Professor Au Wing Ngor Shannon

Address

(Office): Rm 178, Science Centre South Block
(Lab): Rm 193, Science Centre South Block

 People AWN2 

Phone

(Office): (852) 3943 4170
(Lab): (852) 3943 6118
Fax (852) 2603 7246
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web -


Education

1993 B.Sc. University of Portsmouth
1998 Ph.D. University of Hong Kong


Position

  • Professor, School of Life Sciences
  • Director, Centre for Protein Science and Crystallography
  • Assistant Dean (Student Affairs), Faculty of Sciences
  • Fellow, Shaw College


Research Interests

  • Structure-function studies of macromolecular assembly in pathogenic bacteria
  • Structure-function studies of metabolic enzymes


Representative Publications

  1. Lu, P., Zhang, H., Gao, Y., Jia, X., Liu, Z., Wang, D., Au, S.W.*, Zhang, Q.*(2022) Cryo-electron tomography reveals the roles of FliY in Helicobacter pylori flagellar motor assembly. mSphere 7(1):e0094421. 
  2. Wang, K.*, Chan, Y.C., So, P.K., Liu, X., Feng, L., Cheung, W.T., Lee, S.S., Au, S.W.*(2021). Structure of mouse cytosolic sulfotransferase SULT2A8 provides insight into sulfonation of 7-hydroxyl bile acids. Lipid Res. 62:100074.
  3. Lam, W. W., Sun, K., Zhang, H. & Au, S.W.*(2020) Crystal structure of flagellar export chaperone FliS in complex with flagellin and HP1076 of Helicobacter pylori. Front Microbiol. 11:787-
  4. Zhang, K., Zhang, H., Li, S., Pintille, G., Mou, T.C., Gao, Y., Zhang, Q., van den Bedem, H., Schmid, M., Au, S.W.* & Chiu, W*. (2019) Cryo-EM structures of Helicobacter pylori vacuolating cytotoxin A oligomeric assemblies near-atomic resolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 116:6800-6805.
  5. Lam, K.H., Xue, C., Sun, K., Zhang, H., Lam W.W.L., Zhu, Z., Ng, J.T.Y., Sause, W.E, Lertsethtakarn, P., Lau, K.F., Ottemann, K.M. & Au, S.W.*(2018) Three SpoA-domain proteins interact in the creation of the flagellar Type III secretion system of Helicobacter pylori. J Biol Chem 293:13961-73
  6. Xue, C., Lam, K.H., Zhang, H., Sun, K., Lee, S.H., Chen, X. & Au, S.W.*(2018) Crystal structure of the FliF-FliG complex from Helicobacter pylori yields insight into the assembly of the motor MS-C ring in the bacterial flagellum. J Biol Chem 293:2066-2078.
  7. Zhang, H., Lam, K.H., Lam, W.W.L., Wong, S.Y.Y., Chan, V.S.F. & Au, S.W.*(2017) A putative spermidine synthase interacts with flagellar switch protein FliM and regulates motility in Helicobacter pylori. Mol Microbiol 106:690-703.
  8. Chen, X., Cheng, H.F., Zhou, J., Chan, C.Y., Lau, K.F., Tsui, S.K. & Au, S.W.*(2017) Structural basis of the PE-PPE protein interaction in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. J Biol Chem 292:16880-16890.
  9. Li, J., Lam, W.W., Lai, T.W. & Au, S.W.*(2017) Degradation of nuclear Ubc9 induced by listeriolysin O is dependent on K+ efflux. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 493:1115-1121.
  10. Lam, H., Lam, W.W., Wong, J.Y., Chan, L.C., Kotaka, M., Ling, T.K., Jin, D.Y., Ottemann, K.M., & Au, S.W.*(2013). Structural basis of FliG-FliM interaction in Helicobacter pylori. Mol Microbiol 88(4), 798-812. (Selected for cover image)
  11. Lam, H., Ip, W.S., Lam, Y.W., Chan, S.O., Ling, T.K., & Au, S.W.*(2012). Multiple conformations of the FliG C-terminal domain provide insight into flagellar motor switching. Structure 20(2), 315-325.
  12. Lam, W., Woo, E.J., Kotaka, M., Tam, W.K., Leung, Y.C., Ling, T.K. & Au, S.W.*(2010). Molecular interaction of flagellar export chaperone FliS and cochaperone HP1076 in Helicobacter pylori. FASEB J 24(10), 4020-4032.


Honors and Awards

  • Suffrage Science Heirloom, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), UK, 2014
  • Croucher Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1998


Research Grants

* RGC General Research Fund (GRF)

  • 2022/23: Structure-function study of C-terminal processing protease CtpA and its association with Cag type IV secretion system in Helicobacter pylori 
  • 2019/20: Structural studies of vacuolating cytotoxin VacA from Helicobacter pylori
  • 2018/19: Structure-function studies of ESX-5 associated PE/PPE proteins in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • 2014/15: Molecular interactome and functional characterization of the Helicobacter pylori export chaperone FliS
  • 2013/14: Dissecting the interactome of motor switch complex and the functional importance of FliG-VacA interaction in H. pylori
  • 2012/13: Molecular basis of flagellar rotational switching: Structural study of FliF-FliG assembly
  • 2010/11: Understanding the molecular architecture of motor switch complex in Helicobacter pylori
  • 2006/07: Structural Characterization of Flagellar Export Chaperon FliS of Helicobacter Pylori
  • 2005/06: Proteomic Approach for Specific Identification of SUMO Proteases Substrates
  • 2004/05: Structural and Functional Studies of SUMO E3 Ligases and SUMO Specific Proteases

* Health and Medical Research Fund

  • 2018/19: Study of the type VII secretion system in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • 2017/18: Dissecting the Roles of PE-PPE Subsets in ESX-5 Duplicated Regions in Mycobacterium Tuberculosis
  • 2014/15: Structure-based screening for G6PD stabilizers to overcome primaquine-induced hemolysis in anti-malaria treatment
  • 2013/14: Role of HP1076 in type IV secretion pathway in H. pylori
  • 2012/13: Generation of PE-PPE interactome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis


* NSFC/RGC Joint Research Scheme

  • 2013/14: Structural studies of flagellar motor switch from H. pylori: A combination of X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy approaches


* NSFC-General Programme

  • 2013/14: Stoichiometry analysis of flagellar motor switch complex in Helicobacter pylori


Professional Activities

  • Treasurer, Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biology (FAOBMB), 2020-2022
  • Academic Editor, PLoS One, 2014 - present
  • Secretary, Hong Kong Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (HKSBMB), 2007-2017