Main work

Dr. Yang Pu's research interests focus on the adaptation mechanism of Chinese white wax scale insects (CWWSI) in specific environments, especially the wax secretion mechanism and regulation, the effect of endosymbionts on the host. His work employed genomics, transcriptomic, proteomics, and biochemistry methods to identify the key genes involved in the adaptation. The following three topics have been investigated:

The molecular mechanism of the white wax secretion:

• Wax secretion is the most striking feature of the scale insects. Wax secretion is a special survival strategy adapt to a sedentary lifestyle on host plants. Using molecular and biochemical approaches, we have identified the key genes responsible for wax secretion. In addition, we also found some genes potentially regulate the wax secretion of CWWSI. Dr. Yang's long-term research interests are trying to explain the regulation networks underlying the wax secretion characteristics.

The endosymbionts diversity:

• The CWWSI harbored a variety of endosymbionts. The microorganisms are thought to be important to adaptation of the host. We analyzed the endosymbiont diversity and also found a lethal fungus infects the scale insect and causes dramatic changes in the host microbiota. We sequenced the genome of the fungi Cladosporium and Paraconiothyrium. These genomic characters reflect the adaptation of endosymbiosis to host-restricted lifestyle and the invader of entomopathogen to the host.

Sexual dimorphism:

• Sexual dimorphism is beneficial for male courtship and female reproduction in the CWWSI and makes full use of the resources within a habitat. We found that two sexes of the scale insects engaged in distinct developmental programs. These differential expressed genes were particularly prominent for processes linked to female neotenous   development and male "holometabolous-like" development.

Key research projects

• Characterization of the Ericerus pela fatty acyl-CoA reductase (FAR) and its high expression in yeast. Apr. 2021-Mar. 2024.

• The identification and molecular function research of key enzyme genes involved in wax secretion of the white wax scale insect. Jan. 2016-Dec. 2019

• The action mechanism of wax synthase (WS) in sexually dimorphic wax secretion of Ericerus pela. Jan. 2013-Dec. 2016

Published articles & books

• Pu Yang*^#, Shuhui Yu^#, Junjun Hao^#, Wei Liu, Zunling Zhao, Zengrong Zhu, Tao Sun, Xueqing Wang, Qisheng Song. 2019. Genome sequence of the Chinese white wax scale insect: the first draft genome for the Coccidae family of scale insects. GigaScience, 8:1-8.

• Wei Liu^#, Shu-Hui Yu^#, Hong-Ping Zhang^#, Zuo-Yi Fu, Jia-Qi An, Jin-Yang Zhang, Pu Yang*.2022. Two Cladosporium fungi with opposite functions to the Chinese white wax scale insect have different genome characters. Journal of Fungi, 8(3): 286.

• Jia-Qi An, Shu-Hui Yu, Shu-Jun Wei, Hong-Ping Zhang, Yuan-Chong Shi, Qiu-Yu Zhao, Zuo-Yi Fu, Pu Yang*. 2023. The complete mitochondrial genome of the Chinese white wax scale insect, Ericerus pela Chavannes (Hemiptera: Coccidae), with novel gene arrangement and truncated tRNA genes. Insects, 14(3): 290.

• Zuo-Yi Fu#, Jia-Qi An#, Wei Liu, Hong-Ping Zhang, Pu Yang*. 2022. Genomic analyses of the fungus Paraconiothyrium sp. isolated from the Chinese white wax scale insect reveals its symbiotic character. Genes, 13(2): 338.