Kai Wang

Research:

The embryo and endosperm of seeds provide energy and nutrient for human and animals. During My PhD study, I identified ERECTA family (ERf) receptors and BSK1/2 as upstream components of the embryonic YDA cascade, which function with sporophytic maternal effects. The paternal SSP (BSK12) input functions independently of ERf, thus resulting in independent parental contributions on zygote polarization in Arabidopsis thaliana, reminiscent of the “parental conflict” model. In adddition, in collaboration with other groups, we demonstrated the efficiency and specificity of the BIR3 chimera in constitutively activating LRR-RK signaling pathways.

In my postdoc research, I am focusing on deciphering function of maternal small RNA in chromatin condensation of Capsella rubella endosperm. I am also trying to understand function of AGL proteins during central cell differentiation as well as endosperm proliferation in both Arabidopsis and tomato.

Publications:

1. Wang K, Chen H, Ortega-Perez M, Miao Y, Ma Y, Henschen A, Lohmann JU, Laubinger S, Bayer M. Independent parental contributions initiate zygote polarization in Arabidopsis thaliana. Curr Biol. 2021 Nov 8;31(21): 4810-4816.e5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.033

2. Wang K, Chen H, Miao Y, Bayer M.
Square one: zygote polarity and early embryogenesis in flowering plants. Curr. Opin. Plant Biol. 2020; 53: 128-133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2019.10.002

3. Hohmann U, Ramakrishna P, Wang K, Lorenzo-Orts L, Nicolet J, Henschen A, Barberon M, Bayer M, Hothorn M. Constitutive Activation of Leucine-Rich Repeat Receptor Kinase Signaling Pathways by BAK1-INTERACTING RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE3 Chimera. Plant Cell. 2020; 32: 3311-3323. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.20.00138

4. Neu A, Eilbert E, Asseck L.Y, Slane D, Henschen A, Wang K, Bürgel P, Hildebrandt M, Musielak T.J, Kolb M. et al. Constitutive signaling activity of a receptor-associated protein links fertilization with embryonic patterning in Arabidopsis thaliana. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 2019; 116: 5795-5804. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1815866116

5. Li L, Habring A, Wang K, Weigel D.
Atypical resistance protein RPW8/HR triggers oligomerization of the NLR immune receptor RPP7 and autoimmunity. Cell Host & Microbe 27:405–417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2020.01.012

6. Zygotic Embryogenesis in Flowering Plants.
Houming Chen, Yingjing Miao, Kai Wang, Martin Bayer. Methods in Molecular Biology. 2021. doi:10.1007/978-1-0716-1335-1_4.