Tao Wang, Ph.D.

Associate Investigator, NIBS, Beijing，China

Telephone:  086-010-80726675

E-mail：wangtao1006@nibs.ac.cn

Education

2006 Ph. D., Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

2000 M.S., Biochemistry Department, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China

1997 B.S., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Nankai University, Tianjin, P. R. China

Professional Experience

2018-	Associate Investigator, National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
2012-2018	Assistant Investigator, National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
2007-2011	Postdoctoral Fellow, Division of Basic Science Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
2006-2007	Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA

Research

Cellular quality controls work in parallel within different compartments, including the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), mitochondria and cytosol, and loss of any one of these homeostatic processes has deleterious consequences. Using Drosophila system, ours lab is focused on studying the molecular mechanisms of quality control within individual organelles, as well as the ways in which networks of quality control systems are coordinated to maintain cellular health.

1. The maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis in neuronal axon through mitochondrial trafficking and mitophagy is essential for the fidelity of neuronal functions. our lab focuses on systematically understanding how mitochondria are selectively transported in and out of axons, establishing entire regulation networks of mitochondrial autophagy, and providing key links between the regulation of mitochondrial quality control and disease states. 

2. Cellular phospholipid homeostasis is dependent on bidirectional exchange of lipids between mitochondria and ER, and the deficiency of phospholipid species such as phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) induced multiple stress signals. Our lab is studying the fundamental mechanisms and function of the bidirectional exchange of lipids between mitochondria and ER, and understanding how organelles communicate between one another to combat a variety of stress signals.

3. The majority of neurodegenerative disorders, such as polyglutamine diseases, are associated with aggregation of misfolded proteins. Using established fly models of both cytosolic and ER-residential misfolded protein, our lab is investigating how cells sense the misfolded proteins, what mechanisms that the toxic protein is degraded before or after aggregation, and through which signaling pathways cells initiate cell death upon extra-accumulation of misfolded proteins.

发表文章

1. Xie J., Han Y. and Wang T.* 2021. RACK1 modulates polyglutamine-induced neurodegeneration by promoting ERK degradation in Drosophila. PLoS Genet. 17(5):e1009558.

2. Han Y., Zhuang N. and Wang T.* 2021. Roles of PINK1 in regulation of systemic growth inhibition induced by mutations of PTEN in Drosophila. Cell Reports. 34(12):108875 (cover article).

3. Xu J., Zhao H. and Wang T.* 2020. Suppression of retinal degeneration by two novel ERAD ubiquitin E3 ligases SORDD1/2 in Drosophila. PLoS Genet. 16(11):e1009172.

4. Zhao H. and Wang T.* 2020. PE homeostasis rebalanced through mitochondria-ER lipid exchange prevents retinal degeneration in Drosophila. PLoS Genet. 16(10):e1009070.

5. Xiong L., Zhang L., Yang Y., Li N., Lai W., Wang F., Zhu X. and Wang T.*. 2020. ER complex proteins are required for rhodopsin biosynthesis and photoreceptor survival in Drosophila and mice. Cell Death Differ. 27(2): 646-661.

6. Xu Y. and Wang T.* 2019. LOVIT Is a Putative Vesicular Histamine Transporter Required in Drosophila for Vision. Cell Rep. 27(5):1327-1333.

7. Zhao H., Wang J. and Wang T.* 2018. The V-ATPase V1 subunit A1 Is required for rhodopsin anterograde trafficking in Drosophila. Mol. Biol. Cell. 29(13):1640-1651. (cover article).

8. Ren S., Huang Z., Jiang Y. and Wang T.* 2018. dTBC1D7 regulates systemic growth independently of TSC through insulin signaling. J. Cell Biol. 217(2):517-526.

9. Han Y., Xiong L., Xu Y., Tian T. and Wang T.* 2017. The β-alanine transporter BalaT is required for visual neurotransmission in Drosophila. Elife. 6:e29146.

10. Zhuang N., Li L., Chen S. and Wang T.* 2016. PINK1-dependent phosphorylation of PINK1 and Parkin is essential for mitochondrial quality control. Cell Death Dis. 7(12):e2501.

11. Huang Z., Ren S., Jiang Y. and Wang T.* 2016. PINK1 and Parkin cooperatively protect neurons against constitutively active TRP channel-induced retinal degeneration in Drosophila. Cell Death Dis. 7:e2179

12. Xu Y. and Wang T.* 2016. CULD is required for rhodopsin and TRPL channel endocytic trafficking and survival of photoreceptor cells. J Cell Sci. 15;129(2):394-405.

13. Xu Y., An F., Borycz J.A., Borycz J., Meinertzhagen I.A. and Wang T.* 2015. Histamine Recycling Is Mediated by CarT, a Carcinine Transporter in Drosophila Photoreceptors. PLoS Genet. 11(12):e1005764.

14. Kuo Y., Hang H., Cai T. and Wang T.* 2015. Target of Rapamycin Complex 2 regulates cell growth via Myc in Drosophila. Sci. Rep. 5:10339.

15. Huang Y., Xie J. and Wang T.* 2015. A Fluorescence-Based Genetic Screen to Study Retinal Degeneration in Drosophila. PLoS One. 10(12):e0144925.

16. Wu K., Liu J., Zhuang N. and Wang T.* 2014. UCP4A protects against mitochondrial dysfunction and degeneration in pink1/parkin models of Parkinson's disease. FASEB Journal. 28(12):5111-21

17. Kuo Y., Ren S., Lao U., Edgar B.A., Wang T.* 2013. Suppression of polyglutamine protein toxicity by co-expression of a heat-shock protein 40 and a heat-shock protein 110. Cell Death Dis. 3;4:e833.

18. Wang T.*, Blumhagen R., Lao U. Kuo Y. and Edgar B.A. 2012. LST8 regulates cell growth via Target-of-Rapamycin Complex2. Mol. Cell. Biol. 32(12):2203-2213 (cover article).

19. Wang T., WangX., Ni J., Von Lintig J. and Montell C.* 2012. The Drosophila visual cycle and de novo chromophore synthesis depends on rdhB. J Neurosci. 32: 3485-3491.

20. Wang X., Wang T., Jiao Y., Von Lintig J. and Montell C.* 2010. Requirement for an Enzymatic Visual Cycle in Drosophila. Curr. Biol. 20:93-102 (equal contribution of first two authors)

21. Wang T.* and Edgar B.A.* 2010. TOR signaling and cell death. The Enzymes. 28: 217-244 (Book Chapter)

22. Wang T., Lao U. and Edgar B.A. 2009. TOR-mediated autophagy regulates cell death in Drosophila neurodegenerative disease. J. Cell Biol. 186: 703-711

23. Wang T., Wang X., Xie Q. and Montell C.* 2008. The SOCS box protein STOPS is required for phototransduction through its effects on phospholipase C. Neuron. 57, 56-68 (Cover article).

24. Liu Z., Wang X., Yu Y., Li X., Wang T., Jiang H., Ren Q., Jiao Y., Sawa A., Moran T., Ross CA., Montell C. and Smith W.W.* 2008. A Drosophila model for LRRK2-linked parkinsonism. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 105, 2693-2698

25. Wang T. and Montell C.* 2007. Phototransduction and retinal degeneration in Drosophila. Pflugers Arch. 454, 821-847. (review)

26. Liu C-H. Wang T. Postma M. Obukhov A.G. Montell C. and Hardie R.C.* 2007. In vivo identification and manipulation of the Ca²⁺ selectivity filter in the Drosophila TRP channel. J Neurosci. 27, 604-615 (equal contribution of first two authors).

27. Wang T., Jiao Y. and Montell C.* 2007. Dissection of the pathway required for generation of vitamin A and for Drosophila phototransduction. J Cell Biol. 177, 305-316.

28. Wang T. and Montell C.* 2006. A PI Synthase Required for a Sustained Light Response. J Neurosci. 26, 12816-12825.

29. Wang T., Jiao Y. and Montell C.* 2005. Dissecting independent channel and scaffolding roles of the Drosophila TRP channel. J. Cell Biol. 171, 685-694.

30. Wang T. and Montell C.* 2005. Rhodopsin formation in Drosophila is dependent on the PINTA retinoid binding protein. J. Neurosci. 25, 5187-5194 (Cover article).

31. Wang T., Xu H., Oberwinkler J., Gu Y., Hardie R.C. and Montell C.* 2005. Light-activation, adaptation and cell survival functions of the Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger, CalX Neuron 45, 367-378.