Recognizing Plant Physiology first authors: Ben Zhang
Ben Zhang, first author of Dual Sites for SEC11 on the SNARE SYP121 Implicate a Binding Exchange during Secretory Traffic
Current Position: Professor, School of Life Science, Shanxi University, China
Education: 2011.9-2015.3 Ph.D. University of Glasgow, UK
2008.9-2011.6 M.Med. Soochow University, China
2004.9-2008.6 B.Sc. Soochow University, China
Non-scientific Interests: travelling, reading, fridge magnets collection
Brief bio: I obtained my PhD in 2015 in the lab of Prof. Blatt at the University of Glasgow, UK. From 2015 to 2018, I did 3 years post-doc work in Blatt’s group. My research focuses on the plant vesicle traffic and ion-channel regulation. SEC11, as a member of SM proteins, is involved in the SNARE complex forming. We have found SEC11 binds selectively with SYP121, but not with SYP122. This interaction depends on residue F9 and affects secretory traffic mediated by SYP121. However, the protein sequences of SYP121 and SYP122 are highly identity, including F9, which means there should be additional motif of SYP121 involved in selectivity binding with SEC11. In this study, we identify a second SEC11-binding motif associated with residues R20R21 of SYP121. This motif is important for the link between vesicle traffic and osmotic solute uptake during plant growth.
Now, I go back to China and establish my lab in School of life science, Shanxi University. I will continue my research on the mechanism of plant vesicle traffic and channel regulation, and its advances in crop genetic improvement.
张犇，Plant Physiology论文 Dual Sites for SEC11 on the SNARE SYP121 Implicate a Binding Exchange during Secretory Traffic第一作者
目前职位：校聘教授，山西大学生命科学学院
教育背景：2011.9-2015.3 博士 格拉斯哥大学，英国
2008.9-2011.6 硕士 苏州大学
2004.9-2008.6 学士 苏州大学
兴趣爱好：旅游，阅读，收集冰箱贴
个人简介：2015年，本人博士毕业于英国格拉斯哥大学，导师Blatt教授。毕业后继续在Blatt团队从事3年博士后研究。我的研究主要关注植物膜转运与离子通道调控。SEC11是SM蛋白家族的一员，在膜转运过程中参与SNARE蛋白复合体的形成。我们过去的研究发现SEC11蛋白可以与Q-SNARE SYP121发生相互作用，而不与SYP122结合。该相互作用依赖于SYP121蛋白序列的F9氨基酸残基，并对SYP121相关的膜转运过程产生影响。但是，SYP121与SYP122的序列高度相似，包括共同拥有F9氨基酸残基，这意味着SYP121上存在着第二个位点决定了SEC11的选择性相互作用。在这篇文章中，我们筛选到了SYP121上的第二个SEC11相互作用位点R20R21，并发现基于这一位点的SEC11-SYP121选择性相互作用，将植物生长过程中膜转运与溶质吸收联系起来。
目前，我已回国工作，在山西大学生命科学学院建立自己的实验组。依托特色植物资源研究与利用山西省重点实验室，在未来我将继续围绕植物膜转运及通道调控开展工作，并将研究成果运用在山西特色作物遗传转化中。
