Mr Kuok Yap
Senior Research Assistant
Institute for Molecular Bioscience
+61 7 334 62328
Publications
Journal Articles
Chan, Lai Yue, Weger, Benjamin D., Weger, Meltem, Du, Junqiao, Lawrence, Nicole, Cardoso, Marlon H., de Rezende, Samilla B., Muller, Jéssica A.I., Yap, Kuok, Tse, Brian W−C, Sokolowski, Kamil A., Sullivan, Robert K.P., Gunter, Jennifer, Franco, Octávio L., Gachon, Frédéric and Craik, David J. (2025). Mixed-chirality prohibitin peptide: D-(RLARLAR)2 enhances stability and in vivo effects on obesity. Journal of the American Chemical Society. doi: 10.1021/jacs.5c05536
Harding, Maxim D., Jackson, Mark A., Gilding, Edward K., Yap, Kuok, Craik, David J., Sainsbury, Frank and Lawrence, Nicole (2025). Exploring use of a protein cage system for producing bioactive peptides in Escherichia coli. Microbial Biotechnology, 18 (6) e70158, e70158. doi: 10.1111/1751-7915.70158
Gandini, Lucia, de Veer, Simon J., Chan, Chris H. H., Passmore, Margaret R., Liu, Keibun, Lundon, Brooke, Rachakonda, Reema, White, Nicole, Rhodes, Madeleine, Shanahan, Emma, Yap, Kuok, See Hoe, Louise E., Semenzin, Clayton, Li Bassi, Gianluigi, Fraser, John F., Craik, David J. and Suen, Jacky Y. (2025). Anticoagulation during Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO): A Selective Inhibitor of Activated Factor XII Compared to Heparin in an Ex Vivo Model. ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science, 8 (5), 1260-1269. doi: 10.1021/acsptsci.4c00352
Xie, Jing, Yap, Kuok, de Veer, Simon J., Edwardraja, Selvakumar, Durek, Thomas, Trau, Matt, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2025). High-throughput enrichment of functional disulfide-rich peptides by droplet microfluidics. Lab on a Chip, 25 (14), 3525-3536. doi: 10.1039/d5lc00261c
Gilding, Edward K., Jackson, Mark A., Nguyen, Linh T. T., Hamilton, Brett R., Farquharson, Katherine A., Ho, Wing L., Yap, Kuok, Hogg, Carolyn J., Belov, Katherine and Craik, David J. (2024). Hijacking of N-fixing legume albumin-1 genes enables the cyclization and stabilization of defense peptides. Nature Communications, 15 (1) 6565, 6565. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-50742-x
Lee, Meng-Han, Jackson, Mark A., Rehm, Fabian B. H., Barkauskas, Deborah S., Ho, Wing L., Yap, Kuok, Craik, David J. and Gilding, Edward K. (2024). Proximity labelling confirms the involvement of papain-like cysteine proteases and chaperones in cyclotide biosynthesis. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter, 42 (3), 611-623. doi: 10.1007/s11105-024-01462-5
Huang, Yen-Hua, Jiang, Zhihao, Du, Qingdan, Yap, Kuok, Bigot, Aurélien, Kaas, Quentin, Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2024). Scanning mutagenesis identifies residues that improve the long-term stability and insecticidal activity of cyclotide kalata B1. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 300 (3) 105682, 105682. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105682
Bajpai, Abhishek, Jackson, Mark A., Huang, Yen-Hua, Yap, Kuok, Du, Qingdan, Chau, Tevin Chui-Ying, Craik, David J. and Gilding, Edward K. (2023). Nematicidal activity of cyclotides: toxicity against Caenorhabditis elegans. Journal of Natural Products, 86 (5), 1222-1229. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.2c01124
Jackson, Mark A., Xie, Jing, Nguyen, Linh T. T., Wang, Xiaohan, Yap, Kuok, Harvey, Peta J., Gilding, Edward K. and Craik, David J. (2023). Plant-based production of an orally active cyclotide for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Transgenic Research, 32 (1-2), 121-133. doi: 10.1007/s11248-023-00341-1
Ang, Main Ern, Cowley, James M., Yap, Kuok, Hahn, Michael G., Mikkelsen, Deirdre, Tucker, Matthew R., Williams, Barbara A. and Burton, Rachel A. (2023). Novel constituents of Salvia hispanica L. (chia) nutlet mucilage and the improved in vitro fermentation of nutlets when ground. Food and Function, 14 (3), 1401-1414. doi: 10.1039/d2fo03002k
Xie, Jing, Robinson, Samuel D., Gilding, Edward K., Jami, Sina, Deuis, Jennifer R., Rehm, Fabian B.H., Yap, Kuok, Ragnarsson, Lotten, Chan, Lai Yue, Hamilton, Brett R., Harvey, Peta J., Craik, David J., Vetter, Irina and Durek, Thomas (2022). Neurotoxic and cytotoxic peptides underlie the painful stings of the tree nettle Urtica ferox. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 298 (8) 102218, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102218
Li, Choi Yi, Rehm, Fabian B. H., Yap, Kuok, Zdenek, Christina N., Harding, Maxim D., Fry, Bryan G., Durek, Thomas, Craik, David J. and Veer, Simon J. (2022). Cystine knot peptides with tuneable activity and mechanism. Angewandte Chemie, 61 (19) e202200951, e202200951. doi: 10.1002/ange.202200951
Rehm, Fabian B. H., Tyler, Tristan J., Yap, Kuok, de Veer, Simon J., Craik, David J. and Durek, Thomas (2021). Enzymatic C-terminal protein engineering with amines. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 143 (46) jacs.1c08976, 19498-19504. doi: 10.1021/jacs.1c08976
Tran, Hue N. T., Tran, Poanna, Deuis, Jennifer R., McMahon, Kirsten L., Yap, Kuok, Craik, David J., Vetter, Irina and Schroeder, Christina I. (2021). Evaluation of efficient non-reducing enzymatic and chemical ligation strategies for complex disulfide-rich peptides. Bioconjugate Chemistry, 32 (11) acs.bioconjchem.1c00452, 2407-2419. doi: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00452
Rehm, Fabian B. H., Tyler, Tristan J., Xie, Jing, Yap, Kuok, Durek, Thomas and Craik, David J. (2021). Asparaginyl ligases: new enzymes for the protein engineer's toolbox. ChemBioChem, 22 (12), 2079-2086. doi: 10.1002/cbic.202100071
Yap, Kuok, Du, Junqiao, Rehm, Fabian B. H., Tang, Shyn Ric, Zhou, Yan, Xie, Jing, Wang, Conan K., de Veer, Simon J., Lua, Linda H. L., Durek, Thomas and Craik, David J. (2021). Yeast-based bioproduction of disulfide-rich peptides and their cyclization via asparaginyl endopeptidases. Nature Protocols, 16 (3), 1-23. doi: 10.1038/s41596-020-00483-0
Rehm, Fabian B. H., Tyler, Tristan J., Yap, Kuok, Durek, Thomas and Craik, David J. (2020). Improved asparaginyl‐ligase‐catalyzed transpeptidation via selective nucleophile quenching. Angewandte Chemie, 133 (8) ange.202013584, 4050-4054. doi: 10.1002/ange.202013584
Qu, Haiou, Jackson, Mark A., Yap, Kuok, Harvey, Peta J., Gilding, Edward K. and Craik, David J. (2020). Production of a structurally validated cyclotide in rice suspension cells is enabled by a supporting biosynthetic enzyme. Planta, 252 (6) 97, 97. doi: 10.1007/s00425-020-03505-z
Gilding, Edward K., Jami, Sina, Deuis, Jennifer R., Israel, Mathilde R., Harvey, Peta J., Poth, Aaron G., Rehm, Fabian B. H., Stow, Jennifer L., Robinson, Samuel D., Yap, Kuok, Brown, Darren L., Hamilton, Brett R., Andersson, David, Craik, David J., Vetter, Irina and Durek, Thomas (2020). Neurotoxic peptides from the venom of the giant Australian stinging tree. Science Advances, 6 (38) eabb8828, 1-10. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abb8828
Yap, Kuok, Du, Junqiao, Looi, Fong Yang, Tang, Shyn Ric, de Veer, Simon J., Bony, Anuja R., Rehm, Fabian B. H., Xie, Jing, Chan, Lai Yue, Wang, Conan K., Adams, David J., Lua, Linda H. L., Durek, Thomas and Craik, David J. (2020). An environmentally sustainable biomimetic production of cyclic disulfide-rich peptides. Green Chemistry, 22 (15), 5002-5016. doi: 10.1039/d0gc01366h
White, Andrew M., Veer, Simon J., Wu, Guojie, Harvey, Peta J., Yap, Kuok, King, Gordon J., Swedberg, Joakim E., Wang, Conan K., Law, Ruby H. P., Durek, Thomas and Craik, David J. (2020). Innentitelbild: Application and Structural Analysis of Triazole‐Bridged Disulfide Mimetics in Cyclic Peptides (Angew. Chem. 28/2020). Angewandte Chemie, 132 (28), 11258-11258. doi: 10.1002/ange.202006713
White, Andrew M., Veer, Simon J., Wu, Guojie, Harvey, Peta J., Yap, Kuok, King, Gordon J., Swedberg, Joakim E., Wang, Conan K., Law, Ruby H. P., Durek, Thomas and Craik, David J. (2020). Inside Cover: Application and Structural Analysis of Triazole‐Bridged Disulfide Mimetics in Cyclic Peptides (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 28/2020). Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 59 (28), 11162-11162. doi: 10.1002/anie.202006713
White, Andrew M., Veer, Simon J., Wu, Guojie, Harvey, Peta J., Yap, Kuok, King, Gordon J., Swedberg, Joakim E., Wang, Conan K., Law, Ruby H. P., Durek, Thomas and Craik, David J. (2020). Application and structural analysis of triazole‐bridged disulfide mimetics in cyclic peptides. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 132 (28) anie.202003435, 11369-11373. doi: 10.1002/anie.202003435
Du, Junqiao, Yap, Kuok, Chan, Lai Yue, Rehm, Fabian B. H., Looi, Fong Yang, Poth, Aaron G., Gilding, Edward K., Kaas, Quentin, Durek, Thomas and Craik, David J. (2020). A bifunctional asparaginyl endopeptidase efficiently catalyzes both cleavage and cyclization of cyclic trypsin inhibitors. Nature Communications, 11 (1) 1575, 1-11. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-15418-2
Smithies, Bronwyn J., Huang, Yen-Hua, Jackson, Mark A., Yap, Kuok, Gilding, Edward K., Harris, Karen S., Anderson, Marilyn A. and Craik, David J. (2020). Circular permutation of the native enzyme-mediated cyclization position in cyclotides. ACS Chemical Biology, 15 (4) acschembio.9b00996, 962-969. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00996
Li, Choi Yi, Yap, Kuok, Swedberg, Joakim E., Craik, David J. and de Veer, Simon J. (2020). Binding loop substitutions in the cyclic peptide SFTI-1 generate potent and selective chymase inhibitors. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 63 (2) acs.jmedchem.9b01811, 816-826. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01811
Zhao, Kening, Bleackley, Mark, Chisanga, David, Gangoda, Lahiru, Fonseka, Pamali, Liem, Michael, Kalra, Hina, Al Saffar, Haidar, Keerthikumar, Shivakumar, Ang, Ching-Seng, Adda, Christopher G., Jiang, Lanzhou, Yap, Kuok, Poon, Ivan K., Lock, Peter, Bulone, Vincent, Anderson, Marilyn and Mathivanan, Suresh (2019). Extracellular vesicles secreted by Saccharomyces cerevisiae are involved in cell wall remodelling. Communications Biology, 2 (1) 305. doi: 10.1038/s42003-019-0538-8
Rehm, Fabian B. H., Harmand, Thibault J., Yap, Kuok, Durek, Thomas, Craik, David J. and Ploegh, Hidde L. (2019). Site-specific sequential protein labeling catalyzed by a single recombinant ligase. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 141 (43) jacs.9b09166, 17388-17393. doi: 10.1021/jacs.9b09166
Jackson, Mark A., Yap, Kuok, Poth, Aaron G., Gilding, Edward K., Swedberg, Joakim E., Poon, Simon, Qu, Haiou, Durek, Thomas, Harris, Karen, Anderson, Marilyn A. and Craik, David J. (2019). Rapid and scalable plant-based production of a potent plasmin inhibitor peptide. Frontiers in Plant Science, 10 602, 602. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00602
Rehm, Fabian B. H., Jackson, Mark A., De Geyter, Ewout, Yap, Kuok, Gilding, Edward K., Durek, Thomas and Craik, David J. (2019). Papain-like cysteine proteases prepare plant cyclic peptide precursors for cyclization. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116 (16), 7831-7836. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1901807116
Jackson, M. A., Gilding, E. K., Shafee, T., Harris, K. S., Kaas, Q., Poon, S., Yap, K., Jia, H., Guarino, R., Chan, L. Y., Durek, T., Anderson, M. A. and Craik, D. J. (2018). Molecular basis for the production of cyclic peptides by plant asparaginyl endopeptidases. Nature Communications, 9 (1) 2411, 2411. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-04669-9
Lim, Wai Li, Collins, Helen M., Singh, Rohan R., Kibble, Natalie A. J., Yap, Kuok, Taylor, Jillian, Fincher, Geoffrey B. and Burton, Rachel A. (2018). Method for hull-less barley transformation and manipulation of grain mixed-linkage beta-glucan. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology, 60 (5), 382-396. doi: 10.1111/jipb.12625
Roberts, Alison W., Lahnstein, Jelle, Hsieh, Yves S. Y., Xing, Xiaohui, Yap, Kuok, Chaves, Arielle M., Scavuzzo-Duggan, Tess R., Dimitroff, George, Lonsdale, Andrew, Roberts, Eric M., Bulone, Vincent, Fincher, Geoffrey B., Doblin, Monika Susanne, Bacic, Antony and Burton, Rachel A. (2018). Functional Characterization of a Glycosyltransferase from the Moss Physcomitrella patens Involved in the Biosynthesis of a Novel Cell Wall Arabinoglucan. The Plant Cell, 30 (6), 1293-1308. doi: 10.1105/tpc.18.00082
Wood, Jenny A., Tan, Hwei-Ting, Collins, Helen M., Yap, Kuok, Khor, Shi, Lim, Wai Li, Xing, Xiaohui, Bulone, Vincent, Burton, Rachel A., Fincher, Geoffrey B. and Tucker, Matthew R. (2018). Genetic and environmental factors contribute to variation in cell wall composition in mature desi chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cotyledons. Plant, Cell and Environment, 41 (9), 2195-2208. doi: 10.1111/pce.13196
Xing, Xiaohui, Hsieh, Yves S.Y., Yap, Kuok, Ang, Main E., Lahnstein, Jelle, Tucker, Matthew R., Burton, Rachel A. and Bulone, Vincent (2017). Isolation and structural elucidation by 2D NMR of planteose, a major oligosaccharide in the mucilage of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seeds. Carbohydrate Polymers, 175, 231-240. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.07.059
Lauer, Juanita C., Yap, Kuok, Cu, Suong, Burton, Rachel A. and Eglinton, Jason K. (2017). Novel barley (1→3,1→4)-β-glucan endohydrolase alleles confer increased enzyme thermostability. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 65 (2), 421-428. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.6b04287
Marcotuli, Ilaria, Hsieh, Yves S.-Y., Lahnstein, Jelle, Yap, Kuok, Burton, Rachel Anita, Blanco, Antonio, Fincher, Geoffrey Bruce and Gadaleta, Agata (2016). Structural variation and content of arabinoxylans in endosperm and bran of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L.). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 64 (14), 2883-2892. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.6b00103
Hsieh, Yves S. Y., Zhang, Qisen, Yap, Kuok, Shirley, Neil J., Lahnstein, Jelle, Nelson, Clark J., Burton, Rachel A., Millar, A. Harvey, Bulone, Vincent and Fincher, Geoffrey B. (2016). Genetics, transcriptional profiles, and catalytic properties of the UDP-arabinose mutase family from barley. Biochemistry, 55 (2), 322-334. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5b01055