2009- Associate Professor, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), Shanghai, P.R.China.

2007-2008 Lecturer, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, SJTU, Shanghai, P.R.China.

2006-2007 Visitor, Plant Science Division, Nottingham University. Nottingham, United Kingdom. Adviser: Zoe, A.Wilson.

2005-2006 Lecturer, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, SJTU, Shanghai, P.R.China.

Education

2002-2005 Ph.D in Genetics, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, P.R.China.

1999-2002 M.S in Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University (JAU), Jiangxi, P.R.China.

1995-1999 B.S in Horticulture, JAU, Jiangxi, P.R.China.

Rice possess unique reproductive organ and flower morphology, which is quite different from that of dicotyledon and non-grass monocotyledon. Moreover, the delicate process for the reproductive organ establishment and development not only affects its breeding, but also plays important role for staple food output. Therefore, researches on molecular mechanism of crop flower development will provide us both theoretical and practical knowledge for future application. One of my current research field is study on the molecular mechanism for controlling rice flower organ initiation and morphogenesis. In precious study, we isolated the rep1 mutants, which show palea defective growth specifically. Compared with the wild type plants, the rep1 paleas grow 5 vascular bundles instead of 3, which mimic growth pattern in lemma. Furthermore, the palea cells are smaller and lack trichomes differentiation in the rep1 mutant. These abnormal growth directly affect palea development and seeds production in the rep1 mutant. Through genetic and molecular biological method, we are trying to understand the underlying molecular regulatory network for REP1 in controlling rice palea development and zygomorphy.

Second, I am also interested in the molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS) for rice breeding. Waxy (Wx) gene, which is a key factor in regulating amylose content (AC), plays an important role in determining rice eating and cooking quality (ECQ). We are trying to select ‘waxy’ japonica rice by MAS assay after study the polymorphism of Wx in different cultivars breed in Shanghai.

1. Ling Li, Lin Tian, Taotao Wang, Qigeng Jiang, Zhijing Luo, Mingjiao Chen, Jianzhong Zhang, Dabing Zhang, Zheng Yuan*.(2012) Preliminary Study for the Molecular Mechanism of Low Amylose Content in High-Quality Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Variety ‘Qingxiangruanjing’. Plant Physiology Journal. 48（2）：147-155。（* corresponding author, cover paper）

2. Hui Li, Zheng Yuan (co-first author), Gemma Vizcay-Barrena, Caiyun Yang, Wanqi Liang, Jie Zong, Zoe A. Wilson, Dabing Zhang. (2011) PERSISTENT TAPETAL CELL 1 (PTC1) Encodes a PHD-Finger Protein That Is Required for Tapetal Cell Death and Pollen Development in Rice. Plant Physiology, 56 (2), 615-630.

3. Zheng Yuan, Shan Gao, Dawei Xue, Da Luo, Lantian Li, Shuyan Ding, Xuan Yao, Zoe A. Wilson, Qian Qian, and Dabing Zhang. (2009) RETARDED PALEA1 (REP1) Controls Palea Development and Floral Zygomorphy in Rice. Plant Physiology, 149(1): 235–244.

4. Zheng Yuan, Xuan Yao, Dabing Zhang, Yue Sun, and Hai Huang. (2007) Genome-wide expression profiling in seedlings of the Arabidopsis mutant uro that is defective in the secondary cell wall formation. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology, 49(12): 1754-1762. (cover paper)

5. Dexing Xiao, Zheng Yuan*. (2006) Embryogenesis and seed development in Sinomanglietia glauca. Journal of Plant Research, 119:163-166. (*corresponding author)

6. Mingjie Chen, Zheng Yuan (co-first author) and Hai Huang. (2006) DELAYED FLOWERING, an Arabidopsis gene that acts in the autonomous flowering promotion pathway and is required for normal development. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology, 48(1): 27-34.

7. Yingli Guo, Zheng Yuan (co-first author), Yue Sun, Jing Liu and Hai Huang. (2004) Characterizations of an Arabidopsis mutant, upright rosette, reveal that the UPRIGHT ROSETTE gene is involved in auxin action in plant development. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology, 46: 846-853. (cover paper)

8. Zheng Yuan., Laishui Luo., Dexing Xiao. (2002) Use of Amplified DNA Sequences for the Genetic Analysis of the Peach Germplasm, Acta Agriculturae Universitatis Jiangxiensis (Natural Sciences Edition), 24(2): 172-175.

9. Zheng Yuan., Dabing Zhang. (2002) Molecular mechanism of leaf senescence. Plant Physiology Communications, 38(4): 417-422.

10. Zheng Yuan., Aihu Pan., Zhiyin Jian., Shuping Xu., Susheng Gan., Hai Huang., Dabing Zhang. (2002) Senescence Delay Characterization of Transgenic Brassica chinensis L. Containing an Anti-senescence Chimeric Gene SAG12-IPT. J of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology. 28(5):379-384.

Publications as co-author:

1. Zheng Zhang, Yi Zhang, Hexin Tan, Yin Wang, Gang Li, Wanqi Liang, Zheng Yuan, Jianpin Hu, Haiyun Ren, Dabing Zhang, (2011) RICE MORPHOLOGY DETERMINANT encodes the type II formin FH5 and regulates rice morphogenesis, The Plant Cell, 23(2), 681-700.

2. Jie Xu, Caiyun Yang, Zheng Yuan, Dasheng Zhang, MY Gondwe, Zhiwen Ding, Wanqi Liang, Zoe A Wilson, Dabing Zhang. (2010) The ABORTED MICROSPORES Regulatory Network Is Required for Postmeiotic Male Reproductive Development in Arabidopsis thaliana. The Plant Cell. 22(1): 91–107.

3. Yue Sun, Yang Yang, Zheng Yuan, Jutta Ludwig Müller, Chen Yu, Yanfei Xu, Xinghua Shao, Xiaofang Li, Eva L.Decker, Ralf Reski, Hai Huang. (2010) Overexpression of the Arabidopsis gene UPRIGHT ROSETTE reveals a homeostatic control for indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Plant Physiology, 153(3): 1311-1320.

4. Dasheng Zhang, Wanqi Liang, Zheng Yuan, Na Li, Jing Shi, Jue Wang and Dabing Zhang. Tapetum Degeneration Retardation is Critical for Rice Pollen Wall Development. Molecular Plant, 2008, 1(4):599-610.

5. Na Li, DaSheng Zhang, Hai-Sheng Liu, Chang-Song Yin, Xiao-xing Li, Wan-qi Liang, Zheng Yuan, Ben Xu,Huang-Wei Chu, Jia Wang, Tie-Qiao Wen, Hai Huang, Da Luo, Hong Ma, Da-Bing Zhang. (2006) The Rice Tapetum Degeneration Retardation Gene Is Required for Tapetum Degradation and Anther Development. The Plant Cell, 18:2999-3014.

6. Xiaoxing Li, Xuepeng Duan, Haixiong Jiang, Yunjun Sun, Yupeng Tang, Zheng Yuan, Jingkang Guo, Wanqi Liang, Liang Chen, Jian Wang, Hong Ma, Jinyuan Yin, Dabing Zhang. (2006) Genome-Wide Analysis of Basic/Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factor Family in Rice and Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology, 141:1167-1184.

7. Huangwei Chu, Qian Qian, Wanqi Liang, Changsong Yin,Hexin Tan, Xuan Yao, Zheng Yuan, Jun Yang, Hai Huang,Da Luo, Hong Ma, and Da-Bing Zhang .The FLORAL ORGAN NUMBER4 Gene Encoding a Putative Ortholog of Arabidopsis CLAVATA3 Regulates Apical Meristem Size in Rice. Plant Physiology, 2006 142: 1039-1052.

8. Danhua Jiang, Changsong Yin, Aiping Yu, Xiaofan Zhou, Wanqi Liang, Zheng Yuan, Yun Xu, Qingbo Yu, Tieqiao Wen, Dabing Zhang. (2006) Duplication and expression analysis of multicopy miRNA gene family members in Arabidopsis and rice. Cell Research, 16(5):507-518.

9. Bingjun Qian, Huifen Shen, Jingjing Xiong, Li Chen, Lu Zhang, Junwei Jia, Yuan Wang, Zhuchuan Zhang, Zheng Yuan, Kaiming Cao, Dabing Zhang. (2006) Expression and purification of the synthetic preS1 gene of Hepatitis B Virus with preferred Escherichia coli codon preference. Protein Expression and Purification, 48(1):74-80.

10. Hong Li., Lin Xu., Hua Wang., Zheng Yuan, Xiaofeng Cao., Zhongnan Yang., Dabing Zhang., Yuquan Xu., and Hai Huang. (2005) The Putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase RDR6 acts synergistically with ASYMMETRIC LEAVES1 and 2 to repress BREVIPEDICELLUS and MicroRNA165/166 in Arabidopsis leaf development. The Plant Cell, 17(8):2157-2171.

11. Haisheng Liu., Huangwei Chu., Hui Li., Hongmei Wang.,Jiali Wei., Na Li., Suyan Ding., Hai Huang., Hong Ma., Chaofen Huang., Da Luo., Zheng Yuan ., Jianhua Liu., Dabing Zhang. (2005) Genetic analysis and mapping of rice (Oryza sativa L.) male-sterile (OsMS-L) mutant. Chinese Sci Bull, 50 (2): 122-125.

12. Mingjie Chen., Xiaoqiang Xia., Huiqiong Zheng., Zheng Yuan. and Hai Huang . (2004) The GAOLAOZHUANGREN2 gene is required for normal glucose response and development in Arabidopsis. J. Plant Res,117: 473-476.

Achievement:

Poaceae, one of the largest flowering plant families in angiosperms, evolved distinct inflorescence and flower morphology diverging from eudicots and other monocots. However, the mechanism underlying the specification of flower morphology in grasses remains unclear. We show that floral zygomorphy along the lemma-palea axis in rice (Oryza sativa) is partially or indirectly determined by the CYCLOIDEA (CYC)-like homolog RETARDED PALEA1 (REP1), which regulates palea identity and development. The REP1 gene is only expressed in palea primordium during early flower development, but during later floral stages is radially dispersed in stamens and the vascular bundles of the lemma and palea. The development of palea is significantly retarded in the rep1 mutant and its palea has five vascular bundles, which is similar to the vascular pattern of the wild-type lemma. Furthermore, ectopic expression of REP1 caused the asymmetrical over-differentiation of the palea cells, altering their floral asymmetry. Our work therefore extends the function of the TCP gene family members in defining the diversification of floral morphology in grasses and suggests that a common conserved mechanism controlling floral zygomorphy by CYC-like genes exists in both eudicots and the grasses