Denise Okafor

Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Denise Okafor

Research Summary

Structural mechanisms of signaling and regulation in protein complexes.

Huck Affiliations

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Publication Tags

These publication tags are generated from the output of this researcher. Click any tag below to view other Huck researchers working on the same topic.

Ligands Cytoplasmic And Nuclear Receptors Proteins Liver Steroid Receptors Transcription Factors Protein Agonist Dna Therapeutics Steroid Molecular Dynamics Simulation Hormone Enzymes Dna Binding Proteins Glucocorticoid Receptors Rna Plasmodium Phospholipids Parasites Antimalarials Ligand Gene Expression Crystal Structure Hormones

Most Recent Publications

How nuclear receptors transition between active and inactive forms: An energetic perspective

Saurov Hazarika, Matthew Fehrle, C. Denise Okafor, 2024, Journal of Chemical Physics

Accelerating the discovery of alkyl halide-derived natural products using halide depletion

Nathaniel R. Glasser, Dongtao Cui, Douglas D. Risser, C. Denise Okafor, Emily P. Balskus, 2024, Nature Chemistry on p. 173-182

The nuclear receptor LRH-1 discriminates between ligands using distinct allosteric signaling circuits

Suzanne G. Mays, David Hercules, Eric A. Ortlund, C. Denise Okafor, 2023, Protein Science

Two enhancer binding proteins activate σ<sup>54</sup>-dependent transcription of a quorum regulatory RNA in a bacterial symbiont

Ericka D. Surrett, Kirsten R. Guckes, Shyan Cousins, Terry B. Ruskoski, Andrew G. Cecere, Denise A. Ludvik, C. Denise Okafor, Mark J. Mandel, Tim I. Miyashiro, 2023, eLife

Identification of an Evolutionarily Conserved Allosteric Network in Steroid Receptors

Namita Dube, Sabab Hasan Khan, Riley Sasse, C. Denise Okafor, 2023, Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling on p. 571-582

Interactions governing transcriptional activity of nuclear receptors

Sabab Hasan Khan, C. Denise Okafor, 2022, Biochemical Society Transactions on p. 1941-1952

Inhibitors of ApiAP2 protein DNA binding exhibit multistage activity against Plasmodium parasites

Timothy James Russell, Erandi K. De Silva, Valerie M. Crowley, Kathryn Shaw-Saliba, Namita Dube, Gabrielle Josling, Charisse Flerida A. Pasaje, Irene Kouskoumvekaki, Gianni Panagiotou, Jacquin C. Niles, Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena, C. Denise Okafor, Francisco Javier Gamo, Manuel Llinás, 2022, PLoS Pathogens

A phospholipid mimetic targeting LRH-1 ameliorates colitis

Suzanne G. Mays, Emma H. D'Agostino, Autumn R. Flynn, Xiangsheng Huang, Guohui Wang, Xu Liu, Elizabeth J. Millings, C. Denise Okafor, Anamika Patel, Michael L. Cato, Jeffery L. Cornelison, Diana Melchers, René Houtman, David D. Moore, John W. Calvert, Nathan T. Jui, Eric A. Ortlund, 2022, Cell Chemical Biology on p. 1174-1186.e7

Structural and Biophysical Mechanisms Driving Differential Hormone Response in Steroid Receptors

Sabab H. Khan, Sean M. Braet, Stephen J. Koehler, Elizabeth Elacqua, Ganesh S. Anand, Denise Okafor, 2022, FASEB Journal

Ligand Specificity in Progesterone Receptor

Namita Dube, Denise C. Okafor, 2022, FASEB Journal

Most-Cited Papers

Bile acids and the gut microbiota: metabolic interactions and impacts on disease

S Collins, Jonathan Stine, Jordan E. Bisanz, C. Denise Okafor, D Okafor, Andrew Patterson, 2022, Nature Reviews Microbiology on p. 236-247

Structure and assembly of the diiron cofactor in the heme-oxygenase–like domain of the N-nitrosourea–producing enzyme SznF

M McBride, S Pope, K Hu, C. Denise Okafor, C Denise Okafor, E Balskus, J Bollinger, J. Martin Bollinger, Amie K. Boal, 2021, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

The first crystal structure of a DNA-free nuclear receptor DNA binding domain sheds light on DNA-driven allostery in the glucocorticoid receptor

Filipp Frank, C. Denise Okafor, Eric A. Ortlund, 2018, Scientific Reports

Crystal structures of the nuclear receptor, liver receptor homolog 1, bound to synthetic agonists

Suzanne G. Mays, C. Denise Okafor, Richard J. Whitby, Devrishi Goswami, Józef Stec, Autumn R. Flynn, Michael C. Dugan, Nathan T. Jui, Patrick R. Griffin, Eric A. Ortlund, 2016, Journal of Biological Chemistry on p. 25281-25291

Ribosomal small subunit domains radiate from a central core

Burak Gulen, Anton S. Petrov, C. Denise Okafor, Drew Vander Wood, Eric B. O'Neill, Nicholas V. Hud, Loren Dean Williams, 2016, Scientific Reports

Development of the First Low Nanomolar Liver Receptor Homolog-1 Agonist through Structure-guided Design

Suzanne G. Mays, Autumn R. Flynn, Jeffery L. Cornelison, C. Denise Okafor, Hongtao Wang, Guohui Wang, Xiangsheng Huang, Heather N. Donaldson, Elizabeth J. Millings, Rohini Polavarapu, David D. Moore, John W. Calvert, Nathan T. Jui, Eric A. Ortlund, 2019, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry on p. 11022-11034

Structural and Dynamics Comparison of Thermostability in Ancient, Modern, and Consensus Elongation Factor Tus

C. Denise Okafor, Manish C. Pathak, Crystal E. Fagan, Nicholas C. Bauer, Megan F. Cole, Eric A. Gaucher, Eric A. Ortlund, 2018, Structure with Folding & design on p. 118-129.e3

Iron mediates catalysis of nucleic acid processing enzymes: Support for Fe(II) as a cofactor before the great oxidation event

C. Denise Okafor, Kathryn A. Lanier, Anton S. Petrov, Shreyas S. Athavale, Jessica C. Bowman, Nicholas V. Hud, Loren Dean Williams, 2017, Nucleic Acids Research on p. 3634-3642

Structural analysis of the glucocorticoid receptor ligand-binding domain in complex with triamcinolone acetonide and a fragment of the atypical coregulator, small heterodimer partner

Emily R. Weikum, C. Denise Okafor, Emma H. D'Agostino, Jennifer K. Colucci, Eric A. Ortlund, 2017, Molecular Pharmacology on p. 12-21

Structure and dynamics of the liver receptor homolog 1-PGC1α complex

Suzanne G. Mays, C. Denise Okafor, Micheal L. Tuntland, Richard J. Whitby, Venkatasubramanian Dharmarajan, Józef Stec, Patrick R. Griffin, Eric A. Ortlund, 2017, Molecular Pharmacology on p. 1-11