2003.09 - 2007.06  B.M., Jilin University

2007.09 - 2013.03  Ph.D. Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2013.07 - 2015.08  Postdoc, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2015.10 - 2019.12  Assistant Professor, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2020.01 -                Associate Professor, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Programmed -1 ribosomal frameshifting (-1PRF) is a widely used translation recoding mechanism. It is predicted that up to 10% eukaryote genes might harbor -1PRF signals. However, only very few of such genes have been reported. A large number of -1PRF genes remain to be identified.

We recently identified a host antiviral factor, Shiftless, which inhibits programmed -1 ribosomal frameshifting. Shiftless inhibits the frameshiftling process of not only viral RNAs also cellular mRNAs. My research in the near future will focus on two aspects: 

1. In our previous studies, we observed that in SFL knockout mice, the CCR5 mRNA stability was decreased, due to the enhanced -1PRF efficiency. Based on these results, we propose that SFL can influence the immune cell infiltration through regulation of CCR5 expression. In addition, bioinformatics analyses predicted that the mRNAs of other chemokines and their receptors may also have -1PRF signals. We will use SFL as a tool to prove or disprove these predictions. We will use the mouse model to further elucidate the biological consequences of SFL regulation of the expressions of these genes. The aim of this project is to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the roles of SFL in regulating inflammatory infiltration in viral infection. 

2. We will explore the structure of Shiftless -mRNA -frameshifting ribosome complex by X-ray. This study may help to better understand the mechanisms of -1PRF.

2020 -2022  NSFC Young Scientists Program - Roles of Shiftless in the regulation of immune cell infiltration during murine gammaherpesvirus 68 infection.

1. Wang Xinlu^#; Xuan Yifang^#; Han Yuling^#; Ding Xiang; Ye Kai; Yang Fuquan; Gao Pu; Goff Stephen P; Gao Guangxia*, Regulation of HIV-1 Gag-Pol Expression by Shiftless, an Inhibitor of Programmed-1 Ribosomal Frameshifting, Cell, 2019.01.24, 176(3): 625~635.

2. Xuan Yifang; Gong Danyang; Qi Jing; Han Chuanhui; Deng Hongyu*; Gao Guangxia*, ZAP Inhibits Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68 ORF64 Expression and Is Antagonized by RTA, Journal of Virology, 2013.03, 87(5): 2735~2743.

3. Xuan Yifang; Liu Ling; Shen Sheng; Deng Hongyu*; Gao Guangxia*, Zinc Finger Antiviral Protein Inhibits Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68 M2 Expression and Regulates Viral Latency in Cultured Cells, Journal of Virology, 2012.11, 86(22): 12431~12434.

4. Mu Xin; Fu Yajing; Zhu Yiping; Wang Xinlu; Xuan Yifang; Shang Hong; Goff Stephen P; Gao Guangxia*, HIV-1 Exploits the Host Factor RuvB-like 2 to Balance Viral Protein Expression, Cell Host & Microbe, 2015.08.12, 18(2):233~242.

6. Wang Qihui; Qi Jianxun; Yuan Yuan; Xuan Yifang; Han Pengcheng; Wan Yuhua; Ji Wei; Li Yan; Wu Ying; Wang Jianwei; Iwamoto Aikichi; Woo Patrick C Y; Yuen Kwok Yung; Yan Jinghua; Lu Guangwen; Gao George F*, Bat Origins of MERS-CoV Supported by Bat Coronavirus HKU4 Usage of Human Receptor CD26 , Cell Host & Microbe, 2014.09.10, 16(3): 328~337.

(From Yifang Xuan, November 11, 2021)