Faculty of Plant Biology
Professor

Basic Information

yh@uga.edu
Personal Website:
Lab Website
Office:
Miller Plant Sciences, Rm 3607
706-542-1832
Lab office:
Miller Plant Sciences, Rm 3604
Lab phone:
706-542-5622
Research Areas:
Molecular Genetics
Cellular and Developmental Biology
Biochemistry and Physiology
Research Interests:

My research interests center on uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying the biosynthesis of secondary cell walls and the transcriptional regulation of secondary cell wall biosynthesis in plants.

Grants:

  • Elucidating the biochemical mechanisms controlling secondary wall biosynthesis in plants, DOE, 8/15/17--8/14/19.Secondary wall formation in fiber cells, DOE, 8/15/15--8/14/17.

Selected Publications:
  • Zhong, R. and Ye, Z.-H. (2019). Tansley review: Secondary cell wall biosynthesis. New Phytol. 221, 1703-1723. 
  • Zhong, R., Cui, D. and Ye, Z.-H. (2018) Members of the DUF231 family are O-acetyltransferases catalyzing 2-O- and 3-O-acetylation of mannan. Plant Cell Physiol. 59, 2339-2349. 
  • Zhong, R., Cui, D. and Ye, Z.-H. (2018) Xyloglucan O-acetyltransferases from Arabidopsis thaliana and Populus trichocarpa catalyze acetylation of fucosylated galactose residues on xyloglucan side chains. Planta 248, 1159-1171.  
  • Zhong, R., Cui, D., Dasher R.L. and Ye, Z.-H. (2018) Biochemical characterization of rice xylan O-acetyltransferases. Planta 247, 1489-1498.       
  •  Zhong, R., Cui, D. and Ye, Z.-H. (2018). A group of Populus trichocarpa DUF231 proteins exhibit differential O-acetyltransferase activities toward xylan. PLoS ONE 13, e0194532.
  • Zhong, R., Cui, D., Philips, D.R. and Ye, Z.-H. (2018). A novel rice xylosyltransferase catalyzes the addition of 2-O-xylosyl side chains onto the xylan backbone. Plant Cell Physiol. doi.10.1093/pcp/pcy003.
  • Zhong, R., Cui, D. and Ye, Z.-H. (2017). Regiospecific acetylation of xylan is mediated by a group of DUF231-containing O-acetyltransferases. Plant Cell Physiol. 58, 2126-2138.
  • Zhong, R., Cui, D. and Ye, Z.-H. (2017). Regiospecific acetylation of xylan is mediated by a group of DUF231-containing O-acetyltransferases. Plant Cell Physiol. 58, 2126-2138.
  • Zhong, R., Teng, Q., Haghighat, M., Yuan, Y., Furey S.T., Dasher R.L. and Ye, Z.-H. (2017). Cytosol-localized UDP-xylose synthases provide the major source of UDP-xylose for the biosynthesis of xylan and xyloglucan. Plant Cell Physiol. 58, 156-174.
  • Haghighat, M., Teng, Q., Zhong, R., and Ye, Z.-H. (2016). Evolutionary conservation of xylan biosynthetic genes in Selaginella moellendorffii and Physcomitrella patens. Plant Cell Physiol. doi: 10.1093/pcp/pcw096.
  • Yuan, Y., Teng, Q., Zhong, R., Haghighat, M., Richardson, E.A., Ye, Z.-H. (2016). Mutations of Arabidopsis TBL32 and TBL33 affect xylan acetylation and secondary wall deposition. PLoS ONE 11, e0146460.
  • Yuan, Y., Teng, Q., Zhong, R., Ye, Z.-H. (2016). Roles of Arabidopsis TBL34 and TBL35 in xylan acetylation and plant growth. Plant Sci. 243, 120-130.
  • Yuan, Y., Teng, Q., Zhong, R., Ye, Z.-H. (2016). TBL3 and TBL31, two Arabidopsis DUF231 domain proteins, are required for 3-O-monoacetylation of xylan. Plant Cell Physiol. 57, 35-45.
  • Zhong, R., Yuan, Y., Spiekerman, J.J., Egbosiuba, J.C., Guley, J.T., and Ye, Z.-H. (2015). Functional characterization of NAC transcription factors involved in regulation of biomass production in switchgrass. PLoS ONE 10, e0134611.
  • Ye, Z.-H. and Zhong, R. (2015). Molecular control of wood formation in trees. J. Exp. Bot. J. Exp. Bot. 66, 4119-4131.
  • Kong, Z., Ioki, M., Braybrook, S., Li, S., Gu, Y., Ye, Z.-H., Lee, Y.-R., Hotta, T., Chang, A., Tian, J., Wang, G., and Liu, B. (2015). Kinesin-4 functions in vesicular transport on cortical microtubules and regulates cell wall mechanics during cell elongation in plants. Mol. Plant 8, 1011–1023.
  • Zhong, R. and Ye, Z.-H. (2015). Secondary cell walls: biosynthesis, patterned deposition and transcriptional regulation. Plant Cell Physiol. 56, 195-214.
  • Zhong, R., Zhou, J., and Ye, Z.-H. (2015). The Arabidopsis NAC transcription factor NST2 together with SND1 and NST1 regulate secondary wall biosynthesis in fibers. Plant Signal. Behav.  10, e989746.
  • Zhong, R. and Ye, Z.-H. (2014). Complexity of the transcriptional network controlling secondary wall biosynthesis. Plant Sci. 229, 193-207.
  • Zhou, J., Zhong, R., and Ye, Z.-H. (2014). Arabidopsis NAC transcription factors, VND1 to VND5, are transcriptional regulators of secondary wall biosynthesis in vessels. PLoS One 9, e105726.
  • Sestero, C., Tinsley, H., Ye, Z.-H., Zhang, X., Graze, R., Kearley, M. (2014). Using the cell engineer/detective approach to explore cell structure and function. CourseSource (http://beta2.cs.electriccitizen.us).
  • Zhong, R., Teng, Q., Lee, C., and Ye, Z.-H. (2014). Identification of a disaccharide side chain 2-O-a-D-galactopyranosyl-a-D-glucuronic acid in Arabidopsis xylan. Plant Signal. Behav.  9, e27933.
  • Lee, C., Teng, Q., Zhong, R., and Ye, Z.-H. (2014). Functional roles of rice glycosyltransferase family GT43 genes in xylan biosynthesis. Plant Signal. Behav.  9, e27809.
  • Zhong, R. and Ye, Z.-H. (2014). Transcriptional regulation of biosynthesis of cell wall components during xylem cell differenitation. In Plant Cell Wall Patterning and Cell Shape, Fukuda H. ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  • Lee, C., Teng, Q., Zhong, R., and Ye, Z.-H. (2014). Alterations of the degree of xylan acetylation in Arabidopsis xylan mutants. Plant Signal. Behav.  9, e27797.
  • Yuan, Y., Teng, Q., Zhong, R., and Ye, Z.-H. (2014). Identification and biochemical characterization of three wood-associated glucuronoxylan methyltransferase genes in Populus. PLoS ONE 9, e87370.
  • Yuan, Y., Teng, Q., Lee, C., Zhong, R., and Ye, Z.-H. (2014). Modification of the degree of 4-O-methylation of secondary wall glucuronoxylan. Plant Sci. 219, 42-50.
  • Zhong, R., McCarthy, R.L., Haghighat, M., and Ye, Z.-H. (2013). The poplar MYB master switches bind to the SMRE site and activate the secondary wall biosynthetic program during wood formation. PLoS ONE 8, e69219.
  • Yuan, Y., Teng, Q., Zhong, R., and Ye, Z.-H. (2013). The Arabidopsis DUF231 domain-containing protein ESK1 is required for O-2 and O-3 acetylation of xylan. Plant Cell Physiol.  54, 1186-1199.
  • Zhong, R. and Ye, Z.-H. (2013). Transcriptional regulation of wood formation in tree species. In Cellular Aspects of Wood Formation, Fromm J. ed., Springer-Verlag.

 

Education:

Ph.D Plant Cell and Molecular Genetics, Washington University 1994