Dr. Ming Yang
Professor
Dept. of Plant Biology, Ecology, and Evolution
010 Life Sciences East, Stillwater, OK 74078-3013, USA
405-744-9508
Teaching
PBIO 2403 Introduction to Plant Molecular Biology, every Spring.
Prerequisite: PBIO 1404 or BIOL 1113. Concepts, principles, and themes in plant molecular biology, including structures and functions of biomolecules, representative molecular reactions, and regulations of such reactions in everyday plant life.
PBIO 3110 Hopeful Monsters: Laboratory Analysis of Plant Mutants, every other Fall.
Prerequisite: PBIO 1404 or BIOL 1113. Analysis of a set of Arabidopsis mutants with interesting phenotypes by light microscopy and quantitative studies.
PBIO 4233/5233 Plant Anatomy, every other Fall.
Prerequisite: PBIO 1404. Structures of cells, tissues and organs of plants and the developmental, phylogenetic, and functional contexts of the structures.
Research
Molecular cell biology and theoretical biology
My goal in research is to understand the molecular mechanisms that underlie cellular and subcellular organization. Towards this end, both experimental and theoretical approaches are employed. The emphases are on novel morphologies or processes and on identification of the determining factors of the morphologies or processes. Our current experimental work using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana is focused on elucidating 1) the structure of a genetic network regulating seed germination, and 2) the mechanisms affecting male meiotic cell cycle progression. Stemming from my previous work on a theory of the origin of biological rhythms, my current theoretical work is concerned with application of this theory to specific rhythmic processes and finding new principles that incorporate laws of physics and chemistry with special features of biological systems.
Recent Publications
For most recent list of publications, see Google Scholar.
Kaur A, Zhang L, Yang M, Maness N, Graham CJ, Kumari R, Sun Y, Panta S, Ferguson L (2023) Evaluation of natural spring freeze tolerance of five pecan scion–rootstock combinations. HortScience, 58: 1139-1148. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI17258-23
Wang Y, Goertz NJ, Rillo E, Yang M (2022) Negative regulation of seed germination by maternal AFB1 and AFB5 in Arabidopsis. Bioscience Reports, https://doi.org/10.1042/BSR20221504
Yang M, Wang Y, Guo L, Liu C-M (2021) Complex haploinsufficient interaction between APC11 and CYCLIN A1;2/TARDY ASYNCHRONOUS MEIOSIS in embryo development and seed germination in Arabidopsis. F1000Research, https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.47692.1
Wu H, Hu M, Yang M (2021) Nymphaea colorata, another basal angiosperm species with bidirectional cytokinesis in microsporogenesis. Plant Signal Behav, DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2021.1913308
Hu M, Bai M, Yang M*, Wu H* (2021) Cell polarity, asynchronous nuclear divisions, and bidirectional cytokinesis in male meiosis in Magnolia denudata. Protoplasma, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-020-01604-y
*Co-corresponding author.
Yang LZ, Yang M (2019) Modeling biological oscillations: integration of short reaction pauses into a stationary model of a negative feedback loop generates sustained long oscillations. J Comp Biol, 26: 1050-1066.
Yang M, Yang LZ (2018) Determining a reasonable range of relative numerical tolerance values for simulating deterministic models of biochemical reactions. J Comp Biol DOI: 10.1089/cmb.2018.0026
He H, Bai M, Tong P, Hu Y, Yang M*, Wu H* (2018) CELLULASE 6 and MANNANASE 7 affect cell differentiation and silique dehiscence. Plant Physiol 176: 2186-2201. *Corresponding author.
Singh V, Nerimetla R, Yang M, Krishnan S (2017) Magnetite-quantum dot immunoarray for plasmon-coupled-fluorescence imaging of blood insulin and glycated hemoglobin. ACS Sensors, 2: 909-915.
Yang M (2016) The FOUR LIPS (FLP) and MYB88 genes conditionally suppress the production of non-stomatal epidermal cells in Arabidopsis cotyledons. Am J Bot (accepted).
Yan X, Bai M, Ning X, Ouyang H, Zhang S, Yang M*, Wu H* (2015) Spatiotemporal features of microsporogenesis in the cycad species Macrozamia communis. Am J Bot 102: 1061-1072. *Co-corresponding author.
Wang Y, Yang M (2014) Loss-of-function mutants and overexpression lines of the Arabidopsis cyclin CYCA1;2/TARDY ASYNCHRONOUS MEIOSIS exhibit different defects in prophase-I meiocytes but produce the same meiotic products. PLoS One 9: e113348.
Jha AK, Wang Y, Hercyk BS, Shin H-S, Chen R, Yang M (2014) The role for CYCLIN A1;2/TARDY ASYNCHRONOUS MEIOSIS in differentiated cells in Arabidopsis. Plant Mol Biol 85: 81-94.
Yang M (2014) Slow diffusion underlies alternation of fast and slow growth periods of microtubule assembly. ScientificWorldJournal doi: 10.1155/2014/601898.
McLoud JD, Yang M (2012) The conserved function of Skp1 in meiosis. Frontiers in Genetics, doi:10.3389/fgene.2012.00179.
Wang Y, Yang M (2012) The arabidopsis skp1-like1-1 (ask1-1) mutant and the mouse cells of a sporadic Parkinson’s disease model created with downregulation of SKP1 share similar cellular defects. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 18: 102-103.
Albert B, Raquin C, Prigent M, Nadot S, Brisset F, Yang M, Ressayre A (2011) Successive microsporogenesis affects pollen aperture pattern in the tam mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana. Ann Bot (Lond) 107: 1421–1426.
Zhou Z-Y, Zhang C-G, Wu L, Zhang C-G, Chai J, Wang M, Jha A, Jia P-F, Cui S-J, Yang M, Chen R, Guo G-Q (2011) Functional characterization of the CKRC1/TAA1 gene and dissection of hormonal actions in the Arabidopsis root. Plant J 66: 516-527.
Yang M, Wang Y (2011) A model for discrete spindle elongation. Cell Cycle 10: 549-550.
Yang M, Brown RC, Sack FD (2011) Diversity in spindle morphology in Arabidopsis root tip. Plant Signal Behav 6: 5-7.
Wang Y, Jha AK, Chen R, Doonan J, Yang M (2010) Polyploidy-associated genomic instability in Arabidopsis thaliana. Genesis 48: 254-263.
Yang M, Wang Y (2009) Airborne particles and asthma: A biophysical model. Health 1:330-331.Liang S, Wang H, Yang M, Wu H (2009) Sequential actions of pectinases and cellulases during secretory cavity formation in Citrus fruits. Trees 23: 19-27.
Wang Y, Wu H, Yang M (2008) Microscopy and bioinformatic analyses of lipid metabolism implicate a sporophytic signaling network supporting pollen development in Arabidopsis. Mol Plant 1: 667-674.
Wang Y, Yang M (2007) In silico identification of co-transcribed core cell cycle regulators and transcription factors in Arabidopsis. J Integr Plant Biol 49: 1253-1260.
Vitha S, Yang M, Sack FD, Kiss JZ (2007) Gravitropism in the starch excess mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana. Am J Bot 94: 590-598.
Wu H, Mori A, Jiang X, Wang Y, Yang M (2006) The INDEHISCENT protein regulates unequal cell divisions in Arabidopsis fruit. Planta 224: 971-979.
Wang Y, Yang M (2006) The ARABIDOPSIS SKP1-LIKE1 (ASK1) protein acts predominately from leptotene to pachytene and represses homologous recombination in male meiosis. Planta 223: 613-617.
Wu H, Yang M (2005) Reduction in vacuolar volume in the tapetal cells coincides with conclusion of the tetrad stage in Arabidopsis thaliana. Sex Plant Reprod 18: 173-178.
Wang Y, Magnard J-L, McCormick S, Yang M (2004) Progression through meiosis I and meiosis II in Arabidopsis anthers is regulated by an A-type cyclin predominately expressed in prophase I. Plant Physiol 136: 4127-4135.
Wang Y, Wu H, Liang G, Yang M (2004) Defects in nucleolar migration and synapsis in male prophase I in the ask1-1 mutant of Arabidopsis. Sex Plant Reprod 16: 273-282.
Yang M, McCormick S (2002) The Arabidopsis MEI1 gene likely encodes a protein with BRCT domains. Sex Plant Reprod 14: 355-357.
Magnard J-L, Yang M, Chen Y-CS, Leary M, McCormick S (2001) The Arabidopsis gene Tardy Asynchronous Meiosis is required for the normal pace and synchrony of cell division during male meiosis. Plant Physiol 127: 1157-1166.
Yang M, Ma H (2001) Male meiotic spindle lengths in normal and mutant Arabidopsis cells. Plant Physiol 126: 622-630.
Yang M, Hu Y, Lodhi M, McCombie WR, Ma H (1999) The ARABIDOPSIS SKP1-LIKE1 gene is essential for male meiosis and may control homologue separation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 96: 11416-11421.
Yang M, Nadeau JA, Zhao L, Sack FD (1999) Characterization of a cytokinesis defective (cyd1) mutant of Arabidopsis. J Exp Bot 50: 1437-1446.
Zhao D, Yang M, Solava J, Ma H (1999) The ASK1 gene regulates plant development and interacts with the UFO gene to control floral organ identity in Arabidopsis. Dev Genet 25: 209-223.
Gray WM, del Pozo JC, Walker L, Hobbie L, Risseeuw E, Banks T, Crosby W, Yang M, Ma H, Estelle M (1999) Identification of an SCF ubiquitin-ligase complex required for auxin response in Arabidopsis thaliana. Genes & Dev 13: 1678-1691.
Geisler M, Yang M, Sack FD (1998) Divergent regulation of stomatal initiation and patterning in organ and suborgan regions of the Arabidopsis mutants too many mouths and four lips. Planta 205: 522-530.
Vitha S, Yang M, Kiss JZ, Sack FD (1998) Light promotion of hypocotyl gravitropism of a starch-deficient tobacco mutant correlates with plastid enlargement and sedimentation. Plant Physiol 116: 495-502.
Yang M, Sack FD (1995) The too many mouths and four lips mutations affect stomatal production in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 7: 2227-2239.