Recognizing The Plant Cell authors: Mingyue Gou
Mingyue Gou, co-first author of Cytochrome b5 is an obligate electron shuttle protein for syringyl lignin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis
Current Position: Professor & Principal Investigator, State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
Education: PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, China Agricultural University, China
Non-scientific Interests: Music, running, & swimming
Brief bio: During my graduate study (2003-2009) with Dr. Guoying Wang in China Agricultural University, I first worked on maize drought response & transgenic techniques, and later on an Arabidopsis autoimmune mutant named cpr30, which exhibits constitutive defense response. CPR30 gene was found encoding an F-box protein that negatively regulates plant defense response. After obtaining my Ph.D in 2009, I continued my study as a postdoc with Dr. Jian Hua in Cornell University, working on the negative regulation of R gene SNC1 by CPR30, BON1, and SIZ1, elucidating the mechanism of complex regulation of SNC1 at multiple levels. In 2012, I joined in Brookhaven National Laboratory to work on plant cell wall biosynthesis under direction of Dr. Chang-Jun Liu. I characterized a novel transcription factor MYB107 that positively regulates suberin biosynthetic gene expression and suberin accumulation. I also worked on elucidating protein-protein interaction events in lignin biosynthesis. We found that the lignin biosynthetic enzyme PAL was controlled by KFB-mediated protein ubiquitination and degradation. Besides, we found the membrane steroid binding proteins (MSBPs) act as scaffold proteins mediating the lignin biosynthetic P450 protein complex formation, and are essential for lignin biosynthesis. Recently, we found an Arabidopsis cytochrome b5 protein CB5D functioning as an electron shuttle intermediate augmenting F5H-catalyzed reaction specifically controlling S-lignin biosynthesis. These studies indicate that suberin and lignin biosynthesis is sophisticatedly regulated at transcriptional and post-translational levels.
姓名：苟明月
目前职位：教授, 课题组长。河南农业大学农学院，省部共建小麦玉米作物学国家重点实验室。
教育经历： 2003-2009，中国农业大学生物化学与分子生物专业，硕博连读。
兴趣爱好：音乐、跑步和游泳
科研经历简介：2003-2009年，在中国农业大学硕博连读期间，师从王国英教授早期开展玉米抗旱机理及转基因相关研究。后发现一个具有组成型抗病反应的拟南芥突变体cpr30，并阐明CPR30作为一个F-box蛋白参与了植物抗病反应负调控的机制。 2009年获得博士学位后，前往美国康奈尔大学做博士后，师从Jian Hua教授开展R基因SNC1的负调控机理研究，发现CPR30、 BON1、SIZ1等基因分别在不同的层次参与SNC1的负调控。2012年，前往美国布鲁克海文国家实验室，师从Chang-Jun Liu 教授开展植物细胞壁合成机理研究。在此期间，克隆了一个参与拟南芥木栓质合成调控的新转录因子MYB107，通过转录调控木栓质合成基因的表达控制木栓质的积累。另外，主要开展了木质素合成酶蛋白复合体形成机理的研究。我们发现木质素合成的第一个酶PAL受到到KFB蛋白的泛素化降解调控；此外，还发现MSBP蛋白作为骨架蛋白参与调控几个木质素合成单加氧酶（P450）的蛋白复合体形成，对木质素合成起重要作用；根据最新研究，我们发现CB5D基因作为一个电子传递体参与了木质素合成酶F5H的催化反应，特异控制S型木质素的生物合成。这些结果表明木栓质和木质素的合成受到转录和翻译后水平的精细调控。
