Publications

Representative Publications (*Corresponding author, #Co-first author):

1. Chung K.K.#, Zhao Z. #, Law K.C. #, Ma J., Chiang C.H., Leung KH, Yixin WU, Li C, Lee K.M., Feng L, Li X, Wong K.B., Gao C, Xu S and Zhuang, X. *  Biomolecular condensation of ERC1 recruits ATG8 and NBR1 to drive autophagosome formation for plant heat tolerance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. e2425689122. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2425689122

2. Ma J. #, Li C.#, and Zhuang, X.* (2025).  Piecemeal mitochondrial degradation in plants: a coordination between mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagosome formation. Autophagy. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548627.2025.2587051

3. Ma J. #, Li C.#, Ren K., Zhang K., Feng L., Law K.C., Chung K.K., Bing Y., Gao C, Kang B-H and Zhuang, X.* (2025). Plant-specific mitochondrial fission machinery connects mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagosome formation for piecemeal mitophagy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. e2504921122 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2504921122

4. Liu, C., Liu, W., Chen, J., Lin, D., Li, H., Yang, C., Feng, L., Zhuang, X., Peng, C., Bai, M., et al. (2026). HOS1 modulates SnRK1 stability to promote nitrate-driven root development in Arabidopsis. New Phytol 249, 635-646.

5. Yuen, E.L.H., Savage, Z., Prazak, V., Liu, Z., Adamkova, V., King, F., Vuolo, C., Ibrahim, T., Wang, Y., Jenkins, S., Zhou, Y., Tumtas, Y., Erickson, J.L., Prautsch, J., Balmez, A.I., Stuttmann, J., Duggan, C., Rivetti, F., Molinari, C., Gaboriau, D.C.A., Carella, P., Zhuang, X., Schattat, M., and Bozkurt, T.O. (2025). Membrane contact sites between chloroplasts and the pathogen interface underpin plant focal immune responses. Plant Cell 37(9):koaf214. doi: 10.1093/plcell/koaf214.

6. Wu, Y., Xu, R., and Zhuang, X.* (2025). Multifaceted Roles of the ATG8 Protein Family in Plant Autophagy: From Autophagosome Biogenesis to Cargo Recognition. Journal of Molecular Biology. 437, 168981.

7. Li X#, Liao J#, Chung K.K.#, Feng L, Liao Y, Yang Z, Liu C, Zhou J, Shen S, Li H, Yang C, Zhuang X.,  Gao C. (2024) Stress Granules Sequester Autophagy Proteins to Facilitate Plant Recovery from Heat Stress. Nature Communication. 15, 10910.  

8. Xiaosong Yu, Zhongchao Huang, Yuanyuan Cheng, Keyi Hu, Yan Zhou, Huipeng Yao, Jinbo Shen, Yan Huang, Xiaohong Zhuang* and Yi Cai*. (2024). Comparative Genomics Screens Identify a Novel Small Secretory Peptide, SlSolP12, which Activates Both Local and Systemic Immune Response in Tomatoes and Exhibits Broad-Spectrum Activity. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 72(33):18507-18519. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c03633.  

9. Zhuang X. #*,  Li B. #*, and Jiang L. #* (2024). Autophagosome biogenesis and organelle homeostasis in plant cells. Plant Cell. DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koae099 

10. Zhuang X. #*,  Li R. #*, and Jiang L. #* (2024). A Century Journey of Organelles Research in the Plant Endomembrane System. Plant Cell. DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koae004

11. D. Liu, C. Lopez-Paz, Y. Li, Zhuang, X., J. Umen*. (2024).  Subscaling of a cytosolic RNA binding protein governs cell size homeostasis in the multiple fission alga Chlamydomonas. PLOS Genetics. 20, e1010503. 

12. Isono, E., Li, J., Pulido, P., Siao, W., Spoel, S.H., Wang, Z., Zhuang, X., and Trujillo, M. (2024). Protein degrons and degradation: Exploring substrate recognition and pathway selection in plants. Plant Cell 36, 3074-3098.

13. Luo M#, Law KC#, He Y#, Chung KK, Po MK, Feng L, Chung KP, Gao C, Zhuang, X. * and Jiang L.* (2023). Arabidopsis AUTOPHAGY-RELATED2 is essential for ATG18a and ATG9 trafficking during autophagosome closure. Plant Physiology 193, 304-321.

14. Zhou, J., Ma, J., Yang, C., Zhu, X., Li, J., Zheng, X., Li, X., Chen, S., Feng, L., Wang, P., Ho, M.I., Ma, W., Liao, J., Li, F., Wang, C., Zhuang, X., Jiang, L., Kang, B.H., and Gao, C. (2023). A non-canonical role of ATG8 in Golgi recovery from heat stress in plants. Nat Plants 9, 749-765.

15. Zeng, Y., Liang, Z., Liu, Z., Li, B., Cui, Y., Gao, C., Shen, J., Wang, X., Zhao, Q., Zhuang, X., Erdmann, P.S., Wong, K.B., and Jiang, L. (2023). Recent advances in plant endomembrane research and new microscopical techniques. New Phytol. DOI: 10.1111/nph.19134.

16. He Y, Gao J, Luo M, Gao C, Lin Y, Wong HY, Cui Y, Zhuang, X., Jiang L. (2023). VAMP724 and VAMP726 are involved in autophagosome formation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Autophagy 19(5):1406-1423.

17. Yang, C., Li, X., Yang, L., Chen, S., Liao, J., Li, K., Zhou, J., Shen, W., Zhuang, X., Bai, M., et al. (2023). A positive feedback regulation of SnRK1 signaling by autophagy in plants. Mol Plant 16, 1192-1211.

18. Yang, C., Li, X., Chen, S., Liu, C., Yang, L., Li, K., Liao, J., Zheng, X., Li, H., Li, Y., Zeng, S., Zhuang, X., Rodriguez, P.L., Luo, M., Wang, Y., and Gao, C. (2023). ABI5-FLZ13 module transcriptionally represses growth-related genes to delay seed germination in response to ABA. Plant Commun 4, 100636.

19. Li H, Huang R, Liao Y, Yang S, Feng B, Qin H, Zhou J, Zeng Y, Shen J, Zhuang, X., Jiang L, Otegui MS, Zhang S, Gao C. (2023) A plant-unique protein BLISTER coordinates with core retromer to modulate endosomal sorting of plasma membrane and vacuolar proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 120(1):e2211258120.

20. Li H, Liao Y, Zheng X, Zhuang, X., Gao C, Zhou J. (2022). Shedding Light on the Role of Phosphorylation in Plant Autophagy. FEBS Lett. 596(17):2172-2185.

21. Law K.C., Chung K.K., and Zhuang, X.# (2022) An update on coat protein complexes for vesicle formation in plant post-Golgi trafficking. Front Plant Sci. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.826007

22. Sun S, Feng L, Chung KP, Lee KM, Cheung HHY, Luo M, Ren K, Law KC, Jiang L, Wong KB, Zhuang, X. * Mechanistic insights into an atypical interaction between ATG8 and SH3P2 in Arabidopsis thaliana. (2022) Autophagy. 18, 1350-1366.

23. Ho, L.W.C., Chan, C.K.W., Han, R., Lau, Y.F.Y., Li, H., Ho, Y.P., Zhuang, X., and Choi, C.H.J. (2022). Mammalian Cells Exocytose Alkylated Gold Nanoparticles via Extracellular Vesicles. ACS Nano 16, 2032-2045.

24. Zhang, X. #, Man, Y. #, Zhuang, X.#, Shen, J. #, Zhang, Y., Cui, Y., Yu, M., Xing, J., Wang, G., Lian, N., Hu, Z., Ma, L., Shen, W., Yang, S., Xu, H., Bian, J., Jing, Y., Li, X., Li, R., Mao, T., Jiao, Y., Sodmergen, Ren, H., and Lin, J. (2021). Plant multiscale networks: charting plant connectivity by multi-level analysis and imaging techniques. Sci China Life Sci 64, 1392-1422.

25. Ren K, Feng L, Sun S and Zhuang, X. * (2021) Plant Mitophagy in Comparison to Mammals: What Is Still Missing? International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021, 22, 1236.

26. Ji, C.; Zhou, J.; Guo, R.; Lin, Y.; Kung, C. H.; Hu, S.; Ng, W. Y.; Zhuang, X.; Jiang, L. (2020) AtNBR1 Is a Selective Autophagic Receptor for AtExo70E2 in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol, 184, (2), 777-791.

27. Yang, C., M. Luo, X. Zhuang, F. Li and C. Gao (2020). Transcriptional and Epigenetic Regulation of Autophagy in Plants. Trends in Genetics 36: 676-688.

28. Cui Y, Cao W, He Y, Zhao Q, Wakazaki M, Zhuang X, Gao J, Zeng Y, Gao C, Ding Y, Wong HY, Wong WS, Lam HK, Wang P, Ueda T, Rojas-Pierce M, Toyooka K, Kang BH, Jiang L. (2019) A whole-cell electron tomography model of vacuole biogenesis in Arabidopsis root cells. Nat Plants. 5:95-105.

29. Zhuang, X. *, Chung, K.P. #, Luo M and Jiang, L*. (2018) Autophagosome Biogenesis and the Endoplasmic Reticulum: A plant perspective. Trends Plant Sci. 23:677-692

30. Soto-Burgos J.#, Zhuang, X. #, Jiang L and Bassham C.D (2018) Dynamics of autophagosome formation. Plant Physiol 176:219-229

31. Zhuang, X. #, Chung, K.P. #, Cui, Y. #, Lin, W., Gao, C., Kang, Y.B., and Jiang, L. (2017) ATG9 Regulates Autophagosome Progression from the Endoplasmic Reticulum in Arabidopsis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A   114: E426-E43

32. Gao, C. #, Zhuang, X. #, Cui, Y., Fu, X., He, Y., Zhao, Q., Zeng, Y., Shen, J., Luo, M., and Jiang, L. (2015). Dual roles of an Arabidopsis ESCRT component FREE1 in regulating vacuolar protein transport and autophagic degradation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 112, 1886-1891.

33. Gao C.#, Zhuang, X. #, Shen J and Jiang L. (2017) Plant ESCRT complexes: moving beyond endosomal sorting. Trends Plant Sci. 22:986-998

34. Ahn, G., Kim, H., Kim, D.H., Hanh, N.H., Yoon, Y., Singaram, I., Wijesinghe, K.J., Johnson, K.A., Zhuang, X.H., Liang, Z., Stahelin, R.V., Jiang, L., Cho, W., Kang, B.H., and Hwang, I. (2017). SH3P2 plays a crucial role at the step of membrane tubulation during cell plate formation in plants. Plant Cell. 29:1388-1405.

35. Qi H, Xia FN, Xie LJ, Yu LJ, Chen QF, Zhuang XH, Wang Q, Li F, Jiang L, Xie Q, Xiao S. (2017) TRAF-Family Proteins Regulate Autophagy Dynamics by Modulating AUTOPHAGY PROTEIN6 Stability in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell. 29:890-911.

36. Zhuang, X., Chung, K.P. and Jiang, L. (2017) Targeting tail-anchored proteins into plant organelles. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A   114:1762-1764.

37. Zhuang, X. #, Cui, Y. #, Gao, C., and Jiang, L. (2015). Endocytic and autophagic pathways crosstalk in plants. Curr Opin Plant Biol 28, 39-47.

38. Cai, Y.#, Zhuang, X. #, Gao, C. #, Wang, X. #, and Jiang, L. (2014). The Arabidopsis Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport III Regulates Internal Vesicle Formation of the Prevacuolar Compartment and Is Required for Plant Development. Plant Physiol 165, 1328-1343.

39. Li, S., Liu, L., Zhuang, X., Yu, Y., Liu, X., Cui, X., Ji, L., Pan, Z., Cao, X., Mo, B., Zhang, F., Raikhel, N., Jiang, L., and Chen, X. (2013). MicroRNAs inhibit the translation of target mRNAs on the endoplasmic reticulum in Arabidopsis. Cell 153, 562-574.  

40. Zhuang, X. #, Wang, H. #, Lam, S.K., Gao, C., Wang, X., Cai, Y., and Jiang, L. (2013). A BAR-domain protein SH3P2, which binds to phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate and ATG8, regulates autophagosome formation in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 25, 4596-4615.