Ligeng Ma, Ph.D.

Assistant Investigator, NIBS, Beijing

Education:

1987 B.S., Biology Department, Hebei Normal University, China

1990 M.Sc. Plant Physiology, Department of Biology, Hebei Normal University, China

1997 Ph.D. Biochemistry, College of Biological Science, ChinaAgricultural University, China

Professional Experience

2000-2004 Postdoctoral Associate, Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, Yale University, USA

2005-2009 Assistant Investigator, National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China

Research Description

Heterotrimeric G-protein mediated signaling pathway plays a central role in such vital processes as vision, taste, and olfaction in animals. Animals have 23 Gα, 6 Gβ and 12 Gγ subunits, thus potentially assembling over a thousand of different G proteins. These signaling proteins are an area of intense research interest since many human diseases compromise G-protein signaling pathways.

Actually, approximately 50% of the drugs used in clinical medicine target cellular pathways containing G-protein elements. In contrast to animal systems,Arabidopsis thaliana has only one canonical Gα (GPA1) and Gβsubunits (AGB1), and only two Gγ subunits (AGG1 and AGG2). Their function in plant systems is poorly understood, and only one of GPCRs (GCR1) has been shown to be directly coupled by G protein. Our first objective is to assess the function of GPCRs in Arabidopsis development by analysis of those GPCR knock-out mutants. The second objective is the determination of the regulation of genetic and physical interactions between G-protein pathway components in vivo.

Recent years have seen dramatic advances in the general field of epigenetics and chromatin remodeling, these advances include the biochemical and molecular characterization of many of the factors and complexes that modify chromatin structure in yeast and diverse metazoans. Chromatin modification influences nuclear processes from replication, recombination and repair to transcriptional control. Our another current effort focuses on the role of the dynamic of histone acetylation on plant development using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system. We use molecular genetic and biochemical approaches to identify histone acetylation regulator genes that control the underlying plant morphogenesis and cellular differentiation processes.

Publications

1. Ma L.G.*, Chen C.*, Liu X., Jiao Y., Su N., Li L., Wang X., Cao M., Sun N., Zhang X., Bao J., Li J., Pedersen S., Bolund L., Zhao H., Yuan L., Wong G.K.S., Wang J., Deng X.W., and Wang J.. An analysis of transcriptional regulation of the rice genome and its comparison to Arabidopsis. Genome Research. 2005; 15:1274-1283 (*Equal contribution).

2. Ma L.G., Sun N., Liu X., Jiao Y., Zhao H., Deng X.W.. Organ-specific genome expression atlas during Arabidopsis development. Plant Physiology. 2005; 138:80-91.

3.  Feng S.*, Ma L.G.*, Wang X., Xie D., Dinesh-Kumar S. P., Wei N., and Deng X.W.. The COP9 Signalosome Physically Interacts with SCF^COI1 and Modulates Jasmonate Responses. The Plant Cell. 2003; 15:1083-1094 (*Equal contribution).

4. Ma L.G., Zhao H., Deng X.W.. Analysis of the mutational effects of the COP/DET/FUS loci on genome expression profiles reveals their overlapping yet not identical roles in regulating Arabidopsis seedling development. Development. 2003; 130: 969-981.

5. Ma L.G., Gao Y., Qu L.J., Chen Z.L., Li J.M., Zhao H., Deng X.W.. Genomic evidence for COP1 as a repressor of light-regulated gene expression and development in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell. 2002; 14: 2383-2398.

6. Holm M., Ma L.G., Qu L.J., Deng X.W..  Two interacting bZIP proteins are direct targets of COP1-mediated control of light-dependent gene expression in Arabidopsis. Genes & Development. 2002; 16: 1247-1259.

7.  Wang H.*, Ma L.G.*, Habashi J., Li J.M., Zhao H., Deng X.W.. Analysis of far-red light-regulated genome expression profiles of phytochrome A pathway mutants in Arabidopsis. The Plant Journal. 2002; 32:723-734 (*Equal contribution).

8. Ma L.G., Li J.M., Qu L.J., Hager J., Chen Z.L., Zhao H., Deng X.W.. Light control of Arabidopsis development entails coordinated regulation of genome expression and cellular pathways. The Plant Cell. 2001; 13: 2589-2607.

9.  Wang H., Ma L.G., Li J.M., Zhao H., Deng X.W.. Direction interaction of Arabidopsis cryptochromes with COP1 in light control development.Science. 2001; 294:154-158. (Science Express Aug 16, 2001).

10. Ma L.G., Cui S., Xu X., and Sun D.Y.. The presence of a heterotrimeric G protein and its role in signal transduction of extracellular calmodulin in pollen germination and tube growth. The Plant Cell. 1999; 11:1351-1363.