CURRICULUM VITAE
Name:
JINRONG PENG, PH.D
Position:
Principal Investigator
Address:
Institute of Molecular & Cell Biology, 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673
Telephone:
65-65869729 (O)
E-mail:
pengjr@imcb.a-star.edu.sg
Fax:
65-67791117
EDUCATION/EMPLOYMENT
Date
University/Institute
Degree/Position
Sept. 1980-July 1984
Sichuan University
B.S
Sept. 1984-Aug. 1987
Shanghai Institute of
Biochemistry, Chinese
Academy of Sciences
M.S
Sept. 1987-Feb. 1990
Dept of Biochemistry,
Fudan University
Assistant Lecturer
and Researcher
March 1990-Aug. 1993
Mol. Genetics Dept.,
Cambridge Lab.,
John Innes Centre, UK
Ph.D
Sept. 1993-Oct. 1999
Mol. Genetics Dept.,
Cambridge Lab.,
John Innes Centre, UK
Higher Scientific Officer
Nov. 1999-July 2002
Functional Genomics Lab
Institute of Molecular Agrobiology
National Univ. of Singapore
Principal Investigator
Aug. 2002-Aug. 2008
Institute of Molecular & Cell Biology
61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos,
Singapore 138673
Principal Investigator
From Sept. 2008
浙江大学动物科学学院
长江教授(全职)
1
PUBLICATIONS
As corresponding or co-corresponding author:
16. Liu, Y.M., Du, L.S., Osato, M., Teo, E.H., Qian, F., Jin, H., Zhen, F.H., Xu, J., Guo, L., Huang,
H.H., Chen, J., Geisler, R., Jiang, Y.J., Peng, J.R. and Wen, Z.L. (2007) The zebrafish udu gene
encodes a novel nuclear factor and is essential for primitive erythroid cell development. Blood 110:99106.
15. Hussain A., Cao, D.N., Peng, J.R. (2007) Identification of conserved tyrosine residues important
for gibberellin-sensitivity of Arabidopsis RGL2 protein. Planta 226:475-483.
14. Cao, D.N., Cheng, H., Wu, W., Soo, H.M., and Peng, J.R. (2006) Gibberellin mobilizes distinct
DELLA-dependent transcriptomes to regulate seed germination and floral development in Arabidopsis.
Plant Physiol. 142: 509–525.
13. Cheng, W., Guo, L., Zhang, Z.H., Soo, H.M., Wen, C.M., Wu, W., and Peng J.R. (2006) HNF
factors form a network to regulate liver-enriched genes in zebrafish. Dev. Biol. 294: 482-496.
12. Achard, P., Cheng, H., De Grauwe, L., Decat, J., Schoutteten, H., Moritz, T., Van Der Straeten,
D., Peng, J.R., Harberd, N.P. (2006) Integration of plant responses to environmentally activated
phytohormonal signals. Science 311: 91-94.
11. Chen, J., Ruan, H., Ng, S.M., Gao, C., Soo, H.M., Wu, W., Zhang, Z.H., Wen, Z.L., Lane, D.P.,
Peng J.R. (2005) Loss-of-function of def selectively up-regulates 113p53 expression to arrest
expansion growth of digestive oegans in zebrafish. Genes & Development 19: 2900-2911.
10. Cao, D.N., Hussain, A., Cheng, H., and Peng, J.R. (2005) Loss of function of four DELLA genes
leads to light- and gibberellin-independent seed germination in Arabidopsis. Planta 223: 105-113.
9. Hussain, A., Cao, D.N., Cheng, H., Wen, Z.L., and Peng, J.R. (2005) Identification of conserved
Ser/Thr residues important for gibberellin-sensitivity of Arabidopsis RGL2 protein. Plant Journal
44:88-99.
8. Qian, F., Zhen, F.H., Ong, C., Jin, S.W., Soo, H.M., Stainier, D.Y.R., Lin, S., Peng, J.R., and Wen,
Z.L. (2005) Microarray analysis of zebrafish cloche mutant using amplified cDNA and identification of
potential downstream target genes. Developmental Dynamics 233:1163-1172.
7. Wen, C.M., Zhang, Z.H., Ma, W.P., Xu, M., Wen Z.L., and Peng, J.R. (2005) Genome-wide
identification of female-enriched genes in zebrafish. Developmental Dynamics 232:171-179.
6. Chen, J., Li, W.X., Xie, D.X., Peng J.R., and Ding S.W. (2004) Viral virulence protein suppresses
RNAi mediated defence but upregulates the role of miRNA in host gene expression. Plant
Cell 16:1302-1313.
5. Cheng, H., Qin, L.Q., Lee, S.C., Fu, X.D., Richards, D.E., Cao, D.N., Luo, D., Harberd, N.P., and
Peng, J.R. (2004) Gibberellin regulates Arabidopsis floral development via suppression of DELLA
protein function. Development 131:1055-1064.
4. Hussian, A. and Peng, J.R. (2003) DELLA proteins and GA signalling in Arabidopsis. J. Plant
Growth Regul. 22:134-140
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3. Lo,J., Lee, S.C., Xu, M., Liu, F., Ruan, H., Eun, A., He, Y.W., Ma, W.P., Wang, W.F., Wen, Z.L.,
and Peng, J.R. (2003) 15,000 Unique Zebrafish EST clusters and their future use in microarray for
profiling gene expression patterns during embryogenesis. Genome Research 13:455-466.
2. Peng, J.R., and Harberd, N.P. (2002) The role of GA-mediated signalling in the control of seed
germination. Current Opinion in Plant Biology 5:376-381.
1. Lee, S.C., Cheng, H., King, K.E., Wang, W.F., He Y.W., Hussian, A., Lo, J., Harberd, N.P., and
Peng, J.R. (2002) Gibberellin regulates Arabidopsis seed germination via RGL2, a GAI/RGA-like
gene whose expression is up-regulated following imbibition. Genes & Development 16:646-658.
As first author or co-author:
26. Jin, B.L., Tao, Q., Peng J.R., Soo, H.M., Wu, W., Ying, J.M., Fields, C.R., Delmas, A.L., Liu,
X.F., Qiu, J.X., and Robertson, K.D. (2008) DNA methyltransferase 3B (DNMT3B) mutations in ICF
syndrome lead to altered epigenetic modifications and aberrant expression of genes regulating
development, neurogenesis, and immune function. Human Molecular Genetics 17: 690-709.
25. Huang, H.Z., Lu, F.I., Jia, S.J., Meng, S., Cao, Y., Wang, Y.Q., Ma, W.P., Yin, K., Wen, Z.L.,
Peng, J.R., Rao, Z.H., Thisse, C., Thisse, B., Meng, A.M. (2007) Amotl2 is essential for cell
movements in zebrafish embryo by regulating c-Src translocation. Development 134:979-988.
24. Meng, C.Y., Chen, J., Peng, J.R., and Wong S.M. (2006) Host-induced avirulance of Hibiscus
chlorotic ringspot vitus mutants correlates with reduced silencing suppression activity. J. Gen. Virol.
87: 451-459.
23. Jin, H., Xu, J., Qian, F., Du, L., Tan, C.Y, Lin, Z.X., Peng, J.R., and Wen, Z.L. (2006) The 5’zebrafish scl promoter targets transcription to the brain, spinal cord, and hematopoietic and endothelial
progenitors. Developmental Dynamics 235:60-67.
22. Ren, C.M., Pan, J.W., Peng, W., Genschik, P., Hobbie, L., Hellmann, H., Estelle, M., Gao, B.D.,
Peng, J.R., Sun, C.Q., and Xie, D.X. (2005) Point mutations in Arabidopsis Cullin1 reveal its essential
role in jasmonate response. Plant Journal 42:514-524.
21. Wu, W., Liu, X., Xu, M., Peng, J.R., and Setiono, R. (2005) A hybrid SOM-SVM approach for
the zebrafish gene expression analysis. Genomics Proteomics Bioinformatics 3:84-93.
20. Yu, H., Ito, T., Zhao, YX., Peng J.R., Kumar, P., and Meyerowitz, E. (2004) Floral homeotic
genes are targets of gibberellin signaling in flower development. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA.
101:7827-7832.
19. Hynes, L.W., Richards, D.E., Peng J.R., and Harberd, N.P. (2003) Transgenic expression of the
Arabidopsis DELLA proteins GAI and gai confers altered gibberellin response in tobacco. Transgenic
Research 12:707-714.
18. Fu, X.D., Richards, D.E., Ait-ali T., Hynes, L.W., Ougham H., Peng, J.R., and Harberd, N.P.
(2002) Gibberellin-mediated proteasome-dependent degradation of the barley DELLA-protein SLN1
repressor. Plant Cell 14:3191-3200.
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17. Peng, J.R., Richards, D.E., Moritz, T., Ezura, H., Carol, P., and Harberd, N.P. (2002) Molecular
and physiological characterization of Arabidopsis GAI alleles obtained in tageted Ds-tagging
experiments. Planta 214:591-596.
16. Fu, X.D., Sudhakar, D., Peng, J.R., Richards, D.E., Christou, P., and Harberd, N.P. (2001)
Expression of Arabidopsis GAI in transgenic rice represses multiple gibberellin responses. Plant Cell
13:1792-1802.
15. King, K.E, Carol P, Cowling R.J, Peng J.R., Richards D.E, et al. (2000) Genetic approaches to the
understanding of gibberellin-media-ted plant growth regulation. In Molecular Approaches to the
Understanding of Plant Hormones, ed. Palme, Schell. New York: Springer-Verlag.
14. Richards, D.E., Peng, J.R., and Harberd, N.P. (2000) Plant GRAS and metazoan STATs: one
family? BioEssays 22:573-577.
13. Peng, J.R., Richards, D.E., Hartley, N.M., Murphy, G.P., Devos, K.M., Flintham, J.E., Beales, J.,
Fish, L.J., Worland, A.J., Pelica, F., Sudhakar, D., Christou, P., Snape, J.W., Gale, M.D., and Harberd,
N.P. (1999) ‘Green revolution’ genes encode mutant gibberellin response modulators. Nature
400:256-261.
12. Peng, J.R., Richards, D.E., Moritz, T., Cano, A., and Harberd, N.P. (1999) Extragenic suppressors
of the Arabidopsis gai mutation alter the dose-response relationship of diverse gibberellin responses.
Plant Physiology 119:1199-1208.
11. Harberd, N.P., King, K.E., Carol, P., Cowling R.J., Peng, J.R., and Richards, D.E (1998)
Gibberellin: inhibitor of an inhibitor of ---? BioEssays 20:1001-1008.
10. Peng, J.R., Carol, P., Richards, D.E., King, K.E., Cowling, R., Murphy, G.P., and Harberd, N.P.
(1997) The Arabidopsis GAI gene defines a signalling pathway that negatively regulates gibberellin
responses. Genes & Development 11:3194-3205.
9. Peng, J.R. and Harberd, N.P. (1997) Gibberellin deficiency and response mutations suppress the
stem elongation phenotype of phytochrome-deficient mutants of Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology
113:1051-1058.
8. Peng, J.R., and Harberd, N.P. (1997) Transposon-associated somatic gai-loss sectors in
Arabidopsis. Plant Science 130:181-188.
7. Carol, P., Peng, J.R., and Harberd, N.P. (1995) Isolation and preliminary characterization of gas1-1,
a mutation causing partial suppression of the phenotype conferred by the gibberellin-insensitive (gai)
mutation in Arabidopsis thaliana (L) Heyhn. Planta 197:414-417.
6. Peng, J.R, and Harberd, N.P. (1993) Derivative alleles of the Arabidopsis gibberellin-insensitive
(gai) mutation confer a wild-type phenotype. Plant Cell 5:351-360.
5. Whitelam, G.C., Jonson, E., Peng, J.R., Carol, P., Anderson, M., Cowl, J., and Harberd, N.P.
(1993) Phytochrome A null mutants of Arabidopsis display a wild-type phenotype in white-light. Plant
Cell 5:757-768.
4. Peng, J.R., and Sun, C. (1991) Purification and certain characteristics of a Rhamnose specific lectin
in the haemolymph of Philosamia cynthia ricini. Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics
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(in English) 24:279-285.
3. Peng, J.R., and Sun C. (1991) The dynamic changes of two lectins' activities in various tissues
during different development stages of Philosamia cynthia ricini. Chinese Journal of Entomology (in
Chinese) 34:135-140.
2. Peng, J.R., and Xu, T.S. (1990) 5-L-Oxoprolinase in Bombyx mori and the effects of juvenile
hormone analogs ZR512. Chinese Journal of Entomology (in Chinese) 33:143-147
1. Zhao, Z.A., Li, W.S., Peng, J.R., and Gu, Q.M. (1990) Partial purification and characterization of
wheat bran polyphenoloxidase. Journal of Fudan University (in Chinese) 29:318-326.
Book Chapters:
1. Peng, JR. (1995). Gibberellin and plant development. In The Molecular Basis of Plant
Development, Xu, Z.H., & Liu, C.M. eds (Chinese Academy of Science press), pp162-169.
2. Peng, JR. (1995). Plant "fly": Arabidopsis thaliana. In The Molecular Basis of Plant
Development, Xu, Z.H., & Liu, C.M. eds (Chinese Academy of Science press), pp225-237.
3. Luo, D., and Peng, JR. (1994). Methods in plant molecular genetics. In Genetic Engineering in
Plant, Tian B. ed (Chinese Academy of Science press), pp .
4. Harberd, N., Peng, JR., and Carol P. (1994). Genetic and molecular analysis of plant shape and
form using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system. In Shape and Form in Plants and Fungi,
Ingram, D.S., & Hudson, A. eds (for Linnean Society of London by Academic Press), pp241-248.
5. Harberd, NP., and Peng, JR (1991). The Arabidopsis genome and the study of plant morphogenesis.
In Plant Sciences Today, Ed. Inra, (Les Colloques no59, Paris), pp13-15.
6. Peng, JR., and Sun, C. (1988). Insect Lectin. Chemistry of Life Sciences (in Chinese) 8:3-4
176 pp.
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RESEARCH PROJECTS
1. Genetic and genomic approaches to study liver initiation and development in Zebrafish
The liver is one of the largest internal organs in the body and is well-known as the main organ
for maintaining homeostasis by forming bile, cholesterol, heparin and plasma proteins, regulating
blood sugar, lipids and amino acids, as well as storing blood and vitamins. In addition, liver is also the
main organ for detoxification. Although its role in maintaining homeostasis is well studied, liver
initiation and development are poorly studied through genetic approach and only handful information
has been obtained from in vitro tissue culture and tissue explantation experiments.
Due to some of its unique advantages for genetic studies: external development and optical
clarity during embryogenesis allowing for visual analysis of early developmental processes, and high
fecundity and short generation time facilitating genetic analyses, zebrafish (Danio rerio) has been
chosen as a model system for the study of vertebrate development. Our goal is to identify genes
involved in liver initiation and development in zebrafish. We have obtained and preliminarily
characterized 19 independent liver defect mutant lines through screening progenies of ~650
mutagenized families. Our final goal is to clone these mutant genes via positional cloning method in
hope to reveal how these genes are involved in controlling liver development. A panel of genetic
markers has been established for genetic mapping. Three mutant genes have been cloned via mapbased cloning method. We are currently focusing on identifying the molecular mechanism behind the
mutant phenotype observed. In addition, a liver defect mutant caused by the viral vector insertion was
obtained from Nancy Hopkins’ lab. Further characterization showed that the viral vector is inserted in a
novel gene named as def (digestive-organ-expansion-factor). Loss-of-function of def selectively upregulates the expression of a newly identified p53 isoform 113p53 (human counterpart 133p53) that
leads to up-regulation of cell-cycle-related genes but not apopototic-related genes to arrest the
expansion growth of the major digestive organs, including liver.
In addition, our lab has obtained ~15,000 unique cDNA clusters via our EST sequencing
project. At the same time, we have setup microarray facility with optimized methods and conditions.
Two batches of zebrafish cDNA microarrays have generated using these unique EST clusters.
Combining the use of Affymetrix zebrafish genechip and in-house generated zebrafish cDNA
microarrays, we have obtained 129 genes that are genuinely enriched in the adult liver. 69 of these
liver-enriched genes are also found to be enriched in the embryonic liver via whole-mount in situ
hybridization. These 69 genes will be subjected for the functional studies via morpholino-mediated
gene knock-down method to understand if and how they are involved in the liver development.
Eventually, target-selected mutagenesis (TILLING method) will be carried out to identify mutants
corresponding to interesting genes selected from morpholino studies.
The combination of forward genetics and reverse genetics studies will no doubt strengthen our
understanding of the molecular mechanism of the liver development.
2. Towards Dissecting GA signalling in Arabidopsis
Gibberellins (GA) are one class of phytohormones that has profound and diverse effects on
plant growth and development. These effects include the induction of seed germination, the promotion
of hypocotyl and stem elongation, the regulation of pollen development and flower initiation etc.
However, the molecular mechanisms of GA actions are basically unknown. To understand GA action,
factors involved in their signal perception and transduction must be isolated and characterized.
The Arabidopsis gai (for gibberellic acid insensitive) is a semi-dominant mutation, which
confers a dark-green, dwarf phenotype with elevated endogenous GA levels. Dominant mutations
conferring similar phenotypes are known in other plants as well, including maize (D8 mutations) and
wheat (Rht mutations). The wheat Rht mutations are especially important because they are the genetic
basis of the high-yielding, semi-dwarf wheat varieties of the “green revolution”. Recently, we have
cloned GAI/RGA/d8/Rht genes from Arabidopsis, maize and wheat, respectively, and found that these
genes are orthologues. These genes encode proteins that resemble nuclear transcription factors and
contain an SH2-like domain. We have proposed that these proteins are plant equivalents of the
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metazoan STATs and that a conserved phosphotyroine may participate in GA signalling. One of the
main aims of this group is to identify more genes that are involved in GA signalling and to gain an
understanding of the biochemical functions of their encoded products.
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