Curriculum Vitae
Zhenping Zhong, Ph.D.
Minnie Belle Heep Center, Rm.324
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-2475
Office: (979) 8459756
Home: (979) 4858485
E-mail: zzhong@tamu.edu
Education
1992-1996 Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology, Institute of Developmental Biology, Chinese
Academy of Science, Beijing, China
Thesis: Expression of Rice and Sorghum Chloroplast Photogene (psbA) Regulated
by its 3' Untranslated Region
1988-1991 M.S. in Plant Genetics and Biochemistry, Fujian Agricultural University, China
Thesis: Investigation of Soybean Origination and Evolution Based on Their
Karyotypes and Isozymes
1981-1985 B.S. in Plant Genetics and Breeding, Fujian Agricultural University, Fujian, China
Professional Experiences
2002,6-present
Assistant Research Scientist, Laboratory of Dr. Max Summers, University of
Texas A&M University
 Design and conduct research on Baculovirus proteins trafficking in insect
cells and their regulations on host cell cycle
1998-2002,5
Postdoctoral fellow, Laboratory of Dr. Donald R. Helinski, University of
California San Diego
 Conducted research in Microbiology, Molecular biology and Biochemistry
 Directed students trained in above related areas
1996-1998
Associated Professor, Fujian Agricultural University
 Conducted research on the expression of major photogenes in plants funded
by China Science Foundation as the Principle Investigator
 Assisted in establishing the Center for Plant Genetics and Molecular
Biology of Fujian Agricultural University
 Supervised graduate and undergraduate students in experimental design and
techniques in the areas of molecule biology and genetics
 Instructor for Molecular Genetics course taken by graduate students and
General Genetics course taken by undergraduate students
1990-1992
Lecturer, Faculty of Fujian Agricultural University
 Instructor for General Genetics course taken by undergraduate students
 Supervised undergraduate students in Plant Genetics Lab
1985-1990
Teaching and Research Assistant, Fujian Agricultural University
 Supervised undergraduate students in Plant Genetics Lab
Summary of Research Experiences
1. 2002,6 – present: I am currently recruited as a Research Scientist in Dr. Summers lab to focus
on two projects as follows:
 The molecular basis of virus envelope protein structure and function, molecular sorting,
trafficking and assembly into viral-induced nuclear membranes during baculovirus
infection: Baculovirus infection results in the aboundant production of intranuclear membranes
that serve as a source of the occlusion derived viral envelope (ODV). During infection, a
synchronous pulse of ODV envelope proteins insert into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), traffic
to the nuclear envelope, to virally-induced microvesicles, and to the ODV envelope. Using ODV
envelope proteins as reporters, we are investigating the molecular basis of this pathway. Research
includes construction of recombinant viruses, over-expression of specific viral membrane
proteins in baculovirus system, protein purification and accurate identification of interacting
proteins using state-of-the-art protein separations
2. 1998 – 2002, 5
Being a postdoc fellow in Dr. Helinski's lab at UCSD, I have worked on the following two projects:
 Identification and characterization of the genes present on plasmids >50 kb in size
isolated from novel coastal marine sediment bacteria: As a key member of this project I was
responsible for: (1) Isolation and characterization of bacteria bearing large plasmids from coastal
marine sediments (2) purification of plasmids 50-250 kb in size (3) The construction of six DNA
libraries from these plasmids. (4) Computer-based DNA and amino acid sequence analysis of the
complete sequences, including open reading frame prediction and sequences similarity
comparisons etc.
 Biochemical and cell-biology studies related to plasmid replication and localization:
The biochemical studies on plasmid replication in E. coli and Pseudomonas and the cytological
investigation of plasmid localization in bacteria are directed at understanding the mechanisms of
replication and stable maintenance of the broad-host-range antibiotic-resistance plasmid RK2 in
E. coli and distantly related bacteria. My focus is on the protein-protein and protein-DNA
interactions that take place during RK2 replication: (1) Functional interactions of the E. coli
DnaA, DnaB, and DnaC proteins or the Pseudomonas DnaA and DnaB proteins with the
replication origins of the broad-host-range plasmid RK2 and the narrow-host-range plasmid F. (2)
Analysis of interactions between the RK2 replication initiation protein (TrfA) and the DnaA and
DnaB proteins of E. coli and the Pseudomonas strains in the presence and absence of the RK2
replication origin. (3) Identification of regions of the TrfA protein responsible for the observed
interactions with the bacterial host replication proteins. (4) Localization of the RK2 plasmid and
the characterization of plasmid movement in E. coli and the Pseudomonas by using fluorescence
tagging-techniques.
3. 1996 -1998
As an associated professor in Fujian Agricultural University (FAU) I obtained a grant from the
China National Science Foundation to study rice and sorghum photogene expression in vitro.
These studies were directed at understanding how the 3' untranslated region of psbA, a gene
playing a key role in plant photosynthesis, regulates expression itself.
Honors and Awards
China Scholarship Council Fellowship (1998-1999)
China Science Foundation Research Grant (1997-1999)
First place in Fujian Agricultural University teaching competition (1997)
Fujian Agricultural University Outstanding Faculty Award (1992)
Fujian Agricultural University Research Award (1991)
Current Memberships
American Society for Microbiology
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Areas of Technical Expertise
 Protein chemistry Biochemistry:
1. Over-expression and purification of bacteria/viral proteins from bacteria and baculovirus
infected insect cells, including the construction and amplification of recombinant virus,
optimization of the baculovirus system for expression and purification of foreign genes
2. Protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions investigation by using gel exclusion
chromatography, column pull-down, immunoprecipitation, , cross-linking, gel retardation,
filter binding assay, footprinting, etc.
3. Assays for a variety of isozymes and luciferase as a reporter for gene expression
4. Preparation of protein extracts from plant cell and its specific organelles
 Microbiology and Cell biology:
1. Mammalian, insect and bacteria cell culture
2. Confocal microscopic technique to tag the subcellular location of DNA or protein
molecules during bacteria cell cycle
3. Optimizing the cell growth systems for protein expression and purification
4. Isolation and characterization of different bacteria from environmental sources including
morphological observation, Gram-stain, and rapid determination of 16S rRNA sequences
for bacteria phylogenetic analyses, etc
5. In vivo and in vitro assays for plasmid DNA replication and stably maintenance in E. coli
and distantly related bacteria such as Pseudomonas.
6. Chromosomes karyotype analyses, mitosis and meiosis observation in plant cells
 Molecular biology:
1. Construction of high quality DNA libraries and specific clones screening
2. Complex plasmid DNA manipulation in vitro, including isolation of huge plasmid DNA
(>100 kb) from a variety of bacteria, construction of plasmids >60 kb and introduce them
into distantly related bacteria by conjugation or electroporation for further study
3. DNA site-directed and random mutagenesis
4. mRNA preparation and its stability assay
5. Standard molecular biological techniques including gene cloning, PCR amplification,
Southern and Northern hybridization, etc.
6. Computer-based DNA/amino acid sequences analysis including ORF prediction,
homologs identification, sequences alignments, etc.
 Computer skills:
1. Bioinformatic analysis of DNA sequences, including the internet-based and Genetics
Computer Group (GCG) DNA and protein sequence analysis software, Ribosomal
2.
Database Project and GenBank database
Vector NTI DNA/protein molecule analysis program
Selected Publications
1. Zhenping Zhong, Donald R. Helinski and Aresa Toukdarian (2003). A specific region in
the N-terminus of a replication initiation protein of plasmid RK2 is required for recruitment
of Pseudomonas aeruginosa DnaB helicase to the plasmid origin. J Biol Chem. 2003 Sep 11
2. Zhenping Zhong, Aresa Toukdarian, Ron Caspi, Donald R. Helinski, et.al. (2003).
Nucleotide sequence based characterizations of two cryptic plasmids from the marine
bacterium Ruegeria isolate PR1b. Plasmid, 49: 233-252
3. Thanh Ho, Zhenping Zhong, Stefan Aung and Joe Pogliano (2002). Compatible bacterial
plasmids are targeted to independent cellular locations in E.coli. EMBO, 21(7)
4. Zhenping Zhong, Ron Caspi, Donald R. Helinski, Aresa Toukdarian, et. al. (2002). A 50
kb plasmid rich in mobile gene sequences isolated from a marine Micrococcus. Plasmid.
47(1): 1-9.
5. Zhenping Zhong, Ron Caspi, Aresa Toukdarian and Donald R. Helinski (2001). Sequence
analysis of a 101kb plasmid required for agar-degradation by a Microscilla strain. Applied
and Environmental Microbiology, 67 (12): 5771-5779.
6. Joe Pogliano, Thanh Ho, Zhenping Zhong and Donald R. Helinski (2001). Clustering of
multicopy plasmids and targeting near mid-cell and quarter-cell position in Escherichia
coli. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 98(8): 4486-4491.
7. Zhenping Zhong, Naihu Wu, 1997. Expressional regulation in vitro of psbA mRNA
3'untranslated region in rice and sorghum. Science in China (Series C), 40(4): 406-413
8. Zhenping Zhong, Naihu Wu, 1996. Isolation and characterization of the chloroplast psbA
gene from genetic engineering rice. Journal of Fujian Agricultural University, 25(4): 387393.
9. Zhenping Zhong, Naihu Wu, 1995. The functional comparison of rice and sorghum psbA
3' untranslated region. Genetics researches in China (1991-1994). Abstracts of the Fifth
Chinese National Genetics Conference. P257.
10. Zhenping Zhong, 1995. Function of mRNA 3'UTR in chloroplast genes (review).
Progress in Biotechnology (China), 15(2): 18-22.
11. Yong Ding, Naihu Wu, Chunxia Chen and Zhenping Zhong, 1994. Genetic Engineering
in Agriculture. Published by China Scientific References Publishing House.
12. Zhenping Zhong, Dejin Liu and Qifeng Chen, 1994. Study on the relationship between
isozymes and geographical distribution and evolution of three soybean species. Abstract of
the Fifth International Soybean Conference, Thailand.
13. Zhenping Zhong, Dejin Liu and Qifeng Chen, 1993. Study on the karyotypes of soybean
species. Journal of Fujian Agricultural University, 22:155-158
14. Zhenping Zhong, Dejin Liu and Qifeng Chen, 1993. Peroxidase isozyme of the cultivated
soybean (Glysine. max). Journal of Fujian Agricultural University, 22: 29-33
15. Zhenping Zhong, Xuejian Lin and Xiuying Zhu, 1990. Study on the karyotypes of pepper.
Journal of Fujian Agricultural University, 19: 277-281