Education & Experience
2005-2011 Ph.D., Plant Pathology, South China Agricultural University, with Professors Lianhui Zhang and Zide Jiang
2001-2005 B.A., Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, with Professor Xiaoling Deng
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2011-2012 Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Assistant Professor
2012- South China Agricultural University, Associate Professor
2015-2016 SCELSE/ Nanyang Technological University, Research Fellow
Awards & Honors
2016 The 6th China Overseas Chinese community contribution (innovation team) Award: microbial quorum sensing innovation team
2019 100 innovative postdoctoral figures in Guangdong Province
Research Fields
Dickeya is a genus of bacterial phytopathogen with strain diversity and complicated pathogenicity mechanisms. Quorum sensing (QS) signals, including AHL, VFM and putrescine, play important roles in modulating different characteristics associated with virulence and infection in Dickeya. Systematic analysis on the roles of different QS systems towards virulence regulation implicates the key target for biocontrol of the soft rot diseases caused by Dickeya. The research fields on the concern are about (a) regulation of different QS systems in pathogenicity, (b) identification of novel virulence factors of Dickeya, and (c) development of different biocontrol strategies for controlling crop soft rot diseases.
Selected Publications
1. Zhou J, Zhang H, Wu J, Liu Q, Xi P, Lee J, Liao J, Jiang Z, Zhang LH*. A novel multidomain polyketide synthase is essential for zeamine production and the virulence of Dickeya zeae. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 2011, 24(10): 1156-1164.
2. Zhou J, Lin B*, Shen H, Pu X, Feng J. First Report of A Soft Rot of Phalaenopsis aphrodita in south China caused by Dickeya dieffenbachiae. Plant Disease, 2012, 96(5):760.
3. Cheng Y, Liu X, An S, Chang C, Zou Y, Huang L, Zhong J, Liu Q, Jiang Z, Zhou J*, Zhang LH*. A nonribosomal peptide synthase containing a stand-alone condensation domain is essential for phytotoxin zeamine biosynthesis. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 2013, 26(11): 1294-1301.
4. Zhou J, Cheng Y, Lv M, Liao L, Chen Y, Gu Y, Liu S, Jiang Z, Xiong Y, Zhang LH*. The Complete genome sequence of Dickeya zeae EC1 reveals substantial divergence from other Dickeya strains and species. BMC Genomics, 2015, 16(1):571.
5. 周佳暖, 姜子德, 张炼辉*. 细菌性软腐病菌Dickeya致病机理的研究进展. 植物病理学报, 2015, 45(4):337-349.
6. Zhou J#, Zhang H#, Lv M, Chen Y, Liao L, Cheng Y，Liu S, Chen S, He F, Cui Z, Jiang Z, Chang C*, Zhang LH*. SlyA regulates phytotoxin production and virulence in Dickeya zeae EC1. Molecular Plant Pathology, 2016, 17(9):1398-1408.
7. Chen Y, Lv M, Liao L, Gu Y, Liang Z, Shi Z, Liu S, Zhou J*, Zhang LH*. Genetic modulation of c-di-GMP turnover affects multiple virulence traits and bacterial virulence in rice pathogen Dickeya zeae. PLoS ONE, 2016, 11(11):e0165979.
8.Liu S, Lin N, Chen Y, Liang Z, Liao L, Lv M, Chen Y, Tang Y, He F, Chen S, Zhou J*, Zhang LH*. Biocontrol of Sugarcane Smut Disease by Interference of Fungal Sexual Mating and Hyphal Growth Using a Bacterial Isolate. Frontiers in Microbiology, 2017, 8: 778.
9. Hu M, Li J, Chen R, Li W, Feng L, Shi L, Xue Y, Feng X, Zhang LH*, Zhou J*. Dickeya zeae strains isolated from rice, banana and clivia rot plants show great virulence differentials. BMC Microbiology, 2018, 18:136.
10. Lv M, Hu M, Li P, Jiang Z, Zhang LH*, Zhou J*. A two-component regulatory system VfmIH modulates multiple virulence traits in Dickeya zeae. Molecular Microbiology, 2019, 111(6):1493-1509.
11. Feng L, Schaefer AL, Hu M, Chen R, Greenberg EP*, Zhou J*. Virulence Factor Identification in the Banana Pathogen Dickeya zeae MS2. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 2019,85(23): e01611-19.
12. Liu S, He F, Lin N, Chen Y, Liang Z, Liao L, Lv M, Chen Y, Chen S, Zhou J*, Zhang LH*. Pseudomonas sp. ST4 produces variety of active compounds to interfere fungal sexual mating and hyphal growth. Microbial Biotechnology, 2020,13(1): 107-117.
13. Li W#, Hu M#, Xue Y, Li Z, Zhang Y, Zheng D, Lu G, Wang J*, Zhou J*. Five fungal pathogens are responsible for bayberry twig blight and fungicides were screened for disease control. Microorganisms 2020, 8, 689.
14. Li J#, Hu M#, Xue Y, Chen X, Lu G, Zhang LH, Zhou J*. Screening, Identification and Efficacy Evaluation of Antagonistic Bacteria for Biocontrol of Soft Rot Disease Caused by Dickeya zeae. Microorganisms 2020, 8, 697.
15. Chen Y#, Zhou J#, Lv M, Liang Z, Parsek MR*, Zhang LH*. Systematic Analysis of c-di-GMP Signaling Mechanisms and Biological Functions in Dickeya zeae EC1. mBio, 2020, 11(6): e02993-20.
16. Xue Y, Hu M, Chen S, Hu A, Li S, Han H, Lu G, Zeng L*, Zhou J*. Enterobacter asburiae and Pantoea ananatis causing rice bacterial blight in China. 2021.9.15. Plant Disease, 2021, 105(8): 2078-2088.
17. Hu M, Li C, Xue Y, Hu A, Chen S, Chen Y, Lu G, Zhou X*, Zhou J*. Isolation, characterization, and genomic investigation of a phytopathogenic strain of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Phytopathology, 2021, 111(11):2088-2099.
18. Hu M#, Li C#, Zhou X#, Xue Y, Wang S, Hu A, Chen S, Mo X, Zhou J*. Microbial diversity analysis and genome sequencing identify Xanthomonas perforans as the pathogen of bacterial leaf canker of water spinach (Ipomoea aquatic). Frontiers in Microbiology, 2021, 12:752760.
19. Hu M, Xue Y, Li C, Lv MF, Zhang LH, Parsek MR, Lu G, Zhou X*, Zhou J*. Genomic and functional dissections of Dickeya zeae shed light on the role of Type III secretion system and cell-wall degrading enzymes to host range and virulence. Microbiology Spectrum. 2022, 10(1): e01590-21.
20. Liu F#, Hu M#, Zhang Z#, Xue Y, Chen S, Hu A, Zhang LH, Zhou J*. Dickeya manipulates multiple quorum sensing systems to control virulence and collective behaviors. Frontiers in Plant Science, 2022.2.8, 13: 838125.
21. Hu A, Hu M, Chen S, Xue Y, Tan X, Zhou J*. Five plant natural products are potential Type III secretion system inhibitors to effectively control soft-rot disease caused by Dickeya. Frontiers in Microbiology, 2022, 13: 839025.
22. Chen Y#, Lv M#, Liang Z, Liu Z, Zhou J*, Zhang LH*. Cyclic di-GMP modulates sessile-motile phenotypes and virulence in Dickeya oryzae via two PilZ domain receptors. Mol Plant Pathol 2022, DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13200.
23. Zhou J#, Hu M#, Hu A#, Li C, Ren X, Tao M, Xue Y, Chen S, Tang C, Xu Y, Zhang LH, Zhou X*. Isolation and genome analysis of Pectobacterium colocasium sp. nov. and P. aroidearum, two new pathogens of taro. Frontiers in Plant Science, 2022,in press.