Jae-Yeon Choi
Associate Research ScientistCards
About
Research
Publications
2026
A direct fluorescence assay for quantitative analysis of ornithine decarboxylase activity and inhibitor screening
Choi J, Bereta G, Furry M, Vanderwal C, Grudnik P, Ben Mamoun C. A direct fluorescence assay for quantitative analysis of ornithine decarboxylase activity and inhibitor screening. Journal Of Biological Chemistry 2026, 111468. PMID: 42001943, DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2026.111468.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFunctional and Biochemical Characterization of Spermidine Synthase CauSpe3 from Candidozyma auris
Choi J, Singh P, Mamoun C. Functional and Biochemical Characterization of Spermidine Synthase CauSpe3 from Candidozyma auris. Pathogens 2026, 15: 432. PMID: 42075759, PMCID: PMC13118584, DOI: 10.3390/pathogens15040432.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCoenzyme A metabolism in fungi: a new frontier in antifungal therapy.
Choi J, Chiang A, Ben Mamoun C. Coenzyme A metabolism in fungi: a new frontier in antifungal therapy. Clinical Microbiology Reviews 2026, e0030725. PMID: 41914741, DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00307-25.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2025
Spermidine is a key polyamine required by intracellular parasites for survival within host erythrocytes
Singh P, Choi J, Cornillot E, Mamoun C. Spermidine is a key polyamine required by intracellular parasites for survival within host erythrocytes. Science Advances 2025, 11: eadv2397. PMID: 40531988, PMCID: PMC12175890, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adv2397.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSpermidine biosynthesisIntracellular parasitesRegulate protein translationOxidative stress defenseDe novo synthesisProduction of reactive oxygen speciesTranslational regulationIncreased production of reactive oxygen speciesMolecular functionsProtein translationStress defensePlasmodium falciparumEvolutionary adaptationReactive oxygen speciesAgent of human babesiosisIntraerythrocytic developmentBiosynthesisOxygen speciesHost erythrocytesTherapeutic targetA fluorescence-based assay for measuring aminopropyltransferase activity
Singh P, Choi J, Ben Mamoun C. A fluorescence-based assay for measuring aminopropyltransferase activity. Methods In Enzymology 2025, 715: 363-388. PMID: 40382149, DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2025.01.067.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAminopropyl transferaseFluorescence-based assaySpermine synthase activityHigh-throughput chemical screeningSaccharomyces cerevisiaeFormation of spermidinePrincipal polyaminesCellular processesHigh-throughput screeningCellular functionsSubstrate analogsSpermidine synthaseDrug discovery effortsPolyamine biosynthesisLiving cellsChemical screeningEnzymeNeurodegenerative disordersPolycationic alkylaminesSynthase activityDiscovery effortsNovel inhibitorsAPT activityChemical librariesInfectious diseases
2024
A Divergent Synthesis of Numerous Pyrroloiminoquinone Alkaloids Identifies Promising Antiprotozoal Agents
Barnes G, Magann N, Perrotta D, Hörmann F, Fernandez S, Vydyam P, Choi J, Prudhomme J, Neal A, Le Roch K, Mamoun C, Vanderwal C. A Divergent Synthesis of Numerous Pyrroloiminoquinone Alkaloids Identifies Promising Antiprotozoal Agents. Journal Of The American Chemical Society 2024, 146: 29883-29894. PMID: 39412402, PMCID: PMC11528414, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c11897.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNatural productsLarock indole synthesisAlkaloid natural productsAmine nucleophilesDivergent synthesisIndole synthesisPyrrolic nitrogenMethoxy groupLead compoundsDrug discoveryCompoundsStructural analogsPlasmodium falciparumSynthesisPyrroloiminoquinoneHuman cytotoxicityMalaria parasitesNucleophilesPyrroleAntiprotozoal agentsAminesMammalian cellsIntermediateA fluorescence-based assay for measuring polyamine biosynthesis aminopropyl transferase–mediated catalysis
Singh P, Choi J, Wang W, Lam T, Lechner P, Vanderwal C, Pou S, Nilsen A, Mamoun C. A fluorescence-based assay for measuring polyamine biosynthesis aminopropyl transferase–mediated catalysis. Journal Of Biological Chemistry 2024, 300: 107832. PMID: 39342998, PMCID: PMC11541840, DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107832.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAminopropyl transferaseFluorescence-based assayLack of high-throughput assaysHigh-throughput screeningCarbon chain lengthChemical librariesMass spectrometryChain lengthHigh-throughput assayDrug discoveryMass spectrometry analysisSaccharomyces cerevisiaeThin-layer chromatographyFluorescence intensityCellular functionsSpectrometry analysisPolycationic moleculesFluorescent conjugatesIsoindoleAPT activityCatalysisAssayBenzeneAdductsEnzymeA kalihinol analog disrupts apicoplast function and vesicular trafficking in P. falciparum malaria
Chahine Z, Abel S, Hollin T, Barnes G, Chung J, Daub M, Renard I, Choi J, Vydyam P, Pal A, Alba-Argomaniz M, Banks C, Kirkwood J, Saraf A, Camino I, Castaneda P, Cuevas M, De Mercado-Arnanz J, Fernandez-Alvaro E, Garcia-Perez A, Ibarz N, Viera-Morilla S, Prudhomme J, Joyner C, Bei A, Florens L, Mamoun C, Vanderwal C, Le Roch K. A kalihinol analog disrupts apicoplast function and vesicular trafficking in P. falciparum malaria. Science 2024, 385: eadm7966-eadm7966. PMID: 39325875, PMCID: PMC11793105, DOI: 10.1126/science.adm7966.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsP. falciparum malariaHumanized mouse modelPlasmodium falciparum strainsIn vivo studiesParasite apicoplastDrug sensitivityTherapeutic profileVesicular traffickingGenomic analysisLipid biogenesisSecretory machineryAsexual replicationGenetic analysisReduced susceptibilityCellular traffickingApicoplast functionStrong efficacyMED6Sexual differentiationHemolytic activityDrug pipelineApicoplastKalihinolTraffickingMalariaA set of diagnostic tests for detection of active Babesia duncani infection
Chand M, Vydyam P, Pal A, Thekkiniath J, Darif D, Li Z, Choi J, Magni R, Luchini A, Tonnetti L, Horn E, Tufts D, Ben Mamoun C. A set of diagnostic tests for detection of active Babesia duncani infection. International Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2024, 147: 107178. PMID: 39025200, PMCID: PMC11914778, DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107178.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchB. microtiB. duncaniBlood samplesLife-threatening infectionsAntigen capture assayTick-borne diseasesFatal tick-borne diseaseP. falciparumBabesia genusScreening of blood samplesBabesia speciesB. divergensActive infectionAccurate diagnosisEffective disease managementPoint-of-care testingDiagnostic testsReservoir hostsBabesiaInfectionHuman babesiosisIntraerythrocytic parasitesImmunodominant antigensMolecular assaysCapture assayVitamin B5 metabolism is essential for vacuolar and mitochondrial functions and drug detoxification in fungi
Choi J, Gihaz S, Munshi M, Singh P, Vydyam P, Hamel P, Adams E, Sun X, Khalimonchuk O, Fuller K, Ben Mamoun C. Vitamin B5 metabolism is essential for vacuolar and mitochondrial functions and drug detoxification in fungi. Communications Biology 2024, 7: 894. PMID: 39043829, PMCID: PMC11266677, DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06595-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSusceptibility of fungiRegulation of genesMetabolism of fatty acidsVacuolar morphologySaccharomyces cerevisiaeAcetyl-CoAEukaryotic pathogensGenetic evidenceGenetic regulationCellular processesAntifungal drugsCo-enzyme ADrug detoxificationAntifungal therapyDrug-resistant strainsFungal infectionsMitochondrial functionFungiAmino acidsAR-12Vitamin B5Synthase activityPathwayExcellent targetGlobal health threat