January 2012
YAO, Zemin
EDUCATION:
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Gladstone Foundation Laboratories, University of California, San
Francisco, 1991
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Lipid & Lipoprotein Research Group, University of Alberta, 1988
Ph.D. Biochemistry, University of British Columbia, Canada, 1988
M.Sc. Biochemistry, University of British Columbia, Canada, 1985
B.Sc. Biology, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China, 1982
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
20022001-02
1995-01
1994-95
1991-94
1991
Professor and Chair, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology,
University of Ottawa,
Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology, University of
Ottawa
Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, University of Ottawa
Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, University of Ottawa
Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta
Staff Research Investigator, Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, University of
California, San Francisco
EXTERNAL RESEARCH FUNDING
Year
Source
Amount per year
2011
HSF
$89,754 (PI)
2011
HSF
$73,001 (PI)
2011
CIHR
$25,000 (co-PI)
2011
CIHR
$30,683 (co-PI)
Subject
ApoC3
Hypobetalipoproteinemia
PCSK9
LRP1
Purpose
operating
operating
operating
operating
INTERNAL RESEARCH FUNDING
Year
Source
Amount per year
2011
Faculty
$50,000
Subject
Various
Purpose
Research
PERSONAL STATEMENT
I am a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology and the Department
of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Ottawa. I obtained my MSc and PhD in
Biochemistry at the University of British Columbia under the supervision of Dennis Vance, and
postdoctoral research training at the Gladstone Institute, UCSF, under the supervision of Thomas
Innerarity and Brain McCarthy. In 1991, I was appointed as an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and
established my lab at the Lipid and Lipoprotein Research Group of the University of Alberta with the
support from the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of
Canada, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta, and the Medical Research Council of Canada (now
the Canadian Institutes of Health Research or CIHR). In 1994, I joined the University of Ottawa Heart
Institute to direct the Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory of the CIHR Lipoprotein and
Atherosclerosis Group. Since 2002, I have been appointed as Chairman of the Department of
Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology of the University of Ottawa. I was the founding member of
the Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology (2004-), the Ottawa Institute of Computational Biology and
Bioinformatics (2009-), and the Ottawa Metabolism Research Initiative (2009-). I have a broad research
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interest in the metabolism of lipids and lipoproteins, and in the relationships between various diseases
and the abnormalities in the metabolism of lipoproteins and lipoprotein receptors. I have investigated the
lipid and protein factors that regulate the biosynthesis of LDL and HDL, and my research has yielded
insights into the molecular mechanisms responsible for various diseases, including familial defective
apoB, familial hypobetalipoproteinemia, familial abetalipoproteinemia, and familial combined
hyperlipidemia. I am currently investigating several enzymes and proteins that are produced in the liver,
and am also investigating the role of lipoprotein receptor in the development of cancer. Our research
utilizes modern molecular and cellular biology techniques including genetically modified mice,
proteomics and lipodomics approaches, and modern imaging techniques. Our research program is funded
through operating grants from the CIHR, grant-in-aids from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada,
national training grants funded by CIHR and National Science and Engineering Research Council of
Canada. I publish experimental results in scientific journals and regularly present my discoveries at
national and international conferences. I am also an active teacher through mentoring postgraduate
students in the laboratory and teaching undergraduate, postgraduate, and medical school students.
HONORS
I was the recipient of scholarships during undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral trainings from
various agencies, including Chinese Ministry of Education, Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical
Research, and AHA (California). During my academic appoints at various universities and institutes
(from 1991 to 2008), I received salary awards from Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research,
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, Medical Research
Council of Canada, Canada Institute of Health Research. I have received numerous recognitions and
awards from international and national organizations. I was the recipient of the McDonald Scholarship
from Award, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Finalist of the Irvine H. Page Arteriosclerosis
Research Award for Young Investigators, American Heart Association, Simon Pierre Noel Lectureship
Award and the Senior Investigator Award of the Canadian Lipoprotein Conference, and Ottawa Life
Science Council Achievement Award in Basic Research. Currently I am Guest Professor of Shanghai
JiaoTong University, and Southwest Jiao Tong University, China.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Member of AAAS (1990-), ASBMCB (1988-); ASCB (1994-2008), AHA (1988-2008), and CSBMCB
(1988-2008). Editorial board member for Journal of Biomedical Research (2010-), Journal of Lipids
(2010-), Nutrition and Metabolism (2009-), Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (2011-).
GRANT REVIEW PANELS
Member of grant review committees of Canadian Institutes of Health Research (1994-) and Heart and
Stroke Foundation of Canada (1992-).
EDITORIAL MEMBERSHIPS
Series Editor of ATVB (2011-); Editor of Journal of Lipids (2010-), Nutrition and Metabolism (2009-),
and Journal of Biomedical Research (2011-).
PUBLICATIONS (1997-2011):
1.
Bamji-Mirza, M., and Yao, Z. Phospholipases. American Oil Chemistry Society Lipid Library
(online publication)
2.
Zhou, H., Wang, F., Wang, W., Ning, N., Hou, W., Wright, T. G., Sundaram, M., Zhong, S., Yao,
Z., and Figeys, D. Improved recovery and identification of membrane proteins from rat hepatic cells
using a centrifugal proteomic reactor. Molecular and Cellular Proteomics 10:1-11, 2011
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Qin, W., Sundaram, M., Wang, Y., Zhou, H., Chang, C.-C., Manhas, S., Jiang, Z. G., Wang, C.,
Figeys, D., Jia, W., and Yao, Z. Missense mutation in APOC3 within the C-terminal lipid-binding
domain of human apoC-III results in impaired assembly and secretion of triacylglycerol-rich very
low density lipoproteins: evidence that apoC-III plays a major role in the formation of lipid
precursors within the microsomal lumen. Journal of Biological Chemistry 286:27769-27780, 2011
Bamji-Mirza, M., Sundaram, M., Zhong, S., Yao, E. F., Parks, R., and Yao, Z. Secretion of
triacylglycerol-poor VLDL particles from McA-RH7777 cells expressing human hepatic lipase.
Journal of Lipid Research, 52:540-548, 2011
Bou Khalil, M., Blais, A., Figeys, D., and Yao, Z. Lipin – The bridge between hepatic glycerolipid
biosynthesis and lipoprotein metabolism. Biochimica Biophysica Acta, 1801:1249-1259, 2010
Bou Khalil, M., Hou, W., Zhou, H., Elisma, F., Swayne, L. A., Blanchard, A. P., Yao, Z., Bennett,
S. A. L., and Figeys, D. Lipidomics era: accomplishments and challenges. Mass Spectrometry
Reviews, 29(6):877-929, 2010
Beaujouin, M., Prébois, C., Derocq, D., Laurent-Matha, V., Masson, O., Pattingre, S., Coopman,
P., Bettache, N., Grossfield, J., Hollingsworth, R. E., Zhang, H., Yao, Z., Hyman, B. T., van der
Geer, P., Smith, G. K., and Liaudet-Coopman, E. Pro-cathepsin D interacts with the extracellular
domain of the β chain of LRP1 and promotes LRP1-dependent fibroblast outgrowth. Journal of
Cell Science 123:3336-3346, 2010
Sundaram, M., Zhong, S., Bou Khalil, M., Zhou, H., Jiang, Z. G., Zhao, Y., Iqbal, J., Hussain, M.
M., Figeys, D., Wang, Y., and Yao, Z. Functional analysis of the missense APOC3 mutation
Ala23Thr associated with human hypotriglyceridemia. Journal of Lipid Research, 51:1524-1534,
2010
Sundaram, M., and Yao, Z. Recent progress in understanding protein and lipid factors affecting
hepatic VLDL assembly and secretion. Nutrition and Metabolism, 7:35, 2010
Zhong, S., Magnolo, A. L., Sundaram, M., Zhou, H., Yao, E. F., Leo, E. D., Loria, P., Wang, S.,
Bamji-Mirza, M., Wang, L., McKnight, J., Figeys, D., Wang, Y., Tarugi, P., and Yao, Z.
Nonsynonymous mutations within APOB in human hypobetalipoproteinemia: Evidence for
feedback inhibition of lipogenesis and post-endoplasmic reticulum degradation of apolipoprotein
B. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 285:6453-6464, 2010
Sundaram, M., Zhong, S., Bou Khalil, M., Links, P. H., Zhao, Y., Iqbal, J., Hussain, M., Parks, R.,
Wang, Y., and Yao, Z. Expression of apolipoprotein C-III in McA-RH7777 cells enhances VLDL
assembly and secretion under lipid-rich conditions. Journal of Lipid Research, 51:150-161, 2010
Robichaud, J. C., van der Veen, J., Yao, Z., Trigatti, B., and Vance, D. E. Hepatic uptake and
metabolism of phosphatidylcholine associated with high-density lipoproteins. Biochimica
Biophysica Acta, 1790:538-551, 2009
Ye, J., Li, J. Z., Liu, Y., Li, X., Yang, T., Ma, X., Li, Q., Yao, Z., Li, P. Cideb, an ER and lipid
droplet-associated protein, mediates VLDL lipidation by interacting with apolipoprotein B. Cell
Metabolism 9:177-190, 2009
Bou Khalil, M., Sundaram, M., Zhang, H., Links, P., Raven, J. F., Manmontri, B., Sariahmetoglu,
M., Tran, K., Reue, K., Brindley, D., and Yao, Z. The level and compartmentalization of
phosphatidate phosphohydrase-1 (lipin-1) control the assembly and secretion of hepatic VLDL.
Journal of Lipid Research 50:47-58, 2009
Pan, M., Maitin, V., Lin, S. X., St. Germain, C., Yao, Z. Maxfield, F. R., Williams, K. J., and
Fisher, E. A. Pre-secretory oxidation, aggregation, and autophagosomal destruction of
apolipoprotein-B: a novel pathway for surprisingly late-stage quality control. Proceedings of
National Academy of Science, U.S.A. 105:5862-5867, 2008
Manmontri, B., Sariahmetoglu, M., Donkor, J., Bou Khalil, M., Sundaram, M., Yao, Z. Reue, K.,
Lehner, R., and N Brindley, D. N. Glucocorticoids and cAMP selectively increase hepatic lipin-1
expression and insulin acts antagonistically. Journal of Lipid Research 49:1056-1067, 2008
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Zhang, H., Lee, J. M., Wang, Y., Dong, L., Ko, K. W. S., Pelletier, L., and Yao, Z. Mutational
analysis of the FxNPxY motif within the LDL receptor-related protein1 (LRP1) reveals functional
importance of the tyrosine residues in cell growth regulation and signal transduction. Biochemical
Journal 409:53-64, 2008
Burnett, J. R., Zhong, S., Jiang, Z. G., Hooper, A. J., Fisher, E. A., McLeod, R. S., Zhao, Y.,
Barrett, H. R., Hegele, R. A., van Bockxmeer, F. M., Zhang, H., Vance, D. E., McKnight, C. J., and
Yao, Z. Missense mutation in APOB within the domain of human apoB-100 result in impaired
secretion of apoB and apoB-containing lipoproteins in familial hypobetalipoproteinemia. Journal of
Biological Chemistry 282:24270-24283, 2007
Lo, J. C., Wang, Y., Tumanov, A.V., Bamji, M., Yao, Z., Reardon, C. A., Getz, G. S., and Fu, Y.
X., LTβR signaling by T cell-derived ligands controls hepatic gene expression for lipid
homeostasis. Science, 316:285-288, 2007
Tran, K., Sun, F., Cui, Z., Thorne-Tjomsland, G., St. Germain, C., Lapierre, L. R., McLeod, R. S.,
Jamieson, J. C., and Yao, Z. Attenuated very low density lipoprotein secretion by eicosapentaenoic
acid treatment is associated with impaired utilization of triacylglycerol synthesized via
phospholipids remodeling. Biochimica Biophysica Acta, 1761:463-73, 2006.
Sun, F., Avramoglu, R. K., Vassiliou, G., Brown, R. J., Ko, K. W. S., McPherson, R., and Yao, Z.
Do clustered -propeller domains within the N-terminus of LRP1 play a functional role?
Biochimica Biophysica Acta 1721:139-151, 2005.
Brown, R. J., Gauthier, A., Parks, R. J., McPherson, R., Sparks, D. L., Schultz, J. R., and Yao, Z.
Severe Hypoalphalipoproteinemia in Mice Expressing Human Hepatic Lipase Deficient in Binding
to Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycan. Journal of Biological Chemistry 279:42403-42409, 2004.
Zhang, H., Links, P. H., Ngess, J. K., Tran, K., Cui, Z., Ko, K. W. S., and Yao, Z. Localization of
LDL receptor-related protein (LRP1) to caveolae in 3T3-L1 adipocytes in response to insulin
treatment. Journal of Biological Chemistry 279:2221-2230, 2004
Lapierre, L., Currie, D. L., Yao, Z., Wang, J., and McLeod, R. S. Amino acid sequences within the
1 domain of human apolipoprotein B can mediate rapid intracellular degradation. Journal of Lipid
Research 45:366-377, 2004.
Elzinga, B. M., Baller, J. F. W., Mensenkamp, A. R., Yao, Z., Agellon, L. S., Kuipers, F., Verkade,
H. J. Inhibition of apolipoprotein B secretion by taurocholate is independent of lipoprotein
assembly in rat hepatoma McArdle-RH7777 cells. Biochimica Biophysica Acta 1635:93-103, 2003.
Brown, R. J., Schultz, J. R., Ko, K. W. S., Hill, J. S., Ramsamy, T., White, A. L., Sparks, D. L., and
Yao, Z. The amino acid sequences of the carboxyl termini of human and mouse hepatic lipase
influence cell surface association. Journal of Lipid Research. 44:1306-1314, 2003.
Vukmirica, J., Tran, K., Liang, X., Shan, J., Yuan, J., Miskie, B. A., Hegele, R. A., Resh, M. D.,
and Yao, Z. The N-linked oligosaccharides at the amino terminus of human apoB are important for
the assembly and secretion of VLDL. The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 278:14153-14161,
2003.
Burnett, J. R., Shan, J., Miskie, B. A., Hooper, A. J., Yuan, J., Tran, K., Hegele, R. A., and Yao, Z.
A novel non-truncating apolipoprotein B gene mutation, R463W, causes familial
hypobetalipoproteinemia. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 278:13442-13452, 2003.
Ramsamy, T. A., Boucher, J., Brown, R. J., Yao, Z., and Sparks, D. L. HDL regulates the
displacement of hepatic lipase from cell surface proteoglycans and the hydrolysis of VLDL
triacylglycerol. Journal of Lipid Research. 44:733-741, 2003.
Vukmirica, J., Nishimaki-Mogami, T., Tran, K., Shan, J., McLeod, R. S., Yuan, J., and Yao, Z.
The N-linked Oligosaccharides at the Amino Terminus of Human Apolipoprotein B Are Important
for the Assembly and Secretion of Very Low Density Lipoproteins. Journal of Lipid Research.
43:1496-1507, 2002.
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Tran, K., Thorne-Tjomsland, G., DeLong, C. J., Cui, Z., Shan, J., Burton, L., Jamieson, J. C., and
Yao, Z. Intracellular assembly of very low density lipoproteins containing apolipoprotein B100 in
rat hepatoma McA-RH7777 Cells. The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 277:31187-31200, 2002.
Nishimaki-Mogami, T., Yao, Z., and Fujimori, K. Inhibition of phosphatidylcholine synthesis via
phosphatidylethanolamine methylation impairs incorporation of bulk lipids into very low density
lipoproteins in cultured rat hepatocytes. Journal of Lipid Research. 43:1035-1045, 2002
Becker, L., McLeod, R. S., Marcovina, S. M., Yao, Z., and Koschinsky, M. L. Identification of a
critical residue in apoB100 which is required for Lp(a) assembly. The Journal of Biological
Chemistry. 276:36155-36162, 2001
Ko, K. W. S., Avramoglu, R. K., McLeod, R. S., Vukmirica, J., and Yao, Z. The insulin-stimualted
cell surface presentation of low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein in 3T3-L1 adipocytes is
sensitive to phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase inhibition. Biochemistry. 40:752-759, 2001
Tran, K., Wang, Y., DeLong, C., Cui, Z., and Yao, Z. The assembly of very low density
lipoproteins in rat hepatoma McA-RH7777 cells is inhibited by phospholipase A2 antagonists. The
Journal of Biological Chemistry. 275:25023-25030, 2000
Wang, Y., Tran, K., and Yao, Z. The activity of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein is
essential for accumulation of triglyceride within microsomes in McA-RH7777 cells: a unified
model for the assembly of very low density lipoproteins. The Journal of Biological Chemistry.
274:27793-27800, 1999
Nicodeme, E., Benoist, F., McLeod, R. S., Yao, Z., Scott, J., Shoulders, C., and Grand-Perret, T.
Identification of domains in Apolipoprotein B100 that confers a high requirement for the
Microsomal Triglyceride Transfer Protein. The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 274:1986-1993,
1999
Avramoglu, R. K., Nimpf, J., Ko, K., Wang, Y., FitzGerald, D., and Yao, Z. Functional expression
of the chicken LDL receptor-related protein in a mutant CHO cell line restores toxicity of
Pseudomonas exotoxin A and degradation of 2-macroglobulin. The Journal of Biological
Chemistry. 273:6057-6065, 1998
Tran, K., Borén, J., Macri, J., Wang, Y., McLeod, R. S., Avramoglu, R. K., Adeli, K., and Yao, Z.
Functional analysis of disulfide linkages clustered within the amino terminus of human
apolipoprotein B. The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 273:7244-7251, 1998
Ko, K. W. S., McLeod, R. S., Avramoglu, R. K., Nimpf, J., FitzGerald, D., Vukmirica, J., and Yao,
Z. Mutation at the processing of chicken LDL receptor-related protein impairs efficient
endoplasmic reticulum exit but proteolytic cleavage is not essential for its endocytic functions. The
Journal of Biological Chemistry. 273:27779-27785, 1998
Gabel, B. R., McLeod, R. S., Yao, Z., and Koschinsky, M. L. Sequences within the amino terminus
of apolipoprotein B-100 mediate its non-covalent association with apolipoprotein(a).
Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. 18:1738-1744, 1998
Cavallo, D., McLeod, R. S., Rudy, D., Aiton, A., Yao, Z., and Adeli, K. Intracellular Translocation
and stability of apolipoprotein B are inversely proportional to the length of the nascent
polypeptide. The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 273:33397-33405, 1998
Vermeulen, P. S., Lingrell, S., Yao, Z., and Vance, D. E. Phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis is
required for secretion of truncated apolipoprotein Bs from McArdle RH7777 cells only when
neutral lipid core is formed. The Journal of Lipid Research. 38:447-458, 1997
Wang, Y., McLeod, R. S., and Yao, Z. Normal activity of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein
is required for oleate-induced secretion of very low density lipoproteins in McA-RH7777 cells.
The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 272:12272-12278, 1997
Yao, Z., Tran, K., and McLeod, R. S. Intracellular degradation of newly synthesized
apolipoprotein B. The Journal of Lipid Research. 38:1937-1953, 1997
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