Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension

Yujiang Shi, Ph.D

Dr. Shi is exploring novel epigenetic mechanisms involved in regulation of eukaryotic gene expression with the goal of identifying and characterizing these novel epigenetic players to better understand the mechanisms in chromatin. Among his several accomplishments, Dr. Shi has isolated and characterized the first histone demethylase (LSD1). The discovery of this long sought enzyme opened new ground in the emerging and fast moving epigenetic field. He is focusing on identifying novel cellular targets of LSD1 and investigating the dynamic regulation of histone methylation by LSD1 in vivo using LSD1-knockout mouse model. He is also investigating whether LSD1 activity is regulated by its associated partners such as transcriptional corepressors and whether there is interplay between histone deacetylases and demethylases in the LSD1 complex during silencing of target genes, such as the angiotensinogen gene.

1. Yuan W, Tuttle DL, Shi Y, Ralph GS and Dunn WA Jr. Glucose-induced microautophagy in pichia pastoris requires the a-subunit of phosphofructokinase. J Cell Sci. 1997;110(16):1935-45.
2. Shi Y, Ouyang P and Sugrue SP. Characterization of the gene encoding pinin/DRS/memA and evidence for its potential tumor suppessor function. Oncogene. 2000;19(2):289-297.
3. Shi Y, Tabesh M and Sugrue SP. Role of cell adhesion-associated protein, pinin DRS/memA, in corneal epithelial migration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2000;41(6):1337-45.
4. Shi Y, Simmons MN, Seki T, Oh P and Sugrue SP. Change in gene expression subsequent to induction of Pnn/DRS/memA: increase in p21(cip1/waf1). Oncogene. 2001;20:4007-4018.
5. See RH, Calvo D, Shi Y, Kawa H, Luke MP, Yuan Z, Shi Y. Stimulation of p300-mediated transcription by the kinase MEKK1. J Biol Chem. 2001;276(19):16310-7.
6. Sui G, Soohoo C, Affar el B, Gay F, Shi Y, Forrester WC, Shi Y. A DNA vector-based RNAi technology to suppress gene expression in mammalian cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002;99(8):5515-20.
7. Shi Y, Sawada J, Sui G, Affar el B, Whetstine JR, Lan F, Ogawa H, Luke MP, Nakatani Y, Shi Y. Coordinated histone modifications mediated by a CtBP co-repressor complex. Nature. 2003;422(6933):735-8.
8. Zimowska G, Shi J, Munguba G, Jackson MR, Alpatov R, Simmons MN, Shi Y, Sugrue SP. Pinin/DRS/memA interacts with SRp75, SRm300 and SRrp130 in corneal epithelial cells. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2003;44(11):4715-23.
9. Lin X, Liang YY, Sun B, Liang M, Shi Y, Brunicardi FC, Shi Y, Feng XH. Smad6 recruits transcription corepressor CtBP to repress bone morphogenetic protein-induced transcription. Mol Cell Biol. 2003;23(24):9081-93.
10. Sui G, Affar EB*, Shi Y*, Brignone C, Wall NR, Yin P, Donohoe P, Calvo P, Luke MP, Grossman SR, Shi Y. Yin Yang 1 is a negative regulator of p53. Cell. 2004;117(7):859-87.
11. Shi Y and Shi Y. Metabolic enzymes and coenzymes in transcription—a direct link between metabolism and transcription? Trends in Genetics. 2004;20(9):445-52.
12. Alpatov R, Munguba GC, Caton P, Joo JH, Shi Y, Shi Y, Hunt ME, Sugrue SP. Nuclear Speckle-Associated Protein Pnn/DRS Binds to the Transcriptional Corepressor CtBP and Relieves CtBP- Mediated Repression of the E-Cadherin Gene. Mol Cell Biol. 2004;24(23):10223-35.
13. Shi Y, Lan F, Matson C, Mulligan P, Whetstine JR, Cole PA, Casero RA, Shi Y. Histone demethylation mediated by the nuclear amine oxidase homolog LSD1. Cell. 2004;119(7):941-953.

Contact Information:
(617) 732-5661
yujiang_shi@hms.harvard.edu