Wang Pengwei

I received a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Biochemistry in 2006 and a Ph.D. in Plant Cell Biology in 2010. After that, I worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Professor Chris Hawes’ laboratory at Oxford Brookes University, UK, and Professor Patrick Hussey’s laboratory at Durham University, UK. In our lab, we use model plant (Arabidopsis) as well as horticultural crops (tomato, citrus) to study plant cell biology and horticultural biology related research, such as autophagy, ER-Organelle interaction, membrane trafficking, cytoskeleton, plant growth and fruit development. My current positions include: Member of the Expert Committee of the China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, Member of the Plant Cell Biology Professional Committee of the Chinese Botanical Society, Member of the Organelle Biology Branch of the Chinese Society for Cell Biology, Council Member of Hubei Provincial Society for Cell Biology, Editor for the academic journal New Phytologist, Youth Editorial Board Member of Science China Life Sciences, and Editorial Board Member of Frontiers in Plant Science.

1. 10/2006-02/2010, PhD in Plant Cell Biology, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
2. 09/2003-06/2006, BSc (Honr) in Biochemistry with Medical Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

Selected publication:

1. Xu Z., Zang J., Zhang X., Zheng Q., Li Y., Field N., Fiserova J., Hua B., Qu X., Kriechbaumer V., Deeks M., Hussey P.J. Wang P.* (2025) The ER-PM interaction is essential for cytokinesis and recruits the actin cytoskeleton through the SCAR/WAVE complex. PNAS. 122: e2416927122.
2. Guo Y., Gong J., Hu R., Shi M., Bao Z., Cao S., Zhu K., Deng X., Cheng Y., Wang P.* (2025) Autophagy positively regulates ethylene-induced colouration in citrus fruits. The Plant Journal. doi: 10.1111/tpj.70114.
3. Gao E., Zhao Y., Wu M., Qu X., Wu X., Guo W., Wang P.* (2025) Enhanced storage lipid biosynthesis promotes somatic embryogenesis in citrus. Plant Physiology. 197: kiaf049.
4. Li Y., Pain C., Cui X., Li M., Zhang T., Li J., Kriechbaumer V., Wang P.* (2025) Studying ER-membrane contact sites in plants using the optogenetic approach: Taking the LiMETER as an example. The Plant Journal. ;121:e17191.
5. Gao E., Zhao Y., Wu M., Wang K., Zheng Q., Li Y., Qu X., Wu X., Guo W., Wang P.* (2025) Autophagy is essential for somatic embryogenesis in citrus through regulating amyloplast degradation and lipid homeostasis. New Phytologist. 245:684-697.
6. Zhang T., Wang K., Dou S., Gao E., Hussey P.J., Lin Z., and Wang P.* (2024) Exo84c-regulated degradation is involved in the normal self-incompatible response in Brassicaceae. Cell Reports. 43:113913.
7. Bao Z., Guo Y., Meng X., Shi C., Ouyang B., Qu X. and Wang P.* (2024) Microtubule-associated proteins MAP65-1 and SUN18/IQD26 coordinately regulate tomato fruit shape by affecting cell division. Plant Physiology. 194:629-633.
8. Bao Z., Guo Y., Deng Y., Zang J., Zhang J., Deng Y., Ouyang B., Qu X., Bürstenbinder K. and Wang P.* (2023) The microtubule-associated protein SlMAP70 interacts with SlIQD21a to regulate fruit shape formation in tomato. The Plant Cell. 35: 4266–4283.
9. Zhang T., Li Y., Li C., Gao E., Kroon J.T., Qu X., Hussey P.J. and Wang P.* (2023) Exo84c interacts with VAP27 to regulate exocytotic compartment degradation and stigma senescence. Nature Communications. 14:4888.
10. Wang P*, Duckney P, Gao E, Hussey PJ, Kriechbaumer V, Li C, Zang J, Zhang T (2023) Keep in contact: multiple roles of endoplasmic reticulum-membrane contact sites and the organelle interaction network in plants. New Phytologist. 238:482-499.
11. Guo Y#, Bao Z#, Deng Y, Li Y, Wang P.* (2022) Protein subcellular localization and functional studies in horticultural research: problems, solutions, and new approaches. Horticulture Research. DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhac271.
12. Li C#, Duckney P#, Zhang T, Fu Y, Li X, Kroon J, Jaeger G, Cheng Y, Hussey P. J.*, and Wang P.* (2022) TraB family proteins are components of ER-mitochondrial contact sites and regulate ER-mitochondrial interactions and mitophagy. Nature Communications. 13:5658. (Recommended by Faculty Opinion. Jiang L and Shen J, DOI: 10.3410/f.742339081.793596035)
13. Zang, J.#, Klemm, S.#, Pain, C., Duckney, P., Bao, Z., Stamm, G., Kriechbaumer, V., Bürstenbinder, K., Hussey, P. J.*, and Wang, P.* (2021). A Novel Plant Actin Microtubule Bridging Complex Regulates Cytoskeletal and ER Structure at Endoplasmic Reticulum Plasma Membrane Contact Sites. Current Biology, 31:1251-1260.
14. Gong, J.#, Zeng, Y.#, Meng, Q., Guan, Y., Li, C., Yang, H., Zhang, Y., Ampomah-Dwamena, C., Liu,P., Chen, C., Deng, X., Cheng, Y., and Wang,P.* (2021). Red light-induced citrus fruit colouration is attributable to increased carotenoid metabolism regulated by FcrNAC22. Journal of Experimental Botany. 72:6274-6290
15. Gong, J.#, Tian, Z.#, Qu, X., Meng, Q., Guan, Y., Liu, P., Chen, C., Deng, X., Guo, W., Cheng, Y., and Wang,P.* (2021). Illuminating the cells: transient transformation of citrus to study gene function and organelle activities related to fruit quality. Horticulture Research, 8:175
16. Wang, P.,* Gao, E., and Hussey PJ.* (2020) Autophagosome biogenesis in plants: an actin cytoskeleton perspective. Trends in Plant Science, 25:850-858.
17. Wang, P.#, Pleskot, R.#, Zang, J., Winkler, J., Wang, J., Yperman, K., Zhang, T., Wang, K., Gong, J., Guan, Y., et al. (2019). Plant AtEH/Pan1 proteins drive autophagosome formation at ER-PM contact sites with actin and endocytic machinery. Nature Communications. 10, 5132.
18. Wang, P., Hawkins, T.J. and Hussey P.J.* (2017) Connecting membranes to the actin cytoskeleton. Current Opinion in Plant Biology. 40: 71-76.
19. Wang, P. and Hussey, P.J.* (2017) NETWORKED 3B: a novel protein in the actin cytoskeleton-endoplasmic reticulum interaction. Journal of Experimental Botany 68(7): 1441-1450.
20. Wang P., Hawes C., and Hussey P.J.* (2017) Plant endoplasmic reticulum—plasma membrane contacts sites. Trends in Plant Science, 22(4): 289-297.
21. Wang, P., Richardson, C., Hawes, C. and Hussey, P.J* (2016). Arabidopsis NAP1 regulates the formation of autophagosomes. Current Biology, 26: 2060-2069. (Recommended by Hohfeld 2016 Curr Biol, R701-R718)
22. Wang, P., Hawkins, T.J., Richardson, C., Sparkes, I., Hawes, C. and Hussey, P.J.* (2016) Plant VAP proteins: domain characterization, intercellular localization, and role in plant development. New Phytologist, 210:1311-1326.
23. Knox, K.,# Wang, P.,# Kriechbaumer, K., Tilsner, J., Frigerio, L., Sparkes, I., Hawes, C. and Oparka, K.* (2015) Putting the squeeze on PDs- a role for RETICULONS in primary plasmodesmata formation. Plant Physiology, 168: 1563. (Co-first author)
24. Wang, P., Hawkins, T.J., Richardson, C., Cummins, I., Deeks, M.J., Sparkes, I., Hawes, C. and Hussey, P.J.* (2014) The plant cytoskeleton, NET3C, and VAP27 mediate the link between the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum. Current Biology, 24, 1397
25. Wang, P., Hummel, E., Osterrieder, A., Meyer, A.J., Frigerio, L., Sparkes, I. and Hawes, C*. (2011) KMS1 and KMS2, two plant endoplasmic reticulum proteins involved in the early secretory pathway. The Plant Journal, 66, 613-628.