Zachara Lab
Our group investigates the role and regulation of the post-translational modification O-GlcNAc, or O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine. This essential glycan is dynamically added to and removed from nuclear, cytosolic, and mitochondrial proteins, impacting their function. We are particularly interested in how cells utilize this modification during stress to promote survival, and how cellular signaling pathways communicate with the enzymes that cycle O-GlcNAc to modulate protein glycosylation in response to physiological cues. Our group uses a combination of traditional biochemical and glycobiology techniques, high-throughput technologies, and genetic manipulation to deconvolute O-GlcNAc-mediated signaling networks.
Lab Info
We are located in the Department to Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
WBSB 408
Department to Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
725 N. Wolfe Street
Baltimore, MD 21205-2185, USA
Office Phone: 410-955-7049
Lab Phone: 410-502-3210
Fax: 410-955-5759
Email: nzachara@jhmi.edu
X, formally known as Twitter: @Zacharalab
Selected Recent Publications
Lafargue A, Wang H, Chettiar ST, Gajula RP, Shetty AC, Song Y, Simons BW, Khan MA, Nguyen T, Tseng HW, Chang J, Waters DN, Chan A, Lam C, Carrieri FA, Smack C, Connis N, Chowdhury DD, Nugent K, Siddiqui I, Taparra K, Rezaee M, Zachara N, Morris ZS, McFarland C, Abdulkadir SA, Hann CL, Tran PT. Twist1-induced suppression of oncogene-induced senescence in non-small cell lung cancer requires the transactivation domain of Twist1. Neoplasia. 2025 Aug;66:101179. doi: 10.1016/j.neo.2025.101179. Epub 2025 May 22. PMID: 40409044; PMCID: PMC12148720.
Tomar V, Kang J, Lin R, Brant SR, Lazarev M, Tressler C, Glunde K, Zachara N, Melia J. Aberrant N-glycosylation is a therapeutic target in carriers of a common and highly pleiotropic mutation in the manganese transporter ZIP8. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Jul 2:2024.06.28.601207. doi: 10.1101/2024.06.28.601207. PMID: 39005453; PMCID: PMC11244875.
Umapathi P, Aggarwal A, Zahra F, Narayanan B, Zachara NE. The Multifaceted Role of Intracellular Glycosylation in Cytoprotection and Heart Disease. J Biol Chem. 2024 Apr 17:107296. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107296. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38641064.
Buchner J, Alasady MJ, Backe SJ, Blagg BSJ, Carpenter RL, Colombo G, Gelis I, Gewirth DT, Gierasch LM, Houry WA, Johnson JL, Kang BH, Kao AW, LaPointe P, Mattoo S, McClellan AJ, Neckers LM, Prodromou C, Rasola A, Sager RA, Theodoraki MA, Truman AW, Truttman MC, Zachara NE, Bourboulia D, Mollapour M, Woodford MR. Second international symposium on the chaperone code, 2023. Cell Stress Chaperones. 2024 Feb;29(1):88-96. doi: 10.1016/j.cstres.2024.01.003. Epub 2024 Feb 3. PMID: 38316354; PMCID: PMC10939070.
Narayanan B, Zachara NE. Regulation of Cell Physiology by O-GlcNAc. Encyclopedia of Cell Biology, 2nd edition. Editor(s): Bradshaw RA, Hart GW, Stahl PD.
Academic Press, 2023; 4: 309-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-821618-7.00015-8.Elsevier (Amsterdam, Netherlands), In press.