Dr. Yuelong Zhou published a research paper in the “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)”
On June 26, 2025, Dr. Yuelong Zhou of our institute published a research paper titled "Enhanced chloroplast FtsZ-ring constriction by the ARC6-ARC3 module in Arabidopsis" as a co-first author in PNAS (top-tier journal, with an impact factor of 9.4).
During plant growth, the increase in chloroplast numbers is achieved through chloroplast division, a process initiated by the formation of the stromal FtsZ ring (Z-ring). The dynamic changes and constriction of the Z-ring are essential for completing chloroplast division. Our research reveals that the chloroplast membrane protein ARC6 interacts with the stromal protein ARC3 and recruits it to the chloroplast division site. This ARC6-ARC3 interaction enables ARC3 to bind with FtsZ. The formed ARC6-ARC3 complex significantly enhances the dynamic changes and constriction of the chloroplast Z-ring in heterologous systems. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying Z-ring dynamics, constriction, and chloroplast division regulation.
Figure 1. ARC6 is required for ARC3 function in chloroplast division.
Professor Cheng Chen of the School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, is the corresponding author of the paper. Dr. Wenbin Du, Assistant Researcher Lingyan Cao, and Dr. Yuelong Zhou (currently a young faculty member at our institute) of Shanghai Jiao Tong University are the co-first authors.
Brief Introduction of Dr. Yuelong Zhou:
Dr. Yuelong Zhou obtained Ph.D. from Lanzhou University and completed postdoctoral research at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. His research focuses on pollen tube tip growth, chloroplast division, and functional gene studies in cucumber. He has published first-author papers in Plant Cell, PNAS, Agronomy, and Horticulturae. Currently, he leads projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Jiangxi Provincial Natural Science Foundation (General Program and Youth Program).
Original Article Link:
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2425129122
