General

The main focus of Dr. Yang Yungui’s research is to dissect epitranscriptomic mechanisms and functions of methylations on RNA. He has made a breakthrough point of expanding new research frontiers of RNA methylation-mediated epitranscriptomics by identifying the mammalian RNA N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase complex METTL3/METTL14/WTAP, selective mechanism of m6A site, m6A demethylases ALKBH5/FTO and direct role of m6A reader YTHDC1 in pre-mRNA splicing. The discovery of enzymes catalyzing m6A dynamics and m6A role in controlling RNA processing demonstrates that besides the vital roles of DNA methylations the dynamic and reversible chemical m6A modification on RNA also plays essential roles in epigenetic regulation of basic life processes in mammals. m6A now becomes a novel epitranscriptomic marker of profound biological significance. He has published as 51 research articles in high-profile journals including Cell, Cell Stem Cell, Mol Cell, etc


Research Areas

RNA Epigenetics with particular focus on dissecting the roles and biological significance of epitranscriptomic RNA modifications.


Education

1995-2000             PhD Degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Shanghai Institute of

                               Materia Medica and Shanghai Research Center of Biotechnology, CAS

                               Supervised by Dr. Shengli Yang, Academician of China Academy of Engineering

1991-1995             BS Degree in Microbiology from FuDan University, Shanghai


Publications

1.        Ang Li,, Yu-Sheng Chen,, Xiao-Li Ping, Xin Yang, Wen Xiao, Ying Yang, Hui-Ying Sun, Qin Zhu, Poonam Baidya, Xing Wang, Devi Prasad Bhattarai, Yong-Liang Zhao, Bao-Fa Sun*, Yun-Gui Yang*. Cytoplasmic m6A reader YTHDF3 promotes mRNA translation. Cell Res in press

2.        Samir Adhikari, Wen Xiao, Yong-Liang Zhao, Yun-Gui Yang*. m6A: Signaling for mRNA Splicing. RNA Biol 13(9) :756-759 (2016)

3.        Wen Xiao, Samir Adhikari, Ujwal Dahal, Yu-Sheng Chen, Ya-Juan Hao, Bao-Fa Sun, Hui-Ying Sun, Ang LI, Xiao-Li Ping, Wei-Yi Lai, Xing Wang, Chun-Min Huang, Ying Yang, Guibin Jiang, Hai-Lin Wang, Qi Zhou, Xiu-Jie Wang, Yong-Liang Zhao, Yun-Gui Yang*. Nuclear m6A reader YTHDC1 regulates mRNA splicing. Mol Cell 61(4): 507-519 (2016) (Spotlight in Trends In Genetics )

4.        Tong CHEN, Ya-Juan HAO, Ying ZHANG, Miao-Miao LI, Meng WANG, Yongsheng WU, Ying LV, Jie HAO, Libin WANG, Ang LI, Ying YANG, Kang-Xuan JIN, Xu ZHAO, Yuhuan LI, Xiao-Li PING, Wei-Yi LAI, Li-Gang WU, Guibin JIANG, Hai-Lin WANG, Lisi SANG, Xiu-Jie WANG*, Yun-Gui YANG*, Qi ZHOU*. m6A RNA methylation is regulated by microRNAs and promotes reprogramming to pluripotency. Cell Stem Cell 16(3):289301 (2015).(Cover story and Highlights in Cell Press)

5.        Xiao-Li PING, Bao-Fa SUN, Lu WANG, Wen XIAO, Xin YANG, Wen-Jia WANG, Samir ADHIKARI, Yue SHI, Ying LV, Yu-Sheng CHEN, Xu ZHAO, Ang LI, Ying YANG, Ujwal DAHAL, Xiao-Min LOU, Xi LIU, Jun HUANG, Wei-Ping YUAN, Xiao-Fan ZHU, Tao CHENG, Yong-Liang ZHAO, Xinquan WANG, Jannie DANIELSEN, Feng LIU*, Yun-Gui YANG*. Mammalian WTAP is a regulatory subunit of the RNA N6-methyladenosine methyltransferase. Cell Res 24(2):177189(2014).Research Highlights by Natl Sci Rev

6.        Xu ZHAO, Ying YANG, Bao-Fa SUN, Yue SHI, Xin YANG, Wen XIAO, Ya-Juan HAO, Xiao-Li PING, Yu-Sheng CHEN, Wen-Jia WANG, Kang-Xuan JIN, Xing WANG, Chun-Min HUANG, Yu FU, Xiao-Meng GE, Shu-Hui SONG, Hyun SEOK JEONG, Hiroyuki YANAGISAWA, Yamei NIU, Guifang JIA, Wei WU, Wei-Min TONG, Akimitsu OKAMOTO, Chuan HE, Jannie DANIELSEN, Xiu-Jie WANG, Yun-Gui YANG*. FTO-dependent demethylation of N6-methyladenosine regulates mRNA splicing and is required for adipogenesis. Cell Res 24(12):1403-1419 (2014).(Research Highlights by Cell Res)

7.        Guanqun ZHENG, John DAHI, Yamei NIU, Peter FEDORCSAK, Chun-Min HUANG, Charles LI, Cathrine VAGBO, Yue SHI, Wen-Ling WANG, Shu-Hui SONG, Zhike LU, Ralph BOSMANS, Qing DAI, Ya-Juan HAO, Xin YANG, Wen-Ming ZHAO, Wei-Min TONG, Xiu-Jie WANG, Florian BOGDAN, Kari FURU, Ye FU, Guifang JIA, Xu ZHAO, Jun LIU, Hans KROKAN, Arne KLUNGLAND*, Yun-Gui YANG*, Chuan HE*. ALKBH5 is a mammalian RNA demethylase that impacts RNA metabolism and mouse fertility. Mol Cell 49(1):18-29 (2013).(Highlights in Science Editor’s Choice)

8.        Ying YANG, Bao-Fa SUN, Wen XIAO, Xin YANG, Yong-Liang ZHAO, Yun-Gui YANG*. Dynamic m6A modification and its emerging regulatory role in mRNA splicing. Sci Bull 60: 21-32 (2015)

9.        Arne Klungland*,Yun-Gui Yang*. Endogenous DNA Damage and Repair Enzymes. Genom Prote Bioinfor. doi:10.1016/j.gpb.2015.11.001 (2016)

10.    Shuangli MI, Arne KLUNGLAND*, Yun-Gui YANG*. Base-Excision Repair and Beyond. SCIENCE CHINA Life Sciences. 59: 1–4 (2016).

11.    Ming-Ming LI, Anja NILSEN, Yue SHI, Markus FUSSER, Yue-He DING, Ye FU, Bo LIU, Yamei NIU, Yong-Sheng WU, Chun-Min HUANG, Maria OLOFSSON, Kuang-Xuan JIN, Ying LV, Xing-Zhi XU, Chuan HE, Meng-Qiu DONG, Jannie M. Rendtlew DANIELSEN,* Arne KLUNGLAND*, and Yun-Gui YANG*. ALKBH4-dependent demethylation of actin regulates actomyosin dynamics. Nature Commun 4:1832 doi: 10.1038/ncomms2863 (2013).

12.    Yun-Gui YANG*, Yijun QI*. RNA-directed repair of DNA double-strand breaks. DNA Repair 32:82-85 (2015).

13.    Xu Zhao, Ying Yang, Bao-Fa Sun, Yong-Liang Zhao, Yun-Gui Yang*. FTO and obesity: mechanisms of association. Curr Diab Rep 14(5):486(DOI 10.1007/s11892-014-0486-0 (2014)

14.    Min GAO, Wei WEI, Ming-Ming LI, Yong-Sheng WU, Zhongqing BAO, kang-Xuan JIN, Miao-Miao LI, You-Qi LIAO, Samir ADHIKARI, Zechen CHONG, Ting ZHANG, Cai-Xia GUO, Tie-Shan TANG, Bing-Tao ZHU, Xing-Zhi XU, Niels MAILAND, Yun-Gui YANG*, Yijun QI*, and Jannie M Rendtlew DANIELSEN. Ago2 facilitates Rad51 recruitment and DNA double-strand break repair by homologous recombination. Cell Res 24(5):532-541 (2014).(Research Highlights by Cell Res)

15.    Bailin ZHAO, Ying YANG, Xiaoli WANG, Zechen CHONG, Ruichuan YIN, Shu-Hui SONG, Chao ZHAO, Cuiping LI, Hua HUANG, Bao-Fa SUN, Danni WU, Kang-Xuan JIN, Maoyong SONG, Ben-Zhan ZHU, Guibin JIANG, Jannie M. Rendtlew DANIELSEN, Guo-Liang XU, Yun-Gui YANG*, and Hailin WANG*. Redox-active quinones induce genome wide DNA methylation changes by an iron mediated and Tet-dependent. Nucleic Acids Res 42(3):1593-1605(2014).

16.    Yamei NIU, Xu ZHAO, Yong-Sheng WU, Ming-Ming LI, Xiu-Jie WANG, Yun-Gui YANG*. N6-methyl-adenosine (m6A) in RNA: an old modification with a novel epigenetic function. Genom Prote Bioinfor 11(1):8-17 (2013).

17.    Min GAO, Jannie DANIELSEN, Lei-Zhen WEI, Dong-Ping ZHOU, Qian XU, Miao-Miao LI, Zhao-Qi WANG, Wei-Min TONG, Yun-Gui YANG*. A novel role of human holliday junction resolvase GEN1 in the maintenance of centrosome integrity. PLoS ONE 7(11): e49687. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049687(2012).

18.    Yun-Gui YANG, Tomas LINDAHL, Debbie BARNES. Trex1 exonuclease degrades ssDNA to prevent chronic checkpoint activation and autoimmune disease. Cell 131(5):873-886(2007)(Research Highlights and Faculty 1000).

19.    Yun-Gui YANG, Amal SAIDI, Pierre-Olivier FRAPPART, Wookee MIN, Chriselle BARRUCAND, Valerie DUMON-JONES, Jocelyne MICHELON, Zdenko HERCEG, Zhao-Qi WANG*. Conditional deletion of Nbs1 in murine cells reveals its role in branching repair pathways of DNA double-strand breaks. EMBO J 25(23):5527-5538(2006).

20.    Yun-Gui YANG, Pierre-Olivier FRAPPART, Lucien FRAPPART, Zhao-Qi WANG, Wei-Min TONG*. The Fanconi anemia group A protein modulates homologous repair of DNA double-strand breaks in mammalian cells. DNA Repair 5(8):885-893(2006).

21.    Yun-Gui YANG, Zdenko HERCEG, Koji NAKANISHI, Ilja DEMUTH, Colette PICCOLI, Jocelyne MICHELON, Gabriele HILDEBRAND, Maria JASIN, Martin DIGWEED, Zhao-Qi WANG*. The Fanconi anemia group A protein modulates homologous repair of DNA double-strand breaks in mammalian cells. Carcinogenesis 26(10):1731-1740(2005).

22.    Yun-Gui YANG, Ulrich CORTES, Srinivas PATNAIK, Maria JASIN, Zhao-Qi WANG*. Ablation of PARP-1 does not interfere with the repair of DNA double-strand breaks, but compromises the reactivation of stalled replication forks. Oncogene 23(21):3872-3882(2004).

23.    Tangliang Li, Yue Shi, Pei Wang, Luis Miguel Guachalla, Baofa Sun, Tjard Joerss, YuSheng Chen, Marco Groth, Anja Krueger, Matthias Platzer, Yun-Gui Yang, Karl Lenhard Rudolph, Zhao-Qi Wang*. Smg6/Est1 licenses embryonic stem cell differentiation via nonsensemediated mRNA decay. EMBO J 34(16):2111-2210(2015)

24.    Alicia TAPIAS, Zhong-Wei ZHOU, Yue SHI, Zechen CHONG, Pei WANG, Marco GROTH, Matthias PLATZER, Wieland HUTTNER, Zdenko HERCEG, Yun-Gui YANG, Zhao-Qi WANG*. Trrap-dependent histone acetylation specifically regulates cell-cycle gene transcription to control neural progenitor fate decisions. Cell Stem Cell 14(5):632-643(2014).(Cover story)

25.    Lixian CHANG, Weiping YUAN, Huimin ZENG, Quanquan ZHOU, Wei WEI, Jianfeng ZHOU, Miao-Miao LI, Xiaomin WANG, Mingjiang XU, Fengchun YANG, Yun-Gui YANG; Tao CHEN; Xiaofan ZHU*. Whole exome sequencing reveals potentially collaborative mutations of multiple FA genes in Fanconi Anemia patients. BMC Medical Genomics 7:24 doi:10.1186/1755-8794-7-24(2014).

26.    Guanqun ZHENG, John DAHL, Yamei NIU, Ye FU, Arne KLUNGLAND, Yun-Gui YANG, Chuan HE*. Sprouts of RNA epigenetics: the discovery of mammalian RNA demethylases. RNA Biol 10(6):1-4(2013).

27.    Ruichuan YIN, Shi-Qing MAO, Bailin ZHAO, Zechen CHONG, Ying YANG, Chao ZHAO, Dapeng ZHANG, Hua HUANG, Juan GAO, Zheng LI, Yan JIAO, Cuiping LI, Shengquan LIU, Danni WU, Weikuan GU, Yun-Gui YANG, Guo-Liang XU, Hailin WANG*. Ascorbic acid enhances Tet-mediated 5-methylcytosine oxidation and promotes DNA demethylation in mammals. J AM CHEM SOC 135(28):10396-403 (2013).

28.    Bine VILLUMSEN, Jannie DANIELSEN, Lou POVLSEN, Kathrine SYLVESTERSEN, Andreas MERDES, Petra BELI, Yun-Gui YANG, Chunaram CHOUDHARY, Michael NIELSEN, Niels MAILAND* and Simon BEKKER-JESNENA*. Regulation of centriolar satellites by stress-induced disassembly and ubiquitylation. EMBO J 32(23):3029-3040(2013).

29.    Fengli WANG, Yeran YANG, Xiwen LIN, Jiu-Qiang WANG, Yong-Sheng WU, Wenjuan XIE, Dandan WANG, Shu ZHU, You-Qi LIAO, Qinmiao SUN, Yun-Gui YANG, Huai-Rong LUO, Cai-Xia GUO*, Chunsheng Han*, and Tie-Shan Tang*. Genome-wide loss of 5-hmC is a novel epigenetic feature of Huntington's disease. Hum Mol Genet 22(18):3641-3653 (2013)

30.    Wei WEI, Zhaoqing BAO, Min GAO, Yang WU, Yanting MA, Simon AMIARD, Charles WHITE, Jannie DANIELSEN, Yun-Gui YANG, Yijun QI*. A role for small RNAs in DNA double-strand break repair. Cell 149(1):101-112(2012).(Paper in Cell’s Best of 2012, http://www.lsi.umich.edu/jun-wu-lab/paper-in-cells-best-of-2012)

31.    Rui LI, Yun-Gui YANG, Yunzhou GAO, Zhao-Qi WANG, Wei-Min TONG*. A distinct response to endogenous DNA damage in the development of Nbs1-deficient cortical neurons. Cell Res 22(5):859-872(2012).

32.    Guifang JIA, Ye FU, Xu ZHAO, Qing DAI, Guanqun ZHENG, Ying YANG, Chengqi YI, Tomas LINDAHL, Tao PAN, Yun-Gui YANG, Chuan HE*. Methylated nuclear RNA is the main substrate of the obesity-associated FTO protein. Nat Chem Biol 7 (12): 885-887 (2011).

33.    Haibo WANG, Ailian ZHAO, Lin CHEN, Xueyang ZHONG, Ji LIAO, Min GAO, Minghua CAI, Dong-Hyun LEE, Jing LI, Dipanajan CHOWDHURY, Yun-Gui YANG, Gerd PFEIFER, Yun YEN, Xingzhi XU*. Human RIF1 encodes an anti-apoptotic factor required for DNA repair. Carcinogenesis 30(8): 1314-1319(2009).

34.    Tomas LINDAHL*, Debbie BARNES, Yun-Gui YANG, Peter ROBIN  Biochemical properties of mammalian TREX1 and its association with DNA replication and inherited inflammatory disease. BIOCHEM SOC T 37(Pt3):535-538(2009).

35.    Wei-Min TONG, Yun-Gui YANG, Wen-Hui CAO, Dominique GALENDO, Lucien FRAPPART, Yan SHEN, Zhao-Qi WANG*. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 plays a role in suppressing mammary tumourigenesis in mice. Oncogene 26(26):3857-3867(2007).

36.    Lydia MESSAOUDI, Yun-Gui YANG, Aiko KINOMURA, Diana Stavreva, Gonghong YAN, Marie-Line Bortolin-CAVAILLE, Hiroshi ARKAWA, Jean-Marie BUERSTEDDE, Pierre HAINAUT, Jerome CAVAILLE, Minoru TAKATA, Eric VAN DYCK*. Stress-induced subcellular redistribution of human RDM1 proteins and novel role for RDM1 in the cell response to heat shock in vertebrates. Stress-induced subcellular redistribution of human RDM1 proteins and novel role for RDM1 in the cell response to heat shock in vertebrates. Nucleic Acids Res 35(19): 6571-6587(2007).

37.    Rabih MURR, Joanna LOIZOU, Yun-Gui YANG, Cyrille CUENIN, Hai LI, Zhao-Qi WANG, Zdenko HERCEG*. Histone acetylation by Trrap/Tip60 HAT modulates loading of repair proteins to DNA breaks and repair of DNA double strand breaks. Nat Cell Biol 8(1):91-99(2006).

38.    Koji NAKANISHI, Yun-Gui YANG, Andrew PIERCE, Toshiyasu TANIGUCHI, Martin DIGWEED, Alan D'ANDREA, Zhao-Qi WANG, Maria JASIN*. Human Fanconi anemia monoubiquitination pathway promotes homologous DNA repair. P NATL ACAD SCI USA 102(4):1110-1115(2005).

39.    Samia HAMIMES, Hiroshi ARAKAWA, Alicja STASIAK, Andrzej Kierzek, Seiki HIRANO, Yun-Gui YANG, Minoru TAKADA, Andrezj STASIAK, Jean-Marie BUERSTEDDE, Eric VAN DYCK*. RDM1, a novel RNA-Recognition Motif (RRM)-containing protein involved in the cell response to cisplatin in vertebrates. J Biol Chem 280(10):9225-9235(2005).

Students

已指导学生

黄春敏  硕士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

徐倩  硕士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

周东平  硕士研究生  071022-基因组学  

王文岭  硕士研究生  071022-基因组学  

高敏  博士研究生  071022-基因组学  

廖友琦  硕士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

李明明  博士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

赵旭  博士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

金康宣  硕士研究生  071022-基因组学  

杨莹  博士研究生  071022-基因组学  

史悦  博士研究生  071022-基因组学  

吕英  硕士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

肖文  博士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

平晓丽  博士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

李苗苗  硕士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

马海丽  硕士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

郝亚娟  博士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

王文佳  硕士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

祝芹  硕士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

杨鑫  博士研究生  0710Z1-基因组学  

孙慧颖  硕士研究生  0710Z1-基因组学  

王兴  硕士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

于佳丽  硕士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

闫克强  硕士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

韩亚男  硕士研究生  0710J3-生物信息学  

现指导学生

陈宇晟  博士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

李昂  博士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

时博阳  博士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

张益畅  硕士研究生  0710J3-生物信息学  

鞠林芳  硕士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

葛新阳  硕士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

韩悦  博士研究生  0710Z1-基因组学  

张清杨  博士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

李若琳  硕士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

周佳熠  博士研究生  0710Z1-基因组学  

梁承志  硕士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

姚欢  博士研究生  0710Z1-基因组学  

刘倩兰  博士研究生  0710Z1-基因组学  

杨文兰  博士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

陈静  硕士研究生  085238-生物工程  

Honors & Distinctions

2012 UCAS - BHPB Tutor Prize for Scientific Research

2012 CAS International Cooperation Award for Young Scientists

2013 CAS-ZhuLiYueHua Prize for Excellent Teachers

2014 Excellent in the Final Review of CAS "100-Talents Program"

2015 Distinguished Professor, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2016 National Science Foundation of China for Distinguished Young Scientist Scholar


Working Experience

2014 -present Deputy Director of CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, CAS

2008-present The CAS “100-Talent” Professor, Beijing Institute of Genomics, CAS

2005 -2008 Cancer Research UK Clare Hall Laboratories, London, Post-doctor Supervised by Dr. Tomas Lindahl, Fellow of Royal Society,UK, 2015 Nobel Laurate in Chemistry Prize

2003-2005 International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, Staff Scientist

2000-2003 International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, Post-doctor Supervised by Dr. Zhao-Qi Wang, Academician of European Academy of Sciences

Academic Backgrounds for International Students

Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Genomics, Bioinformatics, Computer Information Science, etc.