Education

Ph.D. in Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Florida, 1994

Current position

Associate Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, Penn State University (2006-present)

Publications (selected)

1. Xie, K., Minkenberg, B. and Yang, Y. (2014). Targeted Gene Mutation in Rice Using a CRISPR-Cas9 System. Bio-protocol 4(17): e1225.
   
2. Xie, K., Chen, J., Wang, Q. and Yang, Y. (2014). Direct phosphorylation and activation of a mitogen-activated protein kinase by a calcium-dependent protein kinase in rice. Plant Cell 26(7): 3077-3089.
   
3. Xie, K., Zhang, J. and Yang, Y. (2014). Genome-wide prediction of highly specific guide RNA spacers for CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing in model plants and major crops. Mol Plant 7(5): 923-926.
   
4. Xie, K. and Yang, Y. (2013). RNA-guided genome editing in plants using a CRISPR-Cas system. Mol Plant 6(6): 1975-1983.
   
5. Yang, D. L., Yang, Y. and He, Z. (2013). Roles of plant hormones and their interplay in rice immunity. Mol Plant 6(3): 675-685.
   
6. Helliwell, E. E., Wang, Q. and Yang, Y. (2013). Transgenic rice with inducible ethylene production exhibits broad-spectrum disease resistance to the fungal pathogens Magnaporthe oryzae and Rhizoctonia solani. Plant Biotechnol J 11(1): 33-42.
   
7. Yang, Y. (Editor) (2013). Methods in Molecular Biology: Rice Protocols. Humana Press Inc., Springer Science + Business Media.
   
8. Helliwell, E. E. and Yang, Y. (2013). Molecular strategies to improve rice disease resistance. Methods Mol Biol 956: 285-309.
   
9. Yang, D. L., Yao, J., Mei, C. S., Xiao-Hong Tong, X. H., Zeng, L. J., Li, Q., Xiao, L. T., Sun, T. P., Li, F., Deng, X. W., Lee, C. M., Thomashow, M., Yang, Y.*, He, Z. H.*, and He, S. Y.* (2012). Plant hormone jasmonate prioritizes defense over growth by interfering with gibberellin signaling cascade. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 109:7152-7153. (*Co-corresponding author, my postdoc is a co-first author)
   
10. De Vleesschauwer, D., Yang, Y., Cruz, C. V. and Hofte, M. (2010). Abscisic acid-induced resistance against the brown spot pathogen Cochliobolus miyabeanus in rice involves MAP kinase-mediated repression of ethylene signaling. Plant Physiol 152(4): 2036-2052.
    
11. Bailey, T. A.*, Zhou, X., Chen, J. and Yang, Y. (2009). Role of Ethylene, Abscisic Acid and MAP Kinase Pathways in Rice Blast Resistance. Advances in Genetics, Genomics and Control of Rice Blast Disease: 185-190.
    
12. Yang, Y. and Xiong, L. (2008). Mitogen-activated protein kinase and method of use to enhance biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in plants. US Patent 7,345,219.
    
13. Rohila, J. S. and Yang, Y. (2007). Rice mitogen‐activated protein kinase gene family and its role in biotic and abiotic stress response. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology 49(6): 751-759.
    
14. Mei, C., Zhou, X. and Yang, Y. (2007). Use of RNA interference to dissect defense-signaling pathways in rice. Methods Mol Biol 354: 161-171.
    
15. Mei, C., Qi, M., Sheng, G. and Yang, Y. (2006). Inducible overexpression of a rice allene oxide synthase gene increases the endogenous jasmonic acid level, PR gene expression, and host resistance to fungal infection. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 19(10): 1127-1137.
    
16. Reyna, N. S. and Yang, Y. (2006). Molecular analysis of the rice MAP kinase gene family in relation to Magnaporthe grisea infection. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 19(5): 530-540.
    
17. Yang, Y., Qi, M. and Mei, C. (2004). Endogenous salicylic acid protects rice plants from oxidative damage caused by aging as well as biotic and abiotic stress. Plant J 40(6): 909-919.
    
18. Xiong, L. and Yang, Y. (2003). Disease resistance and abiotic stress tolerance in rice are inversely modulated by an abscisic acid-inducible mitogen-activated protein kinase. Plant Cell 15(3): 745-759.