Yuqing Dong

Assistant Professor




Contact Information

107 Jordan Hall
Phone: 864 656-7620
FAX: 864 656-0435
Email: ydong@clemson.edu

Education

  • Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, 2000-2006     
  • Ph.D. Plant Molecular Biology, Peking University, 1999     
  • B.S.  Biochemistry,  East China University of Science and Technology, 1994     

Research Interests

The study of aging in different model organisms has produced fundamental observations on mechanisms of aging. It is well known that certain genetic pathways controlling longevity are highly conserved from nematode to humans. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans provides a unique system to study how life span is regulated and executed. The main research interest of my lab focuses on the understanding of molecular mechanism of aging and longevity in C. elegans.

Despite that tremendous efforts have been made in the past decades, the molecular mechanisms of aging and longevity controlling are still not very clear, largely owing to the redundancy and complexity of this process. To better understand the molecular mechanism of aging, we will take advantage of combinatory approaches to identify new determinants and uncover the mechanisms underlying this process. Our current research includes:

  • Mechanistic studies of the identified transcriptional co-factor gene in regulating life span. We will take genetic and biochemical approaches to explore its functioning mechanism;
  • Employ RNAi technique to search for new components involved in stress resistance. The availability of genome-wide RNAi library and relatively easy access to the deletion mutants generated by several knockout consortiums in the C. elegans research community will allow us to perform genome-wide RNAi screen for new players of cell stress resistance;
  • Use C.elegans model system to study pathogenic bacteria;
  • Analyze the corresponding deletion mutants in C. elegans to determine the functions of worm homologs of mammalian disease genes.

Selected Publications

  • Hamilton B., Dong Y., Shindo M., Liu W., Ruvkun G. and Lee S. (2005) A Systematic RNAi Screen for Longevity Genes in C. elegans.  Genes Dev. 2005 Jul 1;19(13):1544-55.
  • Pruyne D., Legesse-Miller A., Gao L., Dong Y. and Bretscher A. (2004) Mechanisms of polarized growth and organelle segregation in yeast. Annu rev cell dev biol. 2004;20:559-91. Review.
  • Huang X., Dong Y. and Zhao J. (2004) HetR homodimer is a DNA-binding protein required for heterocyst differentiation, and the DNA-binding activity is inhibited by PatS. Proc Natl Acad Sci, USA 101(14): 4848-4853.
  • Dong Y., Pruyne D. and Bretscher A. (2003) Formin-dependent actin assembly is regulated by distinct modes of Rho signaling in yeast. J Cell Biol. 161(6):1081-92.
  • Dong Y., Huang X., Wu X. and Zhao J. (2000) Identification of the active site of HetR protease and its requirement for heterocyst differentiation in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. Strain PCC 7120. Journal of Bacteriology 182(6): 1575-1579.
  • Dong Y., Yu X. and Zhao J. (2000) A simple and easy method for site-specific mutagenesis using long-distance inverse PCR in presence of Pfu-DNA polymerase. Acta Botanica Sinica 42(5): 539-541.
  •  Dong Y., Li R., Dong Ch., Zhao J. and Wu G. (2000) Identification and Expression of the product from Engineering Bacterium Containing Recombinant Human Interleukin-18 Gene. Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitais Pekinensis. 36(2): 271-273.
  • Zhou R., Wei X., Jiang N., Li H., Dong Y., Hsi K. and Zhao J. (1998) Evidence that HetR Protein is an unusual Serine-type Protease. Proc Natl Acad Sci, USA 95(9): 4959-4963.

Recent Courses

  • Micro 417/617 - Cancer and Aging

Graduate Students

  • Mr. Sujay Guha, Ph.D.
  • Ms. Yao Yao, Ph.D.

Professional Affiliations

  • American Association for Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • American Society of Cell Biology (ASCB)
  • American Aging Association