Shuqun Zhang

Associate Professor of Biochemistry

Email:	zhangsh@missouri.edu
Phone:	(573) 882-5837
Lab:	(573) 884-7191
Fax:	(573) 884-9676
Office:	371G Bond Life Sciences Center
Mailing Address:	Biochemistry 371G Bond Life Sciences Center University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia, MO 65211
Research Areas:	MAP kinases and signaling in plant defense responses.

Educational Background

BS		Nanjing University	China	Biology
PhD		University of Texas	Austin, Texas	Plant Biology

Notable Honors and Service

Career Award NSF

Research Description

Protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation play important signaling roles in plant response to environmental stimuli. Extensive recent research in yeast and animals demonstrated that mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are major pathways that transduce extracellular stimuli, including various stresses, into cellular responses. MAPK is activated by dual phosphorylation of threonine and tyrosine residues in a TXY motif located between subdomains VII and VIII of the kinase catalytic domain by MAPK kinase (MAPKK). MAPKK is, in turn, activated by MAPKK kinase (MAPKKK). Multiple MAPK cascades that carry out different functions are present in a single cell.

SIPK and WIPK, two members of the tobacco MAPK family are activated differentially by various stresses, including wounding and pathogen infection. The primary goal of this lab is to define the in vivo function of these two MAPKs by using a combination of biochemical, molecular and genetic approaches. While the components of a plant MAPK cascade are very similar to those of yeast and mammals, plant MAPKs adopt different function and regulation during the evolution. For instance, elevation of WIPK activity in pathogen-infected cells requires both post-translational phosphorylation and a preceding gene transcription and de novo synthesis of WIPK protein. In contrast, all yeast and mammalian MAPKs pre-exist in cells and require only phosphorylation activation. Very interestingly, induction of WIPK mRNA and protein also occur systemically and correlates with the establishment of systemic acquired resistance (SAR).

By understanding, at molecular and cellular levels, how plants protect themselves under adverse environmental conditions, such as a pathogen attack, we could eventually identify suitable targets for genetically engineering of crops with enhanced disease resistance.

Selected Publications

Ren, D., Liu, Y., Yang, K.-Y., Han, L., Mao, G., Glazebrook, J., and Zhang, S. (2008) Fungal-responsive mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade in signaling phytoalexin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, in press.

Wang, W., Liu, Y., Bruffett, K., Lee, J., Hause, G., Walker, J.C., and Zhang, S. (2008) Haplo-insufficiency of MPK3 in MPK6 mutant background uncovers a novel function of these two MAPKs in Arabidopsis ovule development. Plant Cell, in press.

Joo, S., Lueth, A., Liu, Y., and Zhang, S. (2008) Non-catalytic C-terminal domain of ACS6 is essential for proteasome-mediated degradation and MAPK phosphorylation-induced stabilization. Plant J. 54:129-140.

Underwood, W., Zhang, S., and He, S.-Y. (2007) The Pst DC3000 type III effector tyrosine phosphatase HopAO1 suppresses innate immunity in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant J. 52:658–672.

Liu, Y., Ren, D., Pike, S., Pallardy, S., Gassmann, W., and Zhang, S. (2007) Chloroplast-generated reactive oxygen species are involved in hypersensitive response-like cell death mediated by a mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade. Plant J. 51:941–954.

Wang, H., Ngwenyama, N., Liu, Y., Walker, J., and Zhang, S. (2007) Stomata development is regulated by environmentally responsive MAP kinases. Plant Cell 19:63-73. (featured in the Plant Cell "In Brief" and the Science STKE website [MAPK Cascade in Stomatal Specification. http://stke.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/sigtrans;2007/376/tw80])

Suarez-Rodriguez, M.C., Adams-Phillips, L., Liu, Y., Wang, H., Su, S.-H., Jester, P.J., Zhang, S., Bent, A.F., and Krysan, P.J. (2007) MEKK1 is required for flg22-induced MPK4 activation in Arabidopsis plants. Plant Physiol. 143:661-669.

Mino, M., Kubota, M., Nogi, T., Zhang, S., and Inoue, M, (2007) Death of interspecific Nicotiana hybrid involves MAP-kinases signaling. Plant Biology 9:366-373.

Employment Opportunities

Post-Doctoral Opportunities

Electronic submission is encouraged, e-mail to biochemsearch@missouri.edu

Applicants should send CV and names of two references to:
Dr. Shuqun Zhang
Postdoctoral Application
Biochemistry
371G Bond Life Sciences Center
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, MO 65211

MAP kinases and signaling in plant defense responses.