Zonglie Hong

• Biochemistry of cell wall biosynthesis
• Molecular biology of callose and hemicellulose biosynthesis
• Cloning and characterization of genes regulating flower and grain formation
• Signaling mechanisms in root nodule development

• Mjomba FM, Zheng Y, Liu H, Tang W, Hong Z, Wang F, Wu W (2016) Homeobox is pivotal for OsWUS controlling tiller development and female fertility in rice. Genes, Genomics and Genetics (G3, Bethesda) 6: 2013-2021.
• Wang L, Wang L, Tan Q, Fan Q, Zhu H, Hong Z, Zhang Z, Duanmu D (2016) Efficient inactivation of symbiotic nitrogen fixation related genes in Lotus japonicas using CRISPR-Cas9. Front Plant Sci 7: 1333.
• Wang C, Yu H, Luo L, Duan L, Cai L, He X, Wen J, Mysore KS, Li G, Xiao A, Duanmu D, Cao Y, Hong Z, Zhang Z (2016) NODULES WITH ACTIVATED DEFENSE 1 is required for maintenance of rhizobial endosymbiosis in Medicago truncatula. New Phytol 212: 176-191.
• Wang C, Yu H, Zhang Z, Yu L, Hong Z, Luo L (2015a) Phytosulfokine is involved in positive regulation of Lotus japonicus nodulation. Mol Plant-Microbe Interact 28: 847-855.
• Wang C, Xu X, Hong Z, Feng Y, Zhang Z (2015b) Involvement of ROP6 and clathrin in nodulation factor signaling. Plant Signaling & Behavior 10(7):e1033127.
• Wang C, Zhu M, Duan L, Yu H, Chang X, Li L, Kang H, Feng Y, Zhu H, Hong Z, Zhang Z (2015c) Lotus japonicus clathrin heavy chain 1 is associated with ROP6 GTPase and involved in nodule formation. Plant Physiol 167: 1497-1510.
• Kang H, Xiao A, Huang X, Gao X, Yu H, He X, Zhu H, Hong Z, Zhang Z (2015) A Lotus japonicus co-chaperone protein interacts with the ubiquitin-like domain protein CIP73 and plays a negative regulatory role in nodulation. Mol Plant-Microbe Interact 28: 534-545.
  Hu G, Burton C, Hong Z (2014) Molecular and chemical characterization of a new waxy allele in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Cereal Chem 91: 438-444.
• Chen F, Jiang L, Zheng J, Huang R, Wang H, Hong Z, Huang Y (2014) Identification of differentially expressed proteins and phosphorylated proteins in rice seedlings in response to strigolactone treatment. Plos ONE 9(4): e93947.
• Hu G, Burton C, Hong Z, Jackson E (2014) A mutation of the cellulose-synthase-like (CslF6) gene in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) partially affects the beta-glucan content in grains. J Cereal Sci 59: 189-195.
• Kang H, Chu X, Wang C, Xiao A, Zhu H, Yuan S, Yang Z, Ke D, Xiao S, Hong Z, Zhang Z (2014) A MYB coiled-coil transcription factor interacts with NSP2 and is involved in nodulation in Lotus japonicus. New Phytol 201:837-849.
• Huang R, Jiang L, Zheng J, Wang T, Wang H, Huang Y, Hong Z (2013) Genetic bases of rice grain shape: so many genes, so little known. Trends Plant Sci. 18:218-226.
  Wang C, Zhu H, Jin L, Chen T, Wang L, Kang H, Hong Z, Zhang Z (2013). Splice variants of the SIP1 transcripts play a role in nodule organogenesis in Lotus japonicus. Plant Mol Biol 82: 97-111.
• Chen F, Jiang L, Zheng J, Huang R, Wang H, Hong Z, Huang Y (2013) Identification of a co-segregative protein associated with the tillering trait in rice (Oryza sativa L. indica).
  Wang X, Gingrich DK, Deng Y, Hong Z (2012) NSN1, a nucleostemin-like GTPase required for apical and floral meristem development in Arabidopsis. Mol Bio Cell 23: 1446-1456.
• Yuan S, Zhu H, Gou H, Fu W, Liu L, Chen T, Ke D, Kang H, Xie Q, Hong Z, Zhang Z (2012) A ubiquitin ligase of symbiosis receptor kinase involved in nodule organogenesis. Plant Physiol 160: 106-117.
• Chen T, Zhu H, Ke D, Cai K, Wang T, Gou H, Hong Z, Zhang Z. (2012) A MAP kinase kinase interacts with SymRK and regulates nodule organogenesis in Lotus japonicus. Plant Cell 24: 823-838. 
• Ke D, Fang Q, Chen C, Zhu H, Chen T, Chang X, Yua Sa, Ma L, Hong Z, Zhang Z (2012) Small GTPase ROP6 interacts with NFR5 and is involved in nodule formation in Lotus japonicus. Plant Physiol 159: 131-143.
• Wang X, Xie B, Zhu M, Zhang Z, Hong Z (2012) Nucleostemin-like 1 is required for embryogenesis and leaf development in Arabidopsis. Plant Mol Biol 78: 31-44.
  Xie B, Deng D, Kanaoka M, Okada K, Hong Z (2011) Expression of Arabidopsis callose synthase 5 (CalS5) in tobacco BY-2 cells: subcellular localization and effect on cell wall permeability. Plant Sci 183: 1-8.
• Xie B, Hong Z (2011) Unplugging the callose plug from sieve pores. Plant Signaling & Behavior, 6:491-493.
• Xie B, Wang X, Zhu M, Zhang Z, Hong Z (2011) CalS7 encodes a callose synthase responsible for callose deposition in the phloem. Plant J 65:1–14.
• Kang H, Zhu H, Chu X, Yang Z, Yuan S, Yu D, Wang C, Hong Z, Zhang Z (2011) A novel interaction between CCaMK and a protein containing the Scythe_N ubiquitin-like domain in Lotus japonicus. Plant Physiol 155: 1312-1324. 
• Guseman JM, Lee JS, Bogenschutz NL, Peterson KM, Virata RE, Xie B, Kanaoka MM, Hong Z, Torii KU (2010) Dysregulation of cell-to-cell connectivity and stomatal patterning by loss-of-function mutation in Arabidopsis CHORUS (GLUCAN SYNTHASE-LIKE 8). Development 137: 1731-1741.
• Xie B, Wang X, Hong Z (2010) Precocious pollen germination in Arabidopsis lines with altered callose deposition during microsporogenesis. Planta 231: 809-823.

After obtaining a bachelor degree in agronomy and advanced degrees in biochemistry, Hong conducted postdoctoral research in the fields of molecular biology, cell biology and developmental biology of plants. His current laboratory employs a combination of biochemical, genetic, cell biology and genomic approaches to understanding biochemical and genetic basis of flower and seed formation, cell wall biosynthesis and symbiotic nitrogen fixation. His research work is conducted on important crops such as wheat, barley and rice, as well as laboratory-model plants including Lotus japonicas (a legume) and Arabidopsis thaliana (mouse-ear cress). His research group has isolated and characterized various plant mutants, discovered the biological and biochemical functions of genes and proteins, and investigated the mechanisms underlying the regulation of metabolic pathways and developmental processes in plants.