Biography
Dr. Minglei Yang, the Specially Appointed Professor and Ph.D. supervisor, was a recipient of the National Overseas High-Level Young Talent Program. He earned Ph.D. in Biophysics from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in 2015. He conducted postdoctoral research in plant development and RNA structural biology at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the John Innes Centre, UK, from 2015 to 2019. In 2019, He became a Senior Scientist and Associate Researcher at the John Innes Centre, working in the lab of Caroline Dean, a Wolf Prize laureate, on RNA processing and epigenetic regulation of flowering time. He has been focusing on analyzing RNA structure and function in vivo by developing novel methods such as CAP-STRUCTURE-seq, smStructure-seq as well as DaVinci and discovered new gene regulation mechanisms like RNA structure-dependent enzyme activity regulation et.al.. He has published as first and co-author in journals like *Nature*, *Nucleic Acids Research*, and *Current Biology*. He holds 3 domestic patents and has applied for 1 international patent (EU). Invited to present at international institutions and conferences like Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and RIKEN.
Core Scientific Questions
How do plants in extreme habitats (e.g., high altitudes and deserts) utilize transcriptional and epigenetic regulation to interpret complex environmental signals and maintain adaptation to harsh conditions?
Laboratory Research Background
Plants, being sessile organisms, must constantly perceive and respond to environmental changes to adapt their development. Environmental signals are complex, with fluctuating temperatures being crucial for growth. Understanding how plants sense and remember these changes, especially in the context of global climate change, is essential for improving crop traits.
The lab investigates RNA processing and chromatin plasticity in plant responses to fluctuating environments. By exploring plant adaptation in extreme environments, the lab aims to uncover genetic resources and molecular mechanisms for engineering resilient crops.
Current Research Topics
1. Investigating how RNA structure, RNA modifications (including m6A), and processing in response to fluctuating environments and their impact on developmental timing.
2. Analyzing the effects of temperature fluctuations on plant development through non-canonical DNA structures and chromatin conformations.
3. Using synthetic epigenetics to create transgenic crops/plants that tolerate extreme temperatures.
Representative Papers (*Co-first author, #Corresponding author)
1. Yang,M., Zhu,P., Cheema,J., Bloomer,R., Mikulski,P., Liu,Q., Zhang,Y., Dean,C. and Ding,Y. (2022) In vivo single-molecule analysis reveals COOLAIR RNA structural diversity. Nature, 609, 394–399.
2. Yang,M., Woolfenden,H.C., Zhang,Y., Fang,X., Liu,Q., Vigh,M.L., Cheema,J., Yang,X., Norris,M., Yu,S., et al. (2020) Intact RNA structurome reveals mRNA structure-mediated regulation of miRNA cleavage in vivo. Nucleic Acids Res., 48, 8767–8781.
3. Zhang,Y*., Yang,M*., Duncan,S., Yang,X., Abdelhamid,M.A.S., Huang,L., Zhang,H., Benfey,P.N., Waller,Z.A.E. and Ding,Y. (2019) G-quadruplex structures trigger RNA phase separation. Nucleic Acids Res., 47, 11746–11754. (*co-first author)
4. Zhang,G*., Yang,M*., Cai,D., Zheng,K., Zhang,X., Wu,L. and Wu,Z. (2014) Composite of functional mesoporous silica and DNA: An enzyme-responsive controlled release drug carrier system. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 6, 8042–8047. (*co-first author)
5. Cao,X., Wang,J., Xiong,Y., Yang,H., Yang,M., Ye,P., Bencivenga,S., Sablowski,R. and Jiao,Y. (2020) A self-activation loop maintains meristematic cell fate for branching. Curr. Biol., 30, 1893-1904.e4.
6. Yang,X*., Yang,M*., Deng,H. and Ding,Y. (2018) New era of studying RNA secondary structure and its influence on gene regulation in plants. Front. Plant Sci., 9, 671. (*co-first author)
7. Deng,H., Cheema,J., Zhang,H., Woolfenden,H., Norris,M., Liu,Z., Liu,Q., Yang,X., Yang,M., Deng,X., et al. (2018) Rice in vivo RNA structurome reveals RNA secondary structure conservation and divergence in plants. Mol. Plant, 11, 607–622.
8. Yang,M. and Jiao,Y. (2016) Regulation of axillary meristem initiation by transcription factors and plant hormones. Front. Plant Sci., 7, 183.
9. Zhang,L*., Yang,M*., Gao,J., Jin,S., Wu,Z., Wu,L. and Zhang,X. (2016) Seasonal variation and gender pattern of phenolic and flavonoid contents in Pistacia chinensis Bunge inflorescences and leaves. J. Plant Physiol., 191, 36–44. (*co-first author)
Patents
1. Yiliang Ding, Minglei Yang, Jitender Cheema (2022) Single-molecule RNA structure profiling (patent application). LU501541
2. A method for identifying Pistacia chinensis sex, 2014-01-22, China, 201310467123.1
3. A rapid germination method for Xanthoceras sorbifolium seeds, 2014-03-11, China, CN201410088431
4. A method for rapid propagation of high-quality Rhus chinensis clones, 2014-10-08, China, 201410306866.5
Recruitment Information
The lab is recruiting postdoctoral researchers and specially appointed associate researchers with a strong interest in interdisciplinary research and independent research capabilities. Preferred backgrounds include molecular biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, mathematics, or botany. Experience in computational biology or gene editing is a plus. Open until filled.
Students interested in RNA biology, plant epigenetics, and plant-environment interactions are welcome to pursue master's or doctoral degrees in the lab. The lab encourages students from diverse backgrounds to visit and collaborate.
Contact Information
Email: mlyangrna@ustc.tsg211.com