Research Scientist

Weiqing Zeng, Ph. D.

*** ***** ******* ********, ***-Plant Research Laboratory

Michigan State University, East Laning, MI 48824

Phone: 517-***-****, Fax: 517-***-****

Email: ********@***.***

EDUCATION

2004 Ph. D. in Cell and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing

Thesis title: Xyloglucan biosynthesis: Identification and characterization of fucosyltransferase and cellulose synthase-like genes.

1996 M.S. in Microbiology, Institute of Plant Physiology & Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.

1993 B.S. in Microbiology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

2005 – present: DOE-Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University.

Research Associate in Dr. Sheng Yang He’s laboratory.

• Studies of involvement of the immune receptor FLS2 and defense hormones salicylic acid and abscisic acid in stomatal response to bacterial pathogens

• Identification and characterization of Arabidopsis scd mutants defective in stomatal defense against bacterial infection

• Cloning of the SCD2 gene involved in alkane biosynthesis of Arabidopsis epicuticular waxes

• Patent application on SCD2, and initiation of licensing this patent to a large company

• Studies of interaction between JAZ repressor proteins and the COI F-box protein involved in jasmoante signaling

2004-2005: Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Associate in Dr. John Lowe’s laboratory at the Life Science Institute, University of Michigan.

• Expression of mice protein O-fucosyltransferases 1 and 2 in COS cells for enzyme activities

• Identification of putative Arabidopsis orthologs of protein O-fucosyltransferases

1997-2004: Cell and Molecular Biology Program, DOE-Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University. Ph.D. thesis research with Dr. Kenneth Keegstra

• Localization of AtCslD2 proteins in the Golgi complexes using membrane fractionation, immuno-detection, and GFP-tagging of proteins

• Functional studies of AtCsl genes using RNAi

• Cloning of genes and characterization of enzyme activities of xyloglucan fucosyltransferases from Arabidopsis and pea.

1993-1996: Institute of Plant Physiology & Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. M.S. research with Dr. Hongyu Song. The biosynthesis pathway and function in nodulation of exo-polysacchrides from Rhizobium astragali.

1992-1993: Department of Biology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. Undergraduate research.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Summer 2007: Lyman Brigg School, Michigan State University. Instructor for LBS 290A, Directed Study-Multidisciplinary, focused on molecular biology and genetic engineering

Fall 1999, Fall 1998: Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University. Teaching assistant for BOT 416, Experiments in Plant Physiology, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

2008, 2010: Reviewed grant proposals for the National Science Foundation

2007-current: Reviewed manuscripts for journals: Plant Physiology, Plant Journal, Plant & Cell Physiology, and Molecular Plant-Microbe Interaction.

PUBLICATIONS

1. Zeng W and He SY (2010) A prominent role of the flagellin receptor FLS2 in mediating stomatal response to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol. 153: 1188-1198.

2. Zeng W, Melotto M, He SY (2010) Plant stomata: a checkpoint of host immunity and pathogen virulence. Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 21 (5): 599-603.

3. Melotto M, Mecey C, Niu Y, Chung HS, Katsir L, Yao J, Zeng W, Thines B, Staswick P, Browse J, Howe G, He SY (2008) A critical role of two positively charged amino acids in the Jas motif of Arabidopsis JAZ proteins in mediating coronatine- and jasmonoyl isoleucine-dependent interaction with the COI1 F-box protein. Plant J. 55 (6): 979-988.

4. Zeng W and Keegstra K (2008) AtCSLD2 is an integral Golgi membrane protein with its N-terminus facing the cytosol. Planta, 228 (5): 823-838.

5. Wen F, Celoy RM, Nguyen T, Zeng W, Keegstra K, Immerzeex P, Pauly M, Hawes MC (2008) Inducible expression of Pisum sativum Xyloglucan fucosyltransferase in the pea root cap meristem, and effects of antisense mRNA expression on root cap cell wall structural integrity. Plant Cell Rep. 27 (7): 1125-1135.

6. Faik A, Bar-Peled M, DeRocher AE, Zeng W, Perrin RM, Wilkerson C, Raikhel NV, Keegstra K (2000) Biochemical characterization and molecular cloning of an alpha-1,2-fucosyltransferase that catalyzes the last step of cell wall xyloglucan biosynthesis in pea. J. Biol. Chem. 275 (20): 150**-*****.

7. Perrin RM, DeRocher AE, Bar-Peled M, Zeng W, Norambuena L, Orellana A, Raikhel NV, Keegstra K (1999) Xyloglucan fucosyltransferase, an enzyme involved in plant cell wall biosynthesis. Science. 284 (5422): 1976-1979.

8. Zeng W and Song H (1997) Cloning of an unlinked exo site from EPS synthesis deficient mutants of Rhizobium astragali strain 107. Acta Phytophysiologica Sinica. 23 (4): 331-336.

MANUSCRIPTS SUBMITTED

1. Gao X, Koo AJK, Zeng W, Howe GA, Staswick PE, He SY, Jones AD (2010) Jasmonate-centric profiling of phytohormone levels in plant responses to stress using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

2. Zeng W, Brutus A, Kremer JM, Jones AD, He SY (2010) A genetic screen using coronatine-deficient Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 yields Arabidopsis mutants with defect in stomatal defense or apoplastic defense or both.

MANUSCRIPTS IN PREPARATION

1. Zeng W, Krassovskaya I, Li Y, Wang Q, Wang Y, He SY (2010) A thioesterase/hydrolase, SCD2 (Susceptible to Coronatine-Deficient Bacteria 2), is involved in the aldehyde-to-alkane conversion during Arabidopsis epicuticular wax biosynthesis.

INVITED PRESENTATIONS

2010: Eastern Michigan University, Department of Biology. Title: Arabidopsis stomatal defense against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000

2007: ASPB Midwest Section Annual Meeting. Title: Identification and characterization of an Arabidopsis mutant scd2 (susceptible to coronatine-deficient Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato strain DC3118)

PATENT

Zeng W and He SY. Compositions and methods for conversion of aldehydes to alkanes, US patent application 201******** (http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2010/0251428.html). This patent is based on my work on the SCD2 gene. It demonstrates a novel method to identify mutant plants with altered epicuticular wax compositions, and offers a possibility to engineer the production of alkanes using microbes or plants.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• American Society of Plant Biologists

• The Society for Glycobiology

• International Society for Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions

OTHER CERTIFICATE AND DIPLOMA

2007, Certificate in Business Management and Communication Skills, from the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management and the College of Communication Arts, Michigan State University.

ACADEMIC SERVICE

1. Served as Chair of the Steering Committee, MSU Postdoctoral Association at Michigan State University from 2009 to 2010

2. Served as Vice Chair of the Steering Committee, MSU Postdoctoral Association at Michigan State University from 2008 to 2009

3. Served in various departmental committees at DOE-Plant Research Laboratory of Michigan State University.

4. Served as facilitator for Teaching Assistant orientations at the Teaching Assistant Program of Michigan State University.

5. Volunteered as facilitator for international student orientation at the Office of International Student and Scholars of Michigan State University.

6. Supervised undergraduate students and graduate students.

REFERENCES

1. Sheng Yang He, 517-***-****, ***@***.***, Professor, DOE-Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University

2. Kenneth Keegstra, 517-***-****, ********@***.***, Professor, DOE-Plant Research Laboratory; Director, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University

3. Jonathan Walton, 517-***-****, ******@***.***, Professor, DOE-Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University

4. A Daniel Jones, 517-***-****, ********@***.***, Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Director, Mass Spectrometry Facility, Michigan State University

5. Aaron Liepman, 734-***-****, ********@*****.***, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University

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