Publications

2024

56. Ye J, Kan CH, Zheng Y, Tsang TF, Chu AJ, Chan KH, Yang X, Ma C. (2024) Sulfonamidyl derivatives of sigmacidin: Protein-protein interaction inhibitors targeting bacterial RNA polymerase and sigma factor interaction exhibiting antimicrobial activity against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Bioorganic Chemistry 143, 106983. [Link]

2023

55. Ye J, Yang X, Ma C. (2023) Ligand-Based Drug Design of Novel Antimicrobials against Staphylococcus aureus by Targeting Bacterial Transcription. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24(1), 339. [Link]

2022

54. Lam LY, Chan KH, Ma C. (2022) Copper-Catalyzed Synthesis of Functionalized Aryl Sulfonamides from Sodium Sulfinates in Green Solvents. Journal of Organic Chemistry 87, 8802–8810 [Link]

53. Qiu Y, Chu AJ, Tsang TF, Zheng Y, Lam NM, Li KSL, Ip M, Yang X, Ma C. (2022) Synthesis and biological evaluation of nusbiarylin derivatives as bacterial rRNA synthesis inhibitor with potent antimicrobial activity against MRSA and VRSA. Bioorganic Chemistry 124, 105863. [Link]

52. Ye J, Yang X, Ma C. (2022) QSAR, Docking, and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Studies of Sigmacidins as Antimicrobials against Streptococci. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23(8), 4085. [Link]

51. RWY Chan, KP Tao, J Ye, KKY Lui, X Yang, C Ma, PKS Chan. (2022) Inhibition of Influenza Virus Replication by Oseltamivir Derivatives. Pathogens 11 (2), 237. [Link]

2021

50. Lam LY, Ma C. (2021) Chan–Lam-Type C–S Coupling Reaction by Sodium Aryl Sulfinates and Organoboron Compounds. Organic Letters 23, 6164–6168. [Link]

49. Ye J, Lin L, Xu JY, Chan PKS, Yang X, Ma C. (2021) Design, Synthesis, Biological Evaluation and In Silico Studies of Pyrazole-Based NH2-Acyl Oseltamivir Analogues as Potent Neuraminidase Inhibitors. Pharmaceuticals 14, 371. [Link]

48. Leung HW, Leung CO, Lau EY, Chung KPS, Mok EH, Lei MML, Leung RWH, Tong M, Keng VW, Ma C, Zhao Q, Ng IO, Ma S, Lee TK. (2021) EPHB2 activates β-catenin to enhance cancer stem cell properties and drive sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Research 81, 3229-3240. [Link]

2020

47. Ye J, Chu AJ, Lin L, Chan ST, Harper R, Xiao M, Artsimovitch I, Zuo Z, Ma C, Yang X. (2020) Benzyl and Benzoyl Benzoic Acid Inhibitors of Bacterial RNA Polymerase-Sigma Factor Interaction. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 208, 112671. [Link]

46. Chu AJ, Qiu Y, Harper R, Lin L, Ma C, Yang X. (2020) Nusbiarylins Inhibit Transcription and Target Virulence Factors in Bacterial Pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21(16), 5772. [Link]

45. Ye J, Chu AJ, Harper R, Chan ST, Shek TL, Zhang Y, Ip M, Sambir M, Artsimovitch I, Zuo Z, Yang X, Ma C. (2020) Discovery of Antibacterials that Inhibit Bacterial RNA Polymerase Interactions with Sigma Factors. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 63, 7695-7720. [Link]

44. Liu Y, Lam LY, Ye J, Blanchard N, Ma C. (2020) DABCO‐promoted diaryl thioether formation by metal‐catalyzed coupling of sodium sulfinates and aryl iodides. Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis 362, 2326-2331. [Link]

43. Qiu Y, Ma C. (2020) HPLC, quantitative NMR and HRMS spectroscopic data of nusbiarylins as a new class of antimicrobial agents. Data in Brief 29, 105313.

42. Yang Y, Vankayalapati H, Tang M, Zheng Y, Li Y, Ma C, Lai K. (2020) Discovery of Novel Inhibitors Targeting Multi-UDP-hexose Pyrophosphorylases as Anticancer Agents. Molecules 25, 645.

2018-2019

41. Ye J, Yang X, Xu M, Chan PKS, Ma C. (2019) Novel N‑Substituted Oseltamivir Derivatives as Potent Influenza Neuraminidase Inhibitors: Design, Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, ADME Prediction and Molecular Docking Studies. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry  182, 111635. [Link]

40. Qiu Y, Chan ST, Lin L, Shek TL, Tsang TF, Zhang Y, Ip M, Chan PKS, Blanchard N, Hanquet G, Zuo Z, Yang X, Ma C. (2019) Nusbiarylins, a New Class of Antimicrobial Agents: Rational Design of Bacterial Transcription Inhibitors Targeting the Interaction between the NusB and NusE Proteins. Bioorganic Chemistry 92, 103203. [Link]

39. Ye J, Chu AJ, Lin L, Yang X, Ma C. (2019) First-In-Class Inhibitors Targeting the Interaction between Bacterial RNA Polymerase and Sigma Initiation Factor Affect the Viability and Toxin Release of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Molecules 24, 2902. [Link]

38. Qiu Y, Chan ST, Lin L, Shek TL, Tsang TF, Barua N, Zhang Y, Ip M, Chan PKS, Blanchard N, Hanquet G, Zuo Z, Yang X, Ma C. (2019) Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of antimicrobial diarylimine and –amine compounds targeting the interaction between the bacterial NusB and NusE proteins. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 178, 214-231. [Link]

37. Tsang TF, Qiu Y, Lin L, Ye J, Ma C, Yang X. (2019) Simple Method for Studying in Vitro Protein-Protein Interactions Based on Protein Complementation and Its Application in Drug Screening Targeting Bacterial Transcription. ACS Infectious Diseases 5, 521-527. (Supplementary Journal Cover) [Link]

36. Xu F, Li W, Shuai W, Yang L, Bi Y, Ma C, Yao H, Xu S, Zhu Z, Xu J. (2019) Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of pyridine-chalcone derivatives as novel microtubule-destabilizing agents. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 173, 1-14. 

35. Li W, Sun H, Xu F, Shuai W, Liu J, Xu S, Yao H, Ma C, Zhu Z, Xu J. (2019) Synthesis, molecular properties prediction and biological evaluation of indole-vinyl sulfone derivatives as novel tubulin polymerization inhibitors targeting the colchicine binding site. Bioorganic Chemistry 85, 49-59

34. Liu Y, Lu L, Zhou H, Xu F, Ma C, Huang Z, Xu J, Xu S. (2019) Chemodivergent synthesis of N-(pyridin-2-yl) amides and 3-bromoimidazo [1, 2-a] pyridines from α-bromoketones and 2-aminopyridines. RSC Advances 9, 34671-34676.

33. Yao H, Xu F, Wang G, Xie S, Li W, Yao H, Ma C, Zhu Z, Xu J, Xu S. (2019) Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of truncated deguelin derivatives as Hsp90 inhibitors. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 167, 485-498. 

32. Li W, Shuai W, Sun H, Xu F, Bi Y, Xu J, Ma C, Yao H, Zhu Z, Xu S. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of quinoline-indole derivatives as anti-tubulin agents targeting the colchicine binding site. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 163, 428-442.

31. Li W, Xu F, Shuai W, Sun H, Yao H, Ma C, Xu S, Yao H, Zhu Z, Yang DH, Chen ZS, Xu J. (2019) Discovery of Novel Quinoline-Chalcone Derivatives as Potent Anti-tumor Agents with Microtubule Polymerization Inhibitory Activity. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 62, 993-1013.

30. Wang KY, Zhou ZW, Zhang HY, Cao YC, Xu JY, Ma C, Meng QG, Bi Y. (2018) Design, Synthesis and Antibacterial Evaluation of 3-Substituted Ocotillol-Type Derivatives. Molecules 23, 3320.

29. Liu Y, Sun H, Huang Z, Ma C, Lin A, Yao H, Xu J, Xu S. (2018) Metal-Free Synthesis of N-(Pyridine-2-yl)amides from Ketones via Selective Oxidative Cleavage of C(O)-C(Alkyl) Bond in Water. Journal of Organic Chemistry 83, 14307-14313.

2016-2017

28. Yang X, Luo MJ, Yeung A, Lewis P, Chan PKS, Ip M, Ma C. (2017)  First-In-Class Inhibitor of Ribosomal RNA Synthesis with Antimicrobial Activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Biochemistry 56, 5049-5052. [Link]

27. Wenholz DS, Zeng M, Ma C, Mielczarek M, Yang X, Bhadbhade M, Black DSC, Lewis PJ, Griffith R, Kumar N. (2017) Small molecule inhibitors of bacterial transcription complex formation. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters 27, 4302-4308.

26. Bi Y, Liu X-X, Zhang H-Y, Yang X, Liu Z-Y, Lu J, Lewis PJ, Wang C-Z, Xu J-Y, Meng Q-G, Ma C, Yuan C-S. (2017) Synthesis and Antibacterial Evaluation of Novel 3-Substituted Ocotillol-Type Derivatives as Leads. Molecules 22, 590.

25. Cossar PJ,  Abdel-Hamid MK, Ma C,  Sakoff JA, Trinh TN, Gordon CP,  Lewis PJ,  McCluskey A. (2017) Small-Molecule Inhibitors of the NusB-NusE Protein-Protein Interaction with Antibiotic Activity. ACS Omega 2, 3839–3857.

24. Cossar PJ,  Ma C,  Gordon CP,  Ambrus JI,  Lewis PJ,  McCluskey A. (2017) Identification and validation of small molecule modulators of the NusB-NusE interaction. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters 27, 162-167.

23. Yang X, Ma C. (2016) In vitro transcription assays and their application in drug discovery. Journal of Visualized Experiments 115, e54256.

Before PolyU

22. Ma C, Letort A, Aouzal R, Wilkes A, Farrugia LJ, Ricard L, Prunet J. (2016) Cascade metathesis reactions for the synthesis of taxane and isotaxane derivatives. Chemistry - A European Journal 22, 6891-6898.

21. Thach O, Mielczarek M, Ma C, Kutty SK, Yang X, Black DS, Griffith R, Lewis PJ, Kumar N. (2016) From indole to pyrrole, furan, thiophene and pyridine: Search for novel small molecule inhibitors of bacterial transcription initiation complex formation. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 24, 1171-1182.

20. Ma C, Yang X, Lewis PJ. (2016) Bacterial Transcription as a Target for Antibacterial Drug Development. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews 80, 139-160.

19. Ma C, Yang X, Lewis PJ. (2016) Bacterial Transcription Inhibitor of RNA Polymerase Holoenzyme Formation by Structure-Based Drug Design: From in Silico Screening to Validation. ACS Infectious Diseases 2, 39-46.

18. Zhang T, Yang X, Yang J, Liu Z, Zhang X, Xu J, Lewis PJ, Bi Y, Meng Q, Ma C. (2015) Design, Synthesis, Nitric Oxide Release and Antibacterial Evaluation of Novel Nitrated Ocotillol-type Derivatives. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 101, 71-80.

17. Yin Z, Whittell L, Wang Y, Jergic S, Ma C, Lewis P, Dixon N, Beck J, Kelso M, Oakley, A. (2015) Bacterial Sliding Clamp Inhibitors that Mimic the Sequential Binding Mechanism of Endogenous Linear Motifs. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 58, 4693-4702.

16. Yang X, Ma C, Lewis PJ. (2015) Structure Based Inhibitor Discovery of Bacterial Transcription Initiation Complex Formation. Methods 86, 45-50.

15. Mielczarek M, Devakaram RV, Ma C, Kandemir H, Yang X, Bhadbhade M, Black DS, Griffith R, Lewis PJ, Kumar N. (2015) Synthesis and Biological Activity of Novel Mono-indole and Mono-benzofuran Inhibitors of Bacterial Transcription Initiation Complex Formation. Bioorganic Medicinal Chemistry 23, 1763-1775.

14. Ma C, Mobli M, Yang X, King G, Lewis PJ. (2015) RNA polymerase-induced remodelling of NusA produces a pause enhancement complex. Nucleic Acids Research 43, 2829-2840.

13. Bi Y, Ma C, Zhou Z, Zhang T, Zhang H, Zhang X, Lu J, Meng Q, Lewis PJ, Xu J. (2015) Synthesis and antibacterial evaluation of novel hydrophilic ocotillol-type triterpenoid derivatives from 20(S)-protopanaxadiol. Records of Natural Products 9, 356-368.

12. Bi Y, Yang J, Ma C, Liu Z-Y, Zhang X-C, Lu J, Meng Q-G. (2015) Design, Synthesis and in vitro NO-releasing Activities of Ocotillol-type Furoxans. Pharmazie 70, 213-218.

11. Yang X, Ma C, Lewis PJ. (2014) A Vector System That Allows Simple Generation of Mutant Escherichia coli RNA Polymerase. Plasmid 75, 37-41.

10. Bi Y, Ma C, Zhang H, Zhou Z, Yang J, Zhang Z, Meng Q, Lewis PJ, Xu J. (2014) Novel 3-Substituted Ocotillol-Type Triterpenoid Derivatives as Antibacterial Candidates. Chemical Biology & Drug Design 84, 489-496.

9. Letort A, Aouzal R, Ma C, Long DL, Prunet J. (2014) Highly Efficient Synthesis of the Tricyclic Core of Taxol by Cascade Metathesis. Organic Letters 16, 3300-3303.

8. Mielczarek M, Devakaram RV, Ma C, Yang X, Kandemir H, Purwono B, Black DS, Griffith R, Lewis PJ, Kumar N. (2014) Synthesis and biological activity of novel bis-indole inhibitors of bacterial transcription initiation complex formation. Organic Biomolecular Chemistry 12, 2882-2894.

7. Kandemir H, Ma C, Kutty SK, Black DS, Griffith R, Lewis PJ, Kumar N. (2014) Synthesis and biological evaluation of 2,5-di(7-indolyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazoles, and 2- and 7-indolyl 2-(1,3,4-thiadiazolyl)ketones as antimicrobials. Bioorganic Medicinal Chemistry 22, 1672-1679.

6. Zhou Z, Ma C, Zhang H, Bi Y, Chen X, Tian H, Xie X, Meng Q, Lewis PJ, Xu J. (2013) Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel ocotillol-type triterpenoid derivatives as antibacterial agents. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 68, 444-453.

5. Ma C, Yang X, Kandemir H, Mielczarek M, Johnston E, Griffith R, Kumar N, Lewis P. (2013) Inhibitors of Bacterial Transcription Initiation Complex Formation. ACS Chemical Biology 8, 1972-1980.

4. Lundgren RJ, Wilsily A, Marion N, Ma C, Chung YK, Fu GC. (2013) Catalytic Asymmetric C-N Bond Formation: Phosphine-Catalyzed Intra- and Intermolecular gamma-Addition of Nitrogen Nucleophiles to Allenoates and Alkynoates. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 52, 2525-2528.

3. Ma C, Schiltz S, Prunet J. (2011) Enantioselective synthesis of a taxol C ring. Collection of Czech Chemical Communications 76, 1579-1594.

2. Ma C, Schiltz S, Le Goff XF, Prunet J. (2008) Ring-Closing Metathesis in the synthesis of model BC bicycles of taxol. Chemistry-a European Journal 14, 7314-7323.

1. Schiltz S, Ma C, Ricard L, Prunet J. (2006) Synthesis of model BC bicycles of taxol using C10-C11 Ring-Closing Metathesis strategy. Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 691, 5438-5443.