Yun Zhang

Yun Zhang

Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
Yun Zhang

Faculty Support:  Meri Petollari

We are interested in understanding how the nervous system generates learning. One way to address this question is to identify and characterize conserved features in the underlying mechanisms. To accomplish this goal, we use Caenorhabditis elegans in our studies, because its nervous system is small and has been well characterized. Meanwhile, various genetic, molecular and imaging methods can be readily applied to the experiment with the worm. Our research has been mainly focused on olfactory learning. In the past years, our work has yielded new understanding on the function of the underlying neural circuits. For example, we have mapped a neuronal network that encodes both the naive and learned olfactory preferences. We have identified and characterized compartmentalized activity in the key neuron of the learning circuit that is similar to corollary discharge. We have also characterized circuit function of neuromodulators that regulate learning through ligand-receptor interactions

Recent Publications

Wu, T., Ge, M., Wu, M., Duan, F., Liang, J., Chen, M., Gracida, X., Liu, H., Yang, W., Dar, A.R., Li, C., Butcher, R.A., Saltzman, A.L. and Zhang, Y. Pathogenic bacteria modulate pheromone response to promote mating. Nature 613:324-331 (2023). doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05561-9.

Liu, H., Wu, T., Gracida, X., Wu, M., Choi, M.-K., Duan, F., Calarco, J.A., and Zhang, Y. Forgetting generates a novel state that is reactivatable. Sci. Adv. 8, eabi9071 (2022).

Wasson, J.A., Harris, G., Keppler-Ross, S., Brock, T.J., Dar, A.R., Butcher, R.A., Fischer, S.E.J., Kagias, K., Clardy, J., Zhang, Y. and Mango, S.E. Neuronal control of maternal provisioning in response to social cues. Sci. Adv. 7: eabf8782 (2022).

Choi, M.K., Liu, H., Wu, T., Yang, W., Zhang, Y. NMDAR-mediated modulation of gap junction circuit regulates olfactory learning in C. elegans. Nature Communications 11(1):3467 (2020).

Wu, T., Duan, F., Yang, W., Liu, H., Caballero, A., Fernandes de Abreu, D. A., Dar, A.R., Alcedo, J., Ch’ng, Q., Butcher, R.A., Zhang, Y.Pheromones modulate learning by regulating the balanced signals of two insulin-like peptides. Neuron 104(6):1095-1109. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.09.006 (2019). PMC7009321.

Hao, Y., Yang, W., Hall, Q., Ren, J., Zhang, Y., Kaplan, J.M. Thioredoxin shapes C. elegans sensory response to Pseudomonasproduced nitric oxide. eLife, pii: e36833. doi: 10.7554/eLife.36833 (2018). PMC6066330.

Liu, H., Yang, W., Wu, T., Duan, F., Soucy, E., Jin, X. and Zhang, Y. Cholinergic sensorimotor integration regulates olfactory steering. Neuron97(2):390-405 (2018). PMC5773357.

Shen, Y., Wen, Q., Liu, H., Zhong, Q., Qin, Y., Harris, G., Kawano, T., Wu, M., Xu, T., Samuel, A. and Zhang, Y.  An extrasynaptic GABAergic signal modulates a locomotory pattern in C. elegans. eLifeMay 3;5. pii: e14197. doi: 10.7554/eLife.14197 (2016).PMC4854516.

Luo, L., Wen, Q., Ren, J., Hendricks, M., Gershow, M., Qin, Y., Greenwood, J., Soucy, E., Klein, M., Smith, H.K., Colon-Ramos, D.A., Samuel, A.D. and Zhang, Y.  Dynamic encoding of perception, memory and movement in a C. elegans chemotaxis circuit. Neuron, 82(5):1115-28 (2014). PMC4082684.

Chen, Z., Hendricks, M., Cornils, A., Maier, W., Alcedo, J. and Zhang, Y.  Two insulin-like peptides antagonistically regulate aversive olfactory learning in C. elegans. Neuron 77(3), 572-585 (2013).

Hendricks, M., M., Ha, H-I., Maffey, N. and Zhang, Y. Compartmentalized calcium dynamics in a C. elegans interneuron encode head movement. Nature 487, 99–103 (2012).

Zhang, X. and Zhang, Y.   DBL-1, a TGF-β, is essential for Caenorhabditis elegans aversive olfactory learning. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 109(42):17081-17086 (2012).

Ha, H-I., Hendricks, M., Shen, Y., Gabel, C.V., Fang-Yen, C.M., Qin, Y., Colón-Ramos, D.A., Shen, K., Samuel, A.D. and Zhang, Y.  Functional organization of a neural network for aversive olfactory learning in Caenorhabditis elegans. Neuron 68(6), 1173-1186 (2010).

Zhang, Y., Lu, H. and Bargmann, C.I.  Pathogenic bacteria induce aversive olfactory learning in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nature 438, 179-184 (2005).

Zhang, Y., Ma, C., Delohery, T., Nasipak, B., Foat, B.C., Bounoutas, A., Bussemaker, H.J., Kim, S.K. and Chalfie, M.  Identification of genes expressed in C. elegans touch receptor neurons. Nature 418, 331-335 (2002).

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