Contact Information
Roger Adams Laboratory, Room 314F
Urbana, IL 61801
Research Interests
Research Topics
Microbial Physiology, Regulation of Gene Expression, RNA Biology, Genomics, Bioinformatics, Protein Biogenesis, Structure, and Function
Disease Research Interests
Infectious Diseases
Research Description
Our laboratory investigates how bacteria maintain cellular homeostasis under environmental stress, with a particular focus on the cold shock response (CSR) as a model for post-transcriptional regulation. Temperature downshifts disrupt multiple thermodynamically sensitive processes, requiring coordinated regulatory programs to restore cellular function. While the heat shock response is well understood, the molecular organization and evolution of CSR remain largely unexplored.
Combining microbiology, RNA biology, and genomics, our group is developing a comparative, cross-species framework to define conserved and species-specific mechanisms of CSR. We focus on translational control and RNA metabolism in evolutionarily divergent bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and the highly cryotolerant pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. Our long-term goal is to uncover fundamental principles of bacterial stress resilience and reveal how species-specific strategies drive environmental adaptation, pathogen survival, and ecological fitness.
Education
2008 B.S., Mathematics and Physics, Tsinghua University, China
2014 Ph.D., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine
2014-2023 Postdoc, University of California, San Francisco
Awards and Honors
2013 Poster Presentation Award, Departments of Biochemistry and Pharmacology Research Conference, Baylor College of Medicine
2012 Oral Presentation Award, 26th Society of Chinese Bioscientists in America, Texas Chapter Annual Symposium
2010 Research Training Fellowship, Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)
2009 Verna and Marrs Mclean Academic Achievement Award, Baylor College of Medicine
2009 Professor John J. Trentin Scholarship Award, Baylor College of Medicine
Courses Taught
MCB 493 Modern Technologies in Biological Research
Additional Campus Affiliations
Assistant Professor, Biochemistry
Highlighted Publications
Zhang Y*, Aleksashin NA*, Klepacki D, Anderson C, Vázquez-Laslop N, Gross CA, Mankin AS. The context of the ribosome binding site in mRNAs defines specificity of action of kasugamycin, an inhibitor of translation initiation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Jan 25;119(4):e2118553119.
Zhang Y*, Burkhardt DH*, Rouskin S*, Li GW, Weissman JS, Gross CA. A Stress Response that Monitors and Regulates mRNA Structure Is Central to Cold Shock Adaptation. Mol Cell. 2018 Apr 19;70(2):274-286.e7.
Burkhardt DH*, Rouskin S*, Zhang Y*, Li GW, Weissman JS, Gross CA. Operon mRNAs are organized into ORF-centric structures that predict translation efficiency. Elife. 2017 Jan 31;6. pii: e22037.
Zhang Y, Mooney RA, Grass JA, Sivaramakrishnan P, Herman C, Landick R, Wang JD. DksA guards elongating RNA polymerase against ribosome-stalling-induced arrest. Mol Cell. 2014 Mar 6;53(5):766-78.
Recent Publications
Zhang Y*, Aleksashin NA*, Klepacki D, Anderson C, Vázquez-Laslop N, Gross CA, Mankin AS. The context of the ribosome binding site in mRNAs defines specificity of action of kasugamycin, an inhibitor of translation initiation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Jan 25;119(4):e2118553119. *equal contribution
Zhang Y, Gross CA. Cold shock response in bacteria. Annu Rev Genet. 2021 Nov 23;55:377-400.
Zhang Y*, Burkhardt DH*, Rouskin S*, Li GW, Weissman JS, Gross CA. A Stress Response that Monitors and Regulates mRNA Structure Is Central to Cold Shock Adaptation. Mol Cell. 2018 Apr 19;70(2):274-286.e7. *equal contribution
Baggett NE, Zhang Y, Gross CA. Global analysis of translation termination in E. coli. PLoS Genet. 2017 Mar 16;13(3):e1006676.
Burkhardt DH*, Rouskin S*, Zhang Y*, Li GW, Weissman JS, Gross CA. Operon mRNAs are organized into ORF-centric structures that predict translation efficiency. Elife. 2017 Jan 31;6. pii: e22037. *equal contribution
Li W, Bouveret E, Zhang Y, Liu K, Wang JD, Weisshaar JC. Effects of amino acid starvation on RelA diffusive behavior in live Escherichia coli. Mol Microbiol. 2016 Feb;99(3):571-85.
Zhang Y, Mooney RA, Grass JA, Sivaramakrishnan P, Herman C, Landick R, Wang JD. DksA guards elongating RNA polymerase against ribosome-stalling-induced arrest. Mol Cell. 2014 Mar 6;53(5):766-78.
Merrikh H, Zhang Y, Grossman AD, Wang JD. Replication-transcription conflicts in bacteria. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2012 Jun 6;10(7):449-58.
Tehranchi AK, Blankschien MD, Zhang Y, Halliday JA, Srivatsan A, Peng J, Herman C, Wang JD. The transcription factor DksA prevents conflicts between DNA replication and transcription machinery. Cell. 2010 May 14;141(4):595-605.
Sun Y, Li M, Zhang Y, Liu L, Liu Y, Liu Z, Li X, Lou Z. Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of Gibberella zeae extracellular lipase. Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun. 2008 Sep 1;64(Pt 9):813-5.
Zhang C, Sun Y, Wang W, Zhang Y, Ma M, Lou Z. Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of human Ca 2+-loaded calbindin-D28k. Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun. 2008 Feb 1;64(Pt 2):133-6.
