Lin Tan
Papers
2
Total Citations
117
H-Index
2
About
Lin Tan is a molecular biologist whose research focuses on the structural and functional mechanisms of RNA polymerases (RNAPs), the essential cellular enzymes responsible for transcribing genetic information. Tan's most influential contribution, "Bridge helix and trigger loop perturbations generate superactive RNA polymerases" (2008), has garnered 92 citations and represents a significant advance in understanding how conformational changes within two critical RNAP domains — the bridge helix and trigger loop — coordinate nucleic acid processing at the enzyme's active site. By demonstrating that targeted perturbations to these regions can generate hyperactive polymerase variants, Tan's work opened new avenues for exploring transcriptional regulation at the molecular level. Complementing this, Tan co-developed an innovative robotic platform for high-throughput in vitro assembly of recombinant RNAP complexes, enabling large-scale structure-function analyses with reproducibility and precision — a methodological contribution that has empowered the broader research community studying large protein complexes. Together, these works reflect Tan's dual strength in both mechanistic biochemistry and experimental innovation, making meaningful contributions to our understanding of one of biology's most fundamental molecular machines.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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