Paul T, Cho S, Myong S. (2026) Beyond equilibrium in biomolecular phase separation. Nat Struct Mol Biol. doi: 10.1038/s41594-026-01859-8
Liu H, Liu M, Liu Y, Gui G, Paul T, Lu YN, Huang Z, Wang H, Xiao Y, Zheng Z, Periz G, Shi Y, Ichida JK, Myong S, Ji H, Wang J. (2026) C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat RNA drives transcriptional dysregulation through genome-wide DNA:RNA hybrid G-quadruplexes. Neuron 114(6), 1045–1065.e13.
Guo L, Mann JR, Mauna JC, … Paul T, … Myong S, Donnelly CJ, Shorter J. (2026) Defining RNA oligonucleotides that reverse deleterious phase transitions of RNA-binding proteins with prion-like domains. Mol Cell 86(1), 114–134.e10.
Ge Y*, Paul T*, Gordiychuk M, Das N, Zhang Y, Myong S. (2025) FUS nanoclusters are a distinct state within the dilute phase. Nat Commun 16, 9956.
Yang L, Lee CY, Paul T, Myong S. (2025) Opposing roles of two R-loop associated G-quadruplexes in tuning transcription activity. Nucleic Acids Res 53(18), gkaf930.
Banco MT, Paul T, Jiang J, Myong S, Ferré-D'Amaré AR. (2025) Structural basis for dual DNA and RNA specificity of the G-quadruplex-resolving DEAH-box helicase DHX36. Cell Rep 44(9), 116136.
Paul T, Lee IR, Pangeni S, Rashid F, Yang O, Antony E, Berger JM, Myong S, Ha T. (2025) Mechanistic insights into direct DNA and RNA strand transfer and dynamic protein exchange of SSB and RPA. Nucleic Acids Res 53(12), gkaf642.
Palmer B, Lee CY, Yang L, Paul T, Myong S. (2025) High-frequency transcription leads to rapid R-loop formation. J Biol Chem 301(6), 108514.
Hwang J, Lee CY, Brahmachari S, Tripathi S, Paul T, Lee H, Craig A, Ha T, Myong S. (2025) DNA supercoiling-mediated G4/R-loop formation tunes transcription by controlling the access of RNA polymerase. Nat Commun 16, 3363.
Wondimagegnhu B, Ma W, Paul T, Liao TW, Lee CY, Sanford S, Opresko PL, Myong S. (2024) The molecular mechanism for TERRA recruitment and annealing to telomeres. Nucleic Acids Res 52(17), 10490–10503.
Johnson SA*, Paul T*, Sanford SL, Schnable BL, Detwiler AC, Thosar SA, Van Houten B, Myong S, Opresko PL. (2024) BG4 antibody can recognize telomeric G-quadruplexes harboring destabilizing base modifications and lesions. Nucleic Acids Res 52(4), 1763–1778.
Badiee M, Kenet AL, Ganser LR, Paul T, Myong S, Leung AKL. (2023) Switch-like compaction of poly(ADP-ribose) upon cation binding. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 120(19), e2215068120.
Paul T, Opresko PL, Ha T, Myong S. (2022) Vectorial folding of telomere overhang promotes higher accessibility. Nucleic Acids Res 50(11), 6271–6283.
Paul T, Myong S. (2022) Protocol for generation and regeneration of PEG-passivated slides for single-molecule measurements. STAR Protoc 3(1), 101152.
Paul T, Liou W, Cai X, Opresko PL, Myong S. (2021) TRF2 promotes dynamic and stepwise looping of POT1 bound telomeric overhang. Nucleic Acids Res 49(21), 12377–12393.
Liu H, Lu YN, Paul T, Periz G, Banco MT, Ferré-D'Amaré AR, Rothstein JD, Hayes LR, Myong S, Wang J. (2021) A helicase unwinds hexanucleotide repeat RNA G-quadruplexes and facilitates repeat-associated non-AUG translation. J Am Chem Soc 143(19), 7368–7379.
Paul T, Ha T, Myong S. (2021) Regeneration of PEG slide for multiple rounds of single-molecule measurements. Biophys J 120(9), 1788–1799.
Paul T, Voter AF, Cueny RR, Gavrilov M, Ha T, Keck JL, Myong S. (2020) E. coli Rep helicase and RecA recombinase unwind G4 DNA and are important for resistance to G4-stabilizing ligands. Nucleic Acids Res 48(12), 6640–6653.
Paul T, Bera SC, Mishra PP. (2017) Direct observation of breathing dynamics at the mismatch induced DNA bubble with nanometre accuracy: a smFRET study. Nanoscale 9(18), 5835–5842.
Paul T, Bera SC, Agnihotri N, Mishra PP. (2016) Single-molecule FRET studies of the hybridization mechanism during noncovalent adsorption and desorption of DNA on graphene oxide. J Phys Chem B 120(45), 11628–11636.
Biological processes are carried out by individual molecules, yet conventional ensemble measurements report only population averages. These averages hide the transient intermediates and the heterogeneous behavior of single molecules. Our group uses single-molecule fluorescence approaches, primarily smFRET, to watch individual DNA, RNA, and protein molecules and their complexes in real time. By following conformational changes and binding events one molecule at a time, we dissect protein–nucleic acid and protein–protein interactions step by step. Guided by the idea that "visualizing is understanding", we aim to uncover how these molecular events drive cellular pathways. Current research directions include:
(i) Structural transitions in non-canonical nucleic acid structures, such as G-quadruplexes and R-loops, and how they influence transcription and genome stability.
(ii) Helicase-mediated resolution of DNA and RNA secondary structures, including G-quadruplexes and R-loops, and how this unwinding safeguards genome integrity.
(iii) The mechanism by which the bacterial DdmDE defense system recognizes and cleaves its targets.
(iv) Nanoscale clusters that form early in liquid–liquid phase separation, and how they shape normal condensate function and disease-linked aggregation.
