研究方向
張承才教授在藍細菌的“與細胞間相互作用有關的信號轉導機制”和“細菌分化和細菌分裂的關係”等方面研究取得了國內外公認的成就，主要有：1) 首次在藍細菌中發現葡萄糖轉移酶基因；2) 首次在藍細菌中發現真核類的蛋白激酶，並對其功能進行了大量的分子遺傳學和生物化學的研究。3) 在藍細菌與信號轉導有關的蛋白質磷酸化方式中，首次證明了魚腥藍細菌Anabaena PCC7120中不但有組氨酸激酶，也有絲氨酸/蘇氨酸/酪氨酸激酶；4) 首次發現真核類蛋白激酶和原核類蛋白激酶，在信號傳導過程中有直接的相互作用。證實在Anabaena PCC7120中存在著原核生物和真核生物兩種類型的激酶/脫磷酸化系統。5) 對藍細菌的分化發育過程，特別是異型胞的發育進行了分子遺傳學研究，首次研究了一些控制原核生物細胞分裂的蛋白質（例如FtsZ）在發育過程中受調控的機制，為利用生化分析、構建突變株和重組蛋白質來揭示細胞分裂抑制和細胞分化的關係打下了基礎。6）證明了酮戊二酸（2-OG）是藍細菌細胞感受缺氮並起始異形胞分化的信號分子；對氮代謝調控全局性轉錄因子NtcA蛋白晶體結構分析證明NtcA是2-OG的受體，從而解釋了2-OG信號傳遞的機制。以藍細菌為材料，長期從事原核生物細胞發育、信號傳導等基礎生物學研究。研究手段強調多學科融合，涉及光學及實驗物理學技術，單細胞操作技術，組學技術，生理、遺傳、生化與分子生物學技術等。
學術論著
1. Zhang, C-C., Durand, M-C., Jeanjean, R. & Joset, F. (1989) Molecular and genetic analysis of the glucose-fructose transport system in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC6803. Mol. Microbiol. 3:1221-1229.
2. Zhang, C-C. & Bienz, M. (1992) Segmental determination in Drosophila conferred by hunchback ( hb), a repressor of the homeotic gene Ultrabithorax ( Ubx). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 89:7511-7515.
3. Zhang, C-C*. (1993) A gene encoding a protein related to eukaryotic-type protein kinases from the filamentous heterocystous cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 90:11840-11844.
4. Zhang, C-C*. (1996) Bacterial signalling involving eukaryotic-type protein kinases. Mol. Microbiol. 20:9-15.
5. Zhang, C-C*., Friry, A. & Peng, L. (1998) Molecular and genetic analysis of two closely linked genes that encode, respectively, a protein phosphatase 1/2A/2B homolog and a protein kinasehomolog in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120. J. Bacteriol. 180:2616-2622.
6. Zhang, C-C*., Gonzalez, L. & Phalip, V. (1998) Survey, analysis and genetic organization of genes encoding eukaryotic-like signalling proteins by a cyanobacterial genome. Nucl. Acids Res. 26:3619-3625.
7. Laurent, S., Chen, H., Bédu, S., Ziarelli, F., Peng, L*. & Zhang, C.-C*. (2005) Nonmetabolizable analogue of 2-oxoglutarate elicits heterocyst differentiation under repressive conditions in Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 102:9907-9912.
8. Zhao, M.-X., Jiang, Y.-L., He, Y.-X., Chen, Y.-F., Teng, Y.-B., Chen, Y., Zhang, C.-C.*, and Zhou, C.-Z.* (2010) Structural basis for the allosteric control of the global nitrogen-regulating transcription factor NtcA by the nitrogen starvation signal 2-oxoglutarate. *Co-corresponding authors. Proc. Natl. Aacd. Sci. USA. 107:12487-12492
9. Zhang C-C. & Zhou C-Z. (2013) ATPase as a switch in PII signal transduction. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 110:12863-12864.
10. Chen, H-L., Bernard, C.S., Hubert P., My, L., Zhang, C-C. (2014) Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer Based on Interaction of PII and PipX Proteins Provides a Robust and Specific Biosensor for 2-Oxoglutarate, a Central Metabolite and a Signaling Molecule. FEBS J. 281:1241-1255.
11. Zhang, J-Y; Deng, X-M; Li, F-P; Wang, L; Huang, Q-Y; Zhang, C-C; Chen, W-L. (2014) RNase E, via a cyanobacterial-specific nonapeptide in the non-catalytic domain, forms a complex with polynucleotide phosphorylase in cyanobacteria. RNA. 20:568-579.
12. Deschoenmaeker, F., Facchini, R., Leroy, B., Badri, H ., Zhang, C.-C., and Wattiez, R. (2014) Proteomic and cellular views of Arthrospira sp. PCC 8005 adaptation to nitrate depletion. Microbiol. 160 :1224-1236.
13. Fan Y., Lemeille, S., Talla, E., Janicki, A., Denis, Y., Zhang, C.-C. & Amel Latifi (2014). Unraveling the crosstalk between iron starvation and oxidative stress responses highlights the key role of PerR (alr0957) in peroxide signaling in the cyanobacterium Nostoc PCC 7120. Env Mic Rep. 6:458-475
14. Wang, Y., Liu, X., Laurini, E., Posocco, P., Ziarelli, F., Fermeglia, M., Qu, F., Pricl, S., Zhang, C.-C. & Peng L. (2014) Mimicking 2-oxoglutaric acid signalling function using molecular probes: insights from structural and functional investigations. Org. Biomol. Chem. 12:4723-4729.
15. Wang,Y., Assaf,Z., Liu, X., Ziarelli, F., Latifi,A., Lamrabet, O., Quéléver, G., Qu,F., Zhang, C.-C., Peng L. (2014) 2-OG column. A “click” chemistry constructed affinity system for 2-oxoglutaric acid receptors and binding proteins. Org. Biomol. Chem. 12:6470-6475 .
