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Yan Xiong
Yan Xiong
185 Cambridge St, Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, 02114
Cell: 515-771-2910
E-mail: xiong@molbio.mgh.harvard.edu
EDUCATION
2001-2006
Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA Ph.D. in Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology
1998-2001
NanKai University, Tianjin, P.R.China M.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
1994-1998
NanKai University, Tianjin, P.R.China B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
POSITIONS
1/2012-present
Research Assistant Professor
Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
10/2006-11/2011
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
HONORS
2009
Tosteson Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, Massachusetts Biomedical Research Corporation
2006
Research Excellence Award, Iowa State University
2001
PACE (Premium for Academic Excellence) Award, Iowa State University
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES
Member, American Society of Plant Biologists
PUBLICATIONS
1. Yan Xiong, Jen Sheen (2011) Rapamycin and glucose-target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling in plants.
Journal of Biological Chemistry. 287, 2836-2842 (elected by Faculty of 1000, score 10)
2. Jianfeng Li, Jenifer Bush, Yan Xiong, Lei Li, Matthew McCormack (2011) Large-scale protein-protein
interaction analysis in Arabidopsis mesophyll protoplasts by split firefly luciferase complementation. PLoS
ONE 6(11): e27364 (elected by Faculty of 1000, score 6)
3. Yimo Liu*, Yan Xiong*, Diane C. Bassham (2009) Autophagy is required for plant tolerance of drought and
salt stress. Autophagy, 5:954-963. (*Equal contribution)
4. Sang-Dong Yoo, Young-Hee Cho, Guillaume Tena, Yan Xiong, Jen Sheen (2008) Dual control of nuclear
EIN3 by bifurcate MAPK cascades in C2H4 signalling. Nature, 451:789-795.
5. Jen Sheen, Ping He, Libo Shan, Yan Xiong, Guillaume Tena, Sangdong Yoo, Younghee Cho, Marie
Boudsocq, Horim Lee (2008) Signaling specificity and complexity of MAPK cascades in plant innate
immunity. Biology of Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, Chapter 86
6. Yan Xiong, Anthony L. Contento, Diane C. Bassham (2007) Disruption of autophagy results in constitutive
oxidative stress in Arabidopsis. Autophagy, 3: 257-258.
Yan Xiong
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7. Yan Xiong, Anthony L. Contento, Phan Quang Nguyen, Diane C. Bassham (2007) Degradation of oxidized
proteins by autophagy during oxidative stress in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology. 143: 291-299.
8. Yan Xiong, Anthony L. Contento, Diane C. Bassham. (2005) AtATG18a is required for the formation of
autophagosomes during nutrient stress and senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Journal. 42:
535-546.
9. Anthony L. Contento*, Yan Xiong*, Diane C. Bassham. (2005) Visualization of autophagy in Arabidopsis
using the fluorescent dye monodansylcadaverine and a GFP-AtATG8e fusion protein. Plant Journal.
42:598-608. (*Equal contribution)
10. Wei-min Li, Qing-dai Liu, Yan Xiong, Shu-Fang Wang, Ning-ning Wang, Yong Wang (2003) Significant
role of cytokinins in maintaining the life of fronds in Spirodela polyrrhiza. Journal of Plant Physiology
and Molecular Biology. 29 (3): 215-220
11. Yan Xiong, Cuimin Liu, Shufang Wang, Ningning Wang, Yong Wang (2002) Chloroplast Genome and the
Regulation of Chloroplast-encoded Gene Expression. Plant Physiology Communications 38
(3):264-270
12. Cuimin Liu, Yan Xiong, Shufang Wang, Ningning Wang, Yong Wang (2002) cDNA Cloning and
Expression of rbcS Gene in Spirodela polyrrhiza. Plant Physiology Communications 38(3): 221-225
Papers in preparation and/or in the review process
1. Yan Xiong, Matthew McCormack, Qi Hall, Chengbin Xiang, Jen Sheen. Glucose-TOR signaling
orchestrates metabolic transcriptome and meristem establishment (submitted to Nature, under
review). We report exciting and unexpected discoveries on how the plant TOR kinase orchestrates
nutrient signaling and meristem establishment in photoautotrophic plant growth fuelled by solar
energy, CO2 and water. Although mammalian TOR regulates growth and proliferation mainly through
translational processes, our studies uncover a central role of glucose-TOR signaling in controlling
transcriptional networks involved in cell cycle, transcription, signaling, metabolism, transport and
folding in Arabidopsis, which may represent a previously unknown but universal phenomenon in all
multicellular organisms from plants to human. We further discover E2Fa transcription factor as a
novel TOR kinase substrate, which governs novel and crucial for transcriptional activation of cell
cycle S-phase genes and root meristem establishment.
2. Yan Xiong, Matthew McCormack, Morris Feldman, Jianfeng Li, Kevan Shokat, Jen Sheen. TOR
kinase as a switch gating nutrient signaling and microbe-independent innate immunity (In
preparation). TOR kinase is an evolutionarily conserved master regulator that integrates nutrients and
energy signaling to promote cell proliferation and growth. Surprisingly, blocking TOR kinase triggers
rapid transcriptional reprogramming and microbe-independent innate immune signaling. We identify
specific MAKKKs, ANP1/2, as direct and novel TOR kinase substrates. Diverse chemical TOR inhibitors or
TOR-resistant ANP1/2 activate MKK4/5-MPK3/6 cascades and the innate immune program. TOR kinase
serves an ancient and antagonistic link between the complex internal nutrient and environmental stress,
and may predate the evolution of microbe- and pattern recognition receptor (PRR)-activated innate
immunity.
Yan Xiong
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CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS, POSTERS, AND ORAL PRESENTATIONS
1.
Yan Xiong and Jen Sheen (2011) Novel TOR Kinase Functions in the Energy and Defense Signaling
Network. Plant Protein Phosphorylation Workshop. Lake Tahoe, CA, 2011. (invited as a speaker)
2.
Yan Xiong and Diane C. Bassham (2006) Autophagy is required for plants to survive under abiotic
stresses. ASPB Plant Biology, Boston, MA, 5-9 August 2006. (invited as a mini-symposium speaker)
3.
Yan Xiong and Diane C. Bassham (2006) Autophagy is required for plants to survive under abiotic
stresses. 17th International Conference on Arabidopsis Research. Madison, WI (invited as a
mini-symposium speaker)
4.
Yan Xiong and Diane C. Bassham (2005) AtATG18a is required for the formation of autophagosomes
during nutrient stress and senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana. 16th International Conference on
Arabidopsis Research. Madison, WI
5.
Yan Xiong, Anthony L. Contento, Diane C (2004) Bassham AtATG181 is required for normal autophagy
function in Arabidopsis. ASPB Plant Biology 2004. Lake Buena Vista, FL