PMID: 41579375, PMCID: PMC13132008, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.116870.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSNARE complexSNAP-25Wild-type SNAP-25Incorporation of variantsWild-type proteinC-terminal endDominant-negative effectDe novo mutationsDisease variantsModerate developmental delaySynaptic releaseNeurodevelopmental syndromeSynaptic machinerySnareRandom incorporationVariantsNeuronal survivalMunc18Developmental delaySynaptic transmissionEvoked releaseSNAREopathiesImpaired survivalDendritic branchesMutations
2024
Tomosyns attenuate SNARE assembly and synaptic depression by binding to VAMP2-containing template complexes
Meijer M, Öttl M, Yang J, Subkhangulova A, Kumar A, Feng Z, van Voorst T, Groffen A, van Weering J, Zhang Y, Verhage M. Tomosyns attenuate SNARE assembly and synaptic depression by binding to VAMP2-containing template complexes. Nature Communications 2024, 15: 2652. PMID: 38531902, PMCID: PMC10965968, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46828-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSynaptobrevin-2/VAMP2SNARE assemblySNARE motifC-terminal polybasic regionSNAP-25 bindingSNARE complex assemblyTemplate complexStructure-function analysisMunc18-1Syntaxin-1Polybasic regionTomosynSNAP-25Membrane fusionSynaptic vesiclesSingle-molecule force measurementsEssential intermediateSnareMotifInhibitory functionAssemblyMouse modelMunc18Synaptic transmissionSynaptic strength
2023
Nonlinear compliance of NOMPC gating spring and its implication in mechanotransduction
Wang Y, Jin P, Kumar A, Bulkley D, Jan L, Cheng Y, Jan Y, Zhang Y. Nonlinear compliance of NOMPC gating spring and its implication in mechanotransduction. Biophysical Journal 2023, 122: 162a. DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.11.1030.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2022
Anomalous heating in a colloidal system
Kumar A, Chétrite R, Bechhoefer J. Anomalous heating in a colloidal system. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2022, 119: e2118484119. PMID: 35078935, PMCID: PMC8812517, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2118484119.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchQuantitative Models of Lipid Transfer and Membrane Contact Formation
Zhang Y, Ge J, Bian X, Kumar A. Quantitative Models of Lipid Transfer and Membrane Contact Formation. Contact The Journal Of Inter-Organelle Communication 2022, 5: 25152564221096024. PMID: 36120532, PMCID: PMC9481209, DOI: 10.1177/25152564221096024.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMembrane contact sitesLipid transfer proteinLipid transferMembrane tensionMCS formationLipid exchange mechanismsMembrane contact formationOrganelle biogenesisExtended synaptotagminsOrganelle dynamicsMembrane proteinsDifferent organellesMembrane bindingMembrane expansionContact sitesMolecular mechanismsLipid flowLipid homeostasisTransfer proteinSimple lipidsProteinMembraneDistinct compositionLipidsKey role
2021
Single-molecule manipulation of macromolecules on GUV or SUV membranes using optical tweezers
Wang Y, Kumar A, Jin H, Zhang Y. Single-molecule manipulation of macromolecules on GUV or SUV membranes using optical tweezers. Biophysical Journal 2021, 120: 5454-5465. PMID: 34813728, PMCID: PMC8715244, DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.11.2884.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOptical tweezersOptical trappingSingle-molecule manipulation studiesMembrane protein dynamicsMembrane proteinsSingle-molecule manipulationMembrane tensionTweezersHigh membrane tensionProtein conformational changesModel membranesMembrane bindingProtein dynamicsC2AB domainConformational changesManipulation studiesSUV membranesReversible foldingSmall unilamellar vesiclesGUVsTrappingDNA hairpinsUnilamellar vesiclesProteinMembraneA fresh understanding of the Mpemba effect
Bechhoefer J, Kumar A, Chétrite R. A fresh understanding of the Mpemba effect. Nature Reviews Physics 2021, 3: 534-535. DOI: 10.1038/s42254-021-00349-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThe Metastable Mpemba Effect Corresponds to a Non-monotonic Temperature Dependence of Extractable Work
Chétrite R, Kumar A, Bechhoefer J. The Metastable Mpemba Effect Corresponds to a Non-monotonic Temperature Dependence of Extractable Work. Frontiers In Physics 2021, 9: 654271. DOI: 10.3389/fphy.2021.654271.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2020
Exponentially faster cooling in a colloidal system
Kumar A, Bechhoefer J. Exponentially faster cooling in a colloidal system. Nature 2020, 584: 64-68. PMID: 32760048, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2560-x.Peer-Reviewed Original Research