Song Tan

Director of the Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation; Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Song Tan

Research Summary

Structural biology of eukaryotic gene regulation.

Huck Affiliations

Links

Most Recent Publications

Systematic dissection of sequence features affecting binding specificity of a pioneer factor reveals binding synergy between FOXA1 and AP-1

Cheng Xu, Holly Kleinschmidt, Jianyu Yang, Erik M. Leith, Jenna Johnson, Song Tan, Shaun Mahony, Lu Bai, 2024, Molecular Cell on p. 2838-2855.e10

Dual engagement of the nucleosomal acidic patches is essential for deposition of histone H2A.Z by SWR1C

Alexander S. Baier, Nathan Gioacchini, Priit Eek, Erik M. Leith, Song Tan, Craig L. Peterson, 2024, eLife

Dual engagement of the nucleosomal acidic patches is essential for deposition of histone H2A.Z by SWR1C.

A Baier, N Gioacchini, P Eek, Song Tan, C Peterson, 2023, Research square

Basic helix-loop-helix pioneer factors interact with the histone octamer to invade nucleosomes and generate nucleosome-depleted regions

Benjamin T. Donovan, Hengye Chen, Priit Eek, Zhiyuan Meng, Caroline Jipa, Song Tan, Lu Bai, Michael G. Poirier, 2023, Molecular Cell on p. 1251-1263.e6

Cryo-EM structure of the human Sirtuin 6–nucleosome complex

Un Seng Chio, Othman Rechiche, Alysia R. Bryll, Jiang Zhu, Erik M. Leith, Jessica L. Feldman, Craig L. Peterson, Song Tan, Jean Paul Armache, 2023, Science advances

Hierarchical assembly of the MLL1 core complex regulates H3K4 methylation and is dependent on temperature and component concentration

Kevin E.W. Namitz, Song Tan, Michael S. Cosgrove, 2023, Journal of Biological Chemistry

Systematic Dissection of Sequence Features Affecting the Binding Specificity of a Pioneer Factor Reveals Binding Synergy Between FOXA1 and AP-1

Cheng Xu, Holly Kleinschmidt, Jianyu Yang, Erik Leith, Jenna Johnson, Song Tan, S Mahony, L Bai, 2023, bioRxiv

Principles of nucleosome recognition by chromatin factors and enzymes

Robert K. McGinty, Song Tan, 2021, Current Opinion in Structural Biology on p. 16-26

The Penn State Protein Ladder system for inexpensive protein molecular weight markers

Ryan T. Santilli, John E. Williamson, Yoshitaka Shibata, Rosalie P. Sowers, Andrew N. Fleischman, Song Tan, 2021, Scientific Reports

The Ada2/Ada3/Gcn5/Sgf29 histone acetyltransferase module

Jose M. Espinola-Lopez, Song Tan, 2021, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Gene Regulatory Mechanisms

Most-Cited Papers

Nucleosome structure and function

Robert K. McGinty, Song Tan, 2015, Chemical Reviews on p. 2255-2273

Recognition of the nucleosome by chromatin factors and enzymes

Robert K. McGinty, Song Tan, 2016, Current Opinion in Structural Biology on p. 54-61

Crystal Structure of the LSD1/CoREST Histone Demethylase Bound to Its Nucleosome Substrate

S Kim, J Zhu, Neela Yennawar, P Eek, Song Tan, 2020, Molecular Cell on p. 903-914.e4

Principles of nucleosome recognition by chromatin factors and enzymes

Robert K. McGinty, Song Tan, 2021, Current Opinion in Structural Biology on p. 16-26

Structural basis for activation of SAGA histone acetyltransferase Gcn5 by partner subunit Ada2

Jian Sun, Marcin Paduch, Sang Ah Kim, Ryan M. Kramer, Adam F. Barrios, Vincent Lu, Judy Luke, Svitlana Usatyuk, Anthony A. Kossiakoff, Song Tan, 2018, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America on p. 10010-10015

Extranucleosomal DNA enhances the activity of the LSD1/CoREST histone demethylase complex

Sang Ah Kim, Nilanjana Chatterjee, Matthew J. Jennings, Blaine Bartholomew, Song Tan, 2015, Nucleic Acids Research on p. 4868-4880

The Ada2/Ada3/Gcn5/Sgf29 histone acetyltransferase module

Jose M. Espinola-Lopez, Song Tan, 2021, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Gene Regulatory Mechanisms

Differentially Isotope-Labeled Nucleosomes To Study Asymmetric Histone Modification Crosstalk by Time-Resolved NMR Spectroscopy

Stamatios Liokatis, Rebecca Klingberg, Song Tan, Dirk Schwarzer, 2016, Angewandte Chemie - International Edition on p. 8262-8265

Mechanistic Insights into Regulation of the ALC1 Remodeler by the Nucleosome Acidic Patch

Laura C. Lehmann, Luka Bacic, Graeme Hewitt, Klaus Brackmann, Anton Sabantsev, Guillaume Gaullier, Sofia Pytharopoulou, Gianluca Degliesposti, Hanneke Okkenhaug, Song Tan, Alessandro Costa, J. Mark Skehel, Simon J. Boulton, Sebastian Deindl, 2020, Cell Reports

Multivalent interactions by the set8 histone methyltransferase with its nucleosome substrate

Taverekere S. Girish, Robert K. McGinty, Song Tan, 2016, Journal of Molecular Biology on p. 1531-1543

News Articles Featuring Song Tan

Jul 15, 2025

Optical tweezers help elevate single-molecule research at Penn State

The instrument, supported by a new NIH infrastructure grant, uses laser light to ‘tweeze’ tiny objects like DNA molecules and proteins.

Full Article

Apr 20, 2023

How 'master regulators' of cells make DNA accessible for gene expression

New insight into proteins called “pioneer factors” helps to explain their unusual ability to open up the typically dense genetic material within our cells. This behavior makes the genetic material accessible for proteins involved in important cellular processes, such as DNA replication and repair, gene expression, and the creation of proteins.

Full Article

Apr 14, 2023

How does an aging-associated enzyme access our genetic material?

New research provides insight into how an enzyme that helps regulate aging and other metabolic processes accesses our genetic material to modulate gene expression within the cell. A team led by Penn State researchers have produced images of a sirtuin enzyme bound to a nucleosome — a tightly packed complex of DNA and proteins called histones — showing how the enzyme navigates the nucleosome complex to access both DNA and histone proteins and clarifying how it functions in humans and other animals.

Full Article

Jun 04, 2020

New image of a cancer-related enzyme in action helps explain gene regulation

New images of an enzyme in action as it interacts with the chromosome could provide important insight into how cells — including cancer cells — regulate their genes.

Full Article