Professor Zhao uses the lepidopteran insect, cotton boll worm (Helicoverpa armigera), as a model to investigate the mechanism of insect molting and metamorphosis. Recent studies include signal transduction pathways for steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and molecular mechanism of tissue remodeling, interaction between 20E and juvenile hormone (JH), and interaction between 20E and insulin etc.
Professor Zhao graduated from Southwest Normal University in 1981, received her master’s degree from Shandong University in 1984, and her PhD degree from Nanjing Agricultural University in 1997. As a visiting scholar, she also did studies at Yamaguchi University in 1990 and at Kyushu Institute of Technology in 2001 and 2005 in Japan, and at Osnabrueck University in 1998 and 2003 in Germany, respectively.
Professor Zhao and her research team identified two kinds of G-protein-coupled-receptors (GPCR) deciphering 20E signal on the cell membrane. They proved that the 20E via GPCRs causes a rapid calcium ion influx, promotes cell apoptosis and metamorphosis. They revealed that the G protein αq (Gαq), gamma phospholipase C1 (PLCG1), protein kinases (PKA, PKC, CDK10, CaMKII) and calcium ion channel ORAI1 are key factors in 20E signaling pathways at cell membrane. They also demonstrated that 20E can regulate its nuclear receptor signaling pathways via GPCR-mediated signaling at cell membrane. They revealed that JH counteracts 20E function by regulating BrZ7 phosphorylation. 20E upregulates phosphatidyl inositol 3 phosphoric acid phosphatase (PTEN) expression to induce FoxO translocating to nucleus for its transcription activity, which counteracts insulin activity and promotes protein hydrolysis. Their research results have been published in high impact journals such as PNAS, Development, JBC, Endocrinology, Insect Biochemistry and molecular Biology, etc.
Professor Zhao graduated from Southwest Normal University in 1981, received her master’s degree from Shandong University in 1984, and her PhD degree from Nanjing Agricultural University in 1997. As a visiting scholar, she also did studies at Yamaguchi University in 1990 and at Kyushu Institute of Technology in 2001 and 2005 in Japan, and at Osnabrueck University in 1998 and 2003 in Germany, respectively.
Professor Zhao and her research team identified two kinds of G-protein-coupled-receptors (GPCR) deciphering 20E signal on the cell membrane. They proved that the 20E via GPCRs causes a rapid calcium ion influx, promotes cell apoptosis and metamorphosis. They revealed that the G protein αq (Gαq), gamma phospholipase C1 (PLCG1), protein kinases (PKA, PKC, CDK10, CaMKII) and calcium ion channel ORAI1 are key factors in 20E signaling pathways at cell membrane. They also demonstrated that 20E can regulate its nuclear receptor signaling pathways via GPCR-mediated signaling at cell membrane. They revealed that JH counteracts 20E function by regulating BrZ7 phosphorylation. 20E upregulates phosphatidyl inositol 3 phosphoric acid phosphatase (PTEN) expression to induce FoxO translocating to nucleus for its transcription activity, which counteracts insulin activity and promotes protein hydrolysis. Their research results have been published in high impact journals such as PNAS, Development, JBC, Endocrinology, Insect Biochemistry and molecular Biology, etc.