Office: BSB-535E / 843-792-0388
Lab: BSB-524 / 843-792-8226
Fax: 843-792-1627
Email: zhangym@musc.edu

Research Interests

Bacterial cells are highly communicative and possess an extraordinary capacity for coordinated social behaviors. The research in our laboratory focuses on the molecular basis of these community behaviors including quorum sensing and motility of important bacterial pathogens. The model system that we choose to study is the ubiquitous Gram-negative pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which causes chronic infections in the lungs and death of cystic fibrosis patients. By integrating molecular, biochemical and genetic tools with structural biology analyses, we aim to determine the functions and structures of essential proteins involved in Pseudomonas quorum sensing and motility and how they contribute to pathogenicity. The ultimate goal of our research is to develop novel antibiotics to treat bacterial infections by interfering with their communication.

Selected Publications

• Zhang Y-M, Frank MW, Zhu K, Mayasundari A, Rock CO. (2008) PqsD is responsible for the synthesis of DHQ, an extracellular metabolite produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J. Biol. Chem. 283:28788-28794.
• Zhang Y-M, Rock CO. (2008) Membrane lipid homeostasis in bacteria. Nature Reviews Microbiol. 6:222-33.
• Zhang Y-M, Zhu K, Frank MW, Rock CO. (2007) A Pseudomonas aeruginosa transcription factor that senses fatty acid structure. Mol. Microbiol. 66:622-632.
• Zhang Y-M, Chohnan S, Virga KG, Stevens RD, Ilkayeva OR, Wenner BR, Bain JR, Newgard CB, Lee RE, Rock CO, Jackowski S. (2007) Chemical knockout of pantothenate kinase reveals the metabolic and genetic program responsible for hepatic coenzyme A homeostasis. Chem Biol. 14:291-302.
• Leonardi R, Rock CO, Jackowski S, Zhang Y-M. (2007) Activation of human mitochondrial pantothenate kinase 2 by palmitoylcarnitine. PNAS, 104:1494-1499.
• Lu Y, Zhang Y-M, Grimes KD, Qi J, Lee RE, Rock CO. (2006) Acyl-phosphate initiates membrane phospholipid synthesis in gram-positive pathogens. Molecular Cell, 23:765-772.
• Zhang Y-M, White SW, Rock CO. (2006) Inhibiting bacterial fatty acid synthesis. J. Biol. Chem. 281:17541-17544.
• Zhang Y-M, Hurlbert J, White SW, Rock CO. (2006) Roles of the active site water, histidine-303 and phenylalanine-396 in the catalytic mechanism of the elongation condensing enzyme of Streptococcus pneumoniae. J. Biol. Chem. 281:17390-17399.
• Zhu K, Choi K-H, Schweizer HP, Rock CO, Zhang Y-M. (2006) Two aerobic pathways for the formation of unsaturated fatty acids in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Mol. Microbiol. 60:260-273.
• Zhang Y-M, Rock CO, Jackowski S. (2006) Biochemical properties of human pantothenate kinase 2 isoforms and mutations linked to pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration. J. Biol. Chem. 281:107-114.
• White SW, Zheng J, Zhang Y-M, Rock CO. (2005) The structural biology of type II fatty acid biosynthesis. Annual Rev. Biochem. 74:791-831.
• Zhang Y-M, Frank MW, Virga KG, Lee RE, Rock CO, Jackowski S. (2004) Acyl carrier protein is a cellular target for the antibacterial action of the pantothenamide class of pantothenate antimetabolites. J. Biol. Chem. 279:50969-50975.
• Zhang Y-M, Rock CO. (2004) Evaluation of epigallocatechin gallate and related plant polyphenols as Inhibitors of the FabG and FabI reductases of bacterial type II fatty acid synthase. J. Biol. Chem. 279:30994-31001.
• Zhang Y-M, Liu J-K, Wong T-Y. (2003) The DNA excision repair system of the highly radioresistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans is facilitated by the pentose phosphate pathway. Mol. Microbiol. 48:1317-1323.
• Zhang Y-M, Marrakchi H, Rock CO. (2002) The FabR (YijC) transcription factor regulates unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis in Escherichia coli. J. Biol. Chem. 277:15558-15565.
• Zhang Y-M, Rao MS, Heath RJ, Price AC, Olson AJ, Rock CO, White SW. (2001) Identification and analysis of the acyl carrier protein (ACP) docking site on β-ketoacyl-ACP synthase III. J. Biol. Chem. 276:8231-8238.
• Zhang Y-M, Wong T-Y, Chen L-Y, Lin C-S, Liu J-K. (2000) Induction of a futile Enbden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway in Deinococcus radiodurans by Mn: The possible role of the pentose phosphate pathway in cell survival. Applied Environ. Microbiol. 66:105-112.