Chai Lab

Publication

2025

  • Zhang Z, Yao J, Huo J, Wang R, Duan X, Chen Y, Xu H, Wang C#, Chai Z#, Huang R#. Action potential-independent spontaneous microdomain Ca2+ transients-mediated continuous neurotransmission regulates hyperalgesia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025 Jan 21;122(3):e2406741122. (# Corresponding authors).
2024
  • Chai Z#, Silverman D, Li S, Bina P, Yau KW#. Dark continuous noise from visual pigment as a major mechanism underlying rod-cone difference in light sensitivity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Dec 17;121(51):e2418031121. (# Corresponding authors). Commented as “A Beautiful Study” by Dr. Petri Ala-Laurila. “Visual pigments underlie the sensitivity difference between day and night vision”. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2424071122.
  • Chai Z#, Ye Y, Silverman D, Rose K, Madura A, Reed RR, Chen J, Yau KW#. Dark continuous noise from mutant G90D-rhodopsin predominantly underlies congenital stationary night blindness. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 May 21;121(21):e2404763121. (# Corresponding authors); Commented as “A Remarkable Discovery” by Dr. Gordon Fain. “The mechanism of genetically inherited night blindness”. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2408254121.
  • Song Q, Wei A, Xu H, Gu Y, Jiang Y, Dong N, Zheng C, Wang Q, Gao M, Sun S, Duan X, Chen Y, Wang B, Huo J, Yao J, Wu H, Li H, Wu X, Jing Z, Liu X, Yang Y, Hu S, Zhao A, Wang H, Cheng X, Qin Y, Qu Q, Chen T, Zhou Z, Chai Z#, Kang X#, Wei F#, Wang C#. An ACC–VTA–ACC positive-feedback loop mediates the persistence of neuropathic pain and emotional consequences. Nat Neurosci (2024). Feb;27(2):272-285. Featured Article. (# Corresponding authors)
2022

  • Wang Y*, Huang R*, Chai Z*, Wang C*, Du X, Hang Y, Xu Y, Li J, Jiang X, Wu X, Qiao Z, Li Y, Liu B, Zhang X, Cao P, Zhu F, Zhou Z. Ca2+-independent transmission at the central synapse formed between dorsal root ganglion and dorsal horn neurons. EMBO Rep. 2022 Sep 23:e54507. (* Co-first authors)
  • Chen Y, Hu S, Wu X, Xie Z, Wang Y, Wang B, Li X, Pei Y, Gu Y, Huang K, Huo J, Wei A, Bi C, Lu Z, Song Q, Xu H, Kang X, Shao S, Long J, Liu J, Zhou Z, Huang R#, Chai Z#, Wang C#. Synaptotagmin-1 is a bidirectional Ca2+ sensor for neuronal endocytosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 May 17;119(20):e2111051119. (# Corresponding authors)
2020

  • Chai Z, Silverman D, Li G, Williams D, Raviola E, Yau KW. Light-dependent photoreceptor orientation in mouse retina. Sci Adv. 2020 Dec 16; 6(51):eabe2782. Recommended by Dr. Gordon Fain (2021); F1000 Prime. https://doi.org/10.3410/f.739234611.793583330.
  • Silverman D*, Chai Z*, Yue WWS, Ramisetty SK, Bekshe Lokappa S, Sakai K, Frederiksen R, Bina P, Tsang SH, Yamashita T, Chen J, Yau KW. Dark noise and retinal degeneration from D190N-rhodopsin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 Sep 15; 117(37): 23033-23043. (* Co-first authors)
2019

  • Huang R, Wang Y, Li J, Jiang X, Li Y, Liu B, Wu X, Du X, Hang Y, Jin M, Zhu F, Wang C#, Chai Z#, Zhou Z#. Ca2+-independent but voltage-dependent quantal catecholamine secretion (CiVDS) in the mammalian sympathetic nervous system. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019 Oct 1; 116(40): 20201-20209. (# Corresponding authors)
  • Zhou Z, Chai Z, Wang C. From structure to function: unveiling the structure of the Nav channel-toxin complex. Natl Sci Rev. 2019 Oct;6(5):859-860.
  • Li M, Xu H, Chen G, Sun S, Wang Q, Liu B, Wu X, Zhou L, Chai Z, Sun X, Lu Y, Younus M, Zheng L, Zhu F, Jia H, Chen X, Wang C, Zhou Z. Impaired D2 receptor-dependent dopaminergic transmission in prefrontal cortex of awake mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. Brain. 2019 Oct 1;142(10):3099-3115.
  • Zhang Q, Liu B, Wu Q, Liu B, Li Y, Sun S, Wang Y, Wu X, Chai Z, Jiang X, Liu X, Hu M, Wang Y, Yang Y, Wang L, Kang X, Xiong Y, Zhou Y, Chen X, Zheng L, Zhang B, Wang C, Zhu F, Zhou Z. Differential Co-release of Two Neurotransmitters from a Vesicle Fusion Pore in Mammalian Adrenal Chromaffin Cells. Neuron. 2019 Apr 3;102(1):173-183.e4.
2018

  • Wang C, Kang X, Zhou L, Chai Z, Wu Q, Huang R, Xu H, Hu M, Sun X, Sun S, Li J, Jiao R, Zuo P, Zheng L, Yue Z, Zhou Z. Synaptotagmin-11 is a critical mediator of parkin-linked neurotoxicity and Parkinson’s disease-like pathology. Nat Commun. 2018 Jan 8; 9(1): 81.
2017

  • Chai Z, Wang C, Huang R, Wang Y, Zhang X, Wu Q, Wang Y, Wu X, Zheng L, Zhang C, Guo W, Xiong W, Ding J, Zhu F, Zhou Z. CaV2.2 Gates Calcium-Independent but Voltage-Dependent Secretion in Mammalian Sensory Neurons. Neuron. 2017 Dec 20; 96(6): 1317-1326.e4. Highlighted by Natasha Bray (2017) Nature Review Neuroscience, doi:10.1038/nrn.2017.162; Recommended by Yang Yang (2017); Ronald Holtz (2018); and William Colmers (2018); F1000 Prime. https://f1000.com/prime/732224032.
  • Chai Z, Chen Y, Wang C. β-arrestin-1: Bridging GPCRs to active TRP channels. Channels (Austin). 2017 Sep 3; 11(5): 357-359.
  • Xie Z, Long J, Liu J, Chai Z#, Kang X#, Wang C#. Molecular Mechanisms for the Coupling of Endocytosis to Exocytosis in Neurons. Front Mol Neurosci. 2017 Mar 13; 10: 47. (# Corresponding authors)
  • Wang Y, Wu Q, Hu M, Liu B, Chai Z, Huang R, Wang Y, Xu H, Zhou L, Zheng L, Wang C, Zhou Z. Ligand- and voltage-gated Ca2+ channels differentially regulate the mode of vesicular neuropeptide release in mammalian sensory neurons. Sci Signal. 2017 Jun 20; 10(484): eaal1683. (Cover story).
2016

  • Wang C, Wang Y, Hu M, Chai Z, Wu Q, Huang R, Han W, Zhang CX, Zhou Z. Synaptotagmin-11 inhibits clathrin-mediated and bulk endocytosis. EMBO Rep. 2016 Jan; 17(1): 47-63.
  • Shang S, Zhu F, Liu B, Chai Z, Wu Q, Hu M, Wang Y, Huang R, Zhang X, Wu X, Sun L, Wang Y, Wang L, Xu H, Teng S, Liu B, Zheng L, Zhang C, Zhang F, Feng X, Zhu D, Wang C, Liu T, Zhu MX, Zhou Z. Intracellular TRPA1 mediates Ca2+ release from lysosomes in dorsal root ganglion neurons. J Cell Biol. 2016 Nov 7; 215(3): 369-381.
2013

  • Zhang XY, Wen J, Yang W, Wang C, Gao L, Zheng LH, Wang T, Ran K, Li Y, Li X, Xu M, Luo J, Feng S, Ma X, Ma H, Chai Z, Zhou Z, Yao J, Zhang X, Liu JY. Gain-of-function mutations in SCN11A cause familial episodic pain. Am J Hum Genet. 2013 Nov 7;93(5):957-66.