Yuying Liang, PhD

Microbial Pathogenesis

Assistant Professor
Pathology & Laboratory Medicine

Pathology Division(s):
Experimental Pathology

Email Address:
yliang5@emory.edu

Education:

B.S.   Biochemistry Sichuan University, P.R. China, 1988 - 1992

M. S.   Molecular Biology Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry, 1992 - 1995

Ph.D.   University of British Columbia, Canada, 1996 - 2000

  Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. Don Ganem's lab in Univ of California, San Francisco (UCSF), 2000 - 2003

Research Interests:

- Replication and Pathogenesis of influenza A virus and arenaviruses
My lab is interested in studying the replication and pathogenesis of human viral pathogens, mainly influenza A virus and arenaviruses. (1) Influenza virus (flu) is a major global human pathogen that causes annual epidemic infection and the occasional more widespread and deadly pandemics. Influenza viral genomes are composed of eight different viral RNAs, each encoding one or two viral genes in a negative sense orientation. How these viral RNAs are incorporated into a single viral particle is not fully understood. We are currently characterizing the RNA elements required for efficient packaging of each viral RNA molecule, and the potential roles of RNA-RNA and RNA-protein interactions in viral packaging. In addition, we are interested in studying the virus-host interactions and the roles of host factors and signaling pathways in viral replication. (2) Arenaviruses such as Lassa fever virus (LASV) can cause hemorrhagic fevers in humans and can potentially be employed as biological agents. The necessity of high-level containment restriction to work with this virus (in BSL-4 laboratory) and the costly expenses of using non-human primates for LASV studies significantly hinder progress in understanding the disease pathogenesis. Guinea pig infected by a related arenavirus Pichinde (PICV) represents a safe, convenient, and economical small animal model for Lassa fever. A spleen-passaged PICV causes Lassa fever-like symptoms that are limited to guinea pigs. We are currently studying the replication and pathogenesis of PICV in cell culture and in guinea pigs, which will shed lights on the molecular mechanism of the pathogenesis of human Lassa fever infection.

Selected Publications:

Published and Accepted Research Articles -

Liang, Y., T. Huang, H. Ly, T. G. Parslow, and Y. Liang. 2008. Mutational analyses of packaging signals in the influenza viral PA, PB1, and PB2 genomic RNA segments. J Virol. 82(1):229-236.

Lan, S., L. McLay, J. Aronson, H. Ly, and Y. Liang. 2008. Genome comparison of virulent and avirulent strains of the Arenavirus Pichinde. Arch Virol. 153:1241-50.

Kumar, N., Xin, Z., Liang, Y., H. Ly, and Y. Liang. 2008. NF-kappaB signaling differentially regulates influenza viral RNA synthesis. J. Virol. 82(20):9880-9.

Deng H, Y. Liang, and R. Sun. 2007. Regulation of KSHV lytic gene expression. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 312:157-83. Review.

Reagan, J. F., Y. Liang, and T. G. Parslow. 2006. Defective assembly of Influenza A virus due to a mutation in the polymerase subunit PA. J. Virol. 80: 252-261.

Liang, Y., Y. Hong, and T. G. Parslow. 2005. Cis-Acting Packaging Signals in the Influenza Virus PB1, PB2, and PA Genomic RNA Segments. J. Virol. 79: 10348-10355.

Liang, Y*. and D. Ganem. 2004. RBP-J (CSL) is essential for activation of the K14/v-GPCR promoter of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus by the lytic switch protein RTA. J. Virol. 78:6818-6826.

Liang, Y. and D. Ganem. 2003. Lytic but not latent infection by Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus requires host CSL protein, the mediator of Notch signaling. PNAS. 100 8490-8495.

Bechtel, J. T., Y. Liang, J. Hvidding, and D. Ganem. 2003. The host range of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus in cultured cells. J. Virol. 77: 6474-6481.

Liang, Y., J. Chang, S. J. Lynch, D. M. Lukac, D. Ganem. 2002. The lytic switch protein of KSHV activates gene expression via functional interaction with RBP-Jkappa (CSL), the target of the Notch signaling pathway. Genes Dev. 16(15): 1977-1989.

Liang, Y., and S. Gillam. 2001. Rubella virus RNA replication is cis-preferential and synthesis of negative- and positive-strand RNAs is regulated by the processing of nonstructural protein. Virology. 282: 307-319.

Liang, Y., J. Yao, S. Gillam. 2000. Rubella virus nonstructural protein protease domains involved in trans- and cis- cleavage activities. J Virol. 74: 5412-5423.

Liang, Y., and S. Gillam. 2000. Mutational analysis of rubella virus nonstructural polyprotein and its cleavage products in virus replication and RNA synthesis. J Virol. 74: 5133-5141.