Yun Zhou

Botany and Plant Pathology

Assistant Professor

Phone

765.494.2069

Fax

765.494.0363

Office

Lilly Hall Room B472

Email

zhouyun@purdue.edu

Research Area: Plant stem cells, transcriptional signaling in plant development, cell-cell communication, live imaging, quantitative developmental biology

Current Research Interests:

The research interest of Dr. Zhou’s group is to understand cellular and molecular mechanisms in control of plant shoot development, using both experimental and computational approaches. Our research centers on the stem-cell identity and function during plant development, and we are interested in understanding: how stem cells are dynamically organized and maintained through continuous cell division, growth and differentiation; how developmental decisions are made during cell patterning and new organ formation; and how the transcriptional circuits mediate stem-cell homeostasis and cell-cell communication. We are tackling these questions using multiple interdisciplinary methods, including live cell imaging, computational quantification, modeling, biochemistry, molecular genetics, and functional genomics. Our research aims to uncover general principles of plant stem cell behavior, and to potentially boost biomass production and grain/fruit yield through optimizing and programing stem cell numbers and activities.

Awards & Honors

(2012) Gosney Postdoctoral Fellowship. California Institute of Technology.

Selected Publications

Zhou, Y., Liu, X., Engstrom, E. M., Nimchuk, Z. L., Pruneda-Paz, J. L., Tarr, P. T., . . . Meyerowitz, E. M. (2015). Control of plant stem cell function by conserved interacting transcriptional regulators. Nature, 517(377-380).

Nimchuk, Z. L., Zhou, Y., Tarr, P. T., Peterson, B., & Meyerowitz, E. M. (2015). Plant stem cell maintenance by transcriptional cross regulation of related receptor kinases. Development, 142, 1043-1049.

Zhang, X., Zhou, Y., Ding, L., Wu, Z., Liu, R., & Meyerowitz, E. M. (2013). Transcription repressor HANABA TARANU controls flower development via integrating multiple hormone actions, floral organ specification and GATA3 family auto regulation. Plant Cell, 25, 83-101.

Li, W., Zhou, Y., Liu, X., Yu, P., Cohen, J. D., & Meyerowitz, E. M. (2013). LEAFY Controls Auxin Response Pathways in Floral Primordium Formation. Science Signaling, 6, 23.

Nimchuk, Z., Zhou, Y., & Meyerowitz, E. M. (2013). Little peptides with big roles: regulation of apical meristems by CLE peptides. Annual Plant Reviews.

Kang, X., Li, W., Zhou, Y., & Ni, M. (2013). A WRKY Transcription Factor Recruits the SYG1-Like Protein SHB1 to Activate Gene Expression and Seed Cavity Enlargement. PLoS Genetics, 9(3), e1003347. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1003347

Zhou, Y., & Ni, M. (2009). SHB1 plays dual roles in photoperiodic and autonomous flowering. Developmental Biology, 331(1), 50-57. doi:10.1016/j.ydbio.2009.04.023

Zhou, Y., Zhang, X., Kang, X., Zhang, X. S., & Ni, M. (2009). SHORT HYPOCOTYL UNDER BLUE1 associates with MINISEED3 and HAIKU2 promoters in vivo to regulate Arabidopsis seed development. Plant Cell, 21, 106-117.

Kang, X., Zhou, Y., Sun, X. D., & Ni, M. (2007). HYPERSENSITIVE TO RED AND BLUE 1 and its C-terminal regulatory function control FLOWERING LOCUS T expression. Plant Journal, 52, 937-948.