Faculty

X. Frank Yang, PhD

Professor of Microbiology & Immunology

Email xfyang@iupui.edu

Phone (317) 274-8691

Address

MS 420
635 Barnhill Drive

Indianapolis, IN

Bio

Dr. Yang received his graduate training of molecular biology from The University of Texas at Dallas during 1991-1997. He then received his postdoctoral training from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center during 1998-2001. He then became Instructor and Assistant Professor at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. In 2005, he moved to Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Yang has been working in the area of signaling transduction and microbial pathogenesis since 1994. His work has contributed significantly to our understanding how the Lyme disease pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi infects the mammalian host and survives in the tick vector. His team has published over 70 research papers, and the work has been continuously funded by National Institute of Health since 2006.

Titles & Appointments

Professor of Microbiology & Immunology

Education

1997 PhD University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

1994 MS University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

1988 MS Chinese Academy of Sciences

1985 BS Liaoning University
Research

Dr. Yang’s laboratory investigates the pathogenesis of Bacterial infection, with the focus of two groups of pathogens, the spirochetal pathogens (the causative agents of Lyme disease, Syphilis, and Leptospirosis) and the vector-borne pathogens.

The team employs the Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, as a model system to study the host-pathogen interactions. Lyme disease is the number one vector-borne disease in the US, but little is known on how B. burgdorferi causes disease (Lyme arthritis, Lyme carditis, neuroborreliosis). B. burgdorferi infects humans as accidental host via tick bites. The team identified two key regulatory networks that modulate expression of many Borrelia genes; one network appears to be essential for bacteria to infect mice, whereas the other is important for spirochetes to survive in the tick vector. Current focus is to elucidate the mechanisms of how B. burgdorferi senses the signals from each host and turns on each regulatory network and what the downstream effectors the networks control, with the goal to develop new strategies for early detection and prevention of Lyme disease, as well as elimination of the pathogen in ticks.

Yang Lab Web Page
Publications

Vibrio vulnificus induces mTOR activation and inflammatory responses in macrophages.
Xie DL; Zheng MM; Zheng Y; Gao H; Zhang J; Zhang T; Guo JC; Yang XF; Zhong XP; Lou YL; PloS one 2017 Jul 18

Genome-Wide Transcriptional Start Site Mapping and sRNA Identification in the Pathogen Leptospira interrogans.
Zhukova A; Fernandes LG; Hugon P; Pappas CJ; Sismeiro O; Coppée JY; Becavin C; Malabat C; Eshghi A; Zhang JJ; Yang FX; Picardeau M; Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology 2017 Jan 19

The EbpA-RpoN Regulatory Pathway of the Pathogen Leptospira interrogans Is Essential for Survival in the Environment.
Hu WL; Pappas CJ; Zhang JJ; Yang YY; Yan J; Picardeau M; Yang XF; Applied and environmental microbiology 2017 Jan 17

Investigation of ospC Expression Variation among Borrelia burgdorferi Strains.
Xiang X; Yang Y; Du J; Lin T; Chen T; Yang XF; Lou Y; Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology 2017 Apr 20

Treponema pallidum, the syphilis spirochete: making a living as a stealth pathogen.
Radolf JD; Deka RK; Anand A; Šmajs D; Norgard MV; Yang XF; Nature reviews. Microbiology 2016 Oct 10

HtrA, a Temperature- and Stationary Phase-Activated Protease Involved in Maturation of a Key Microbial Virulence Determinant, Facilitates Borrelia burgdorferi Infection in Mammalian Hosts.
Ye M; Sharma K; Thakur M; Smith AA; Buyuktanir O; Xiang X; Yang X; Promnares K; Lou Y; Yang XF; Pal U; Infection and immunity 2016 Jul 21

Genome reduction of Borrelia burgdorferi: two TCS signaling pathways for two distinct host habitats.
Ye M; Zhou Y; Lou Y; Yang XF; Science China. Life sciences 2016 Jan 6

What Makes a Bacterial Species Pathogenic?:Comparative Genomic Analysis of the Genus Leptospira.
Fouts DE; Matthias MA; Adhikarla H; Adler B; Amorim-Santos L; Berg DE; Bulach D; Buschiazzo A; Chang YF; Galloway RL; Haake DA; Haft DH; Hartskeerl R; Ko AI; Levett PN; Matsunaga J; Mechaly AE; Monk JM; Nascimento AL; Nelson KE; Palsson B; Peacock SJ; Picardeau M; Ricaldi JN; Thaipandungpanit J; Wunder EA Jr; Yang XF; Zhang JJ; Vinetz JM; PLoS neglected tropical diseases 2016 Feb 18

Insight into the Dual Functions of Bacterial Enhancer-Binding Protein Rrp2 of Borrelia burgdorferi.
Yin Y; Yang Y; Xiang X; Wang Q; Yang ZN; Blevins J; Lou Y; Yang XF; Journal of bacteriology 2016 Apr 28

Borrelia burgdorferi elongation factor EF-Tu is an immunogenic protein during Lyme borreliosis.
Carrasco SE; Yang Y; Troxell B; Yang X; Pal U; Yang XF; Emerging microbes & infections 2015 Sep 2

Emerging tick-borne infections in mainland China: an increasing public health threat.
Fang LQ; Liu K; Li XL; Liang S; Yang Y; Yao HW; Sun RX; Sun Y; Chen WJ; Zuo SQ; Ma MJ; Li H; Jiang JF; Liu W; Yang XF; Gray GC; Krause PJ; Cao WC; The Lancet. Infectious diseases 2015 Oct 6

Outer surface protein OspC is an antiphagocytic factor that protects Borrelia burgdorferi from phagocytosis by macrophages.
Carrasco SE; Troxell B; Yang Y; Brandt SL; Li H; Sandusky GE; Condon KW; Serezani CH; Yang XF; Infection and immunity 2015 Oct 5

PCR-Based Multiple Species Cell Counting for In Vitro Mixed Culture.
Huang R; Zhang J; Yang XF; Gregory RL; PloS one 2015 May 13

Correction: Increased Interleukin-17 in Peripheral Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid of Neurosyphilis Patients.
Wang C; Zhu L; Gao Z; Guan Z; Lu H; Shi M; Gao Y; Xu H; Yang XF; Zhou P; PLoS neglected tropical diseases 2015 Jun 19

Acetyl-Phosphate Is Not a Global Regulatory Bridge between Virulence and Central Metabolism in Borrelia burgdorferi.
Richards CL; Lawrence KA; Su H; Yang Y; Yang XF; Dulebohn DP; Gherardini FC; PloS one 2015 Dec 17

MicroRNA Expression Profiling of Human Respiratory Epithelium Affected by Invasive Candida Infection.
Muhammad SA; Fatima N; Syed NI; Wu X; Yang XF; Chen JY; PloS one 2015 Aug 27

Transferred interbacterial antagonism genes augment eukaryotic innate immune function.
Chou S; Daugherty MD; Peterson SB; Biboy J; Yang Y; Jutras BL; Fritz-Laylin LK; Ferrin MA; Harding BN; Jacobs-Wagner C; Yang XF; Vollmer W; Malik HS; Mougous JD; Nature 2014 Nov 24

Prioritizing drug targets in Clostridium botulinum with a computational systems biology approach.
Muhammad SA; Ahmed S; Ali A; Huang H; Wu X; Yang XF; Naz A; Chen J; Genomics 2014 May 13

Increased interleukin-17 in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid of neurosyphilis patients.
Wang C; Zhu L; Gao Z; Guan Z; Lu H; Shi M; Gao Y; Xu H; Yang XF; Zhou P; PLoS neglected tropical diseases 2014 Jul 31

Pyruvate protects pathogenic spirochetes from H2O2 killing.
Troxell B; Zhang JJ; Bourret TJ; Zeng MY; Blum J; Gherardini F; Hassan HM; Yang XF; PloS one 2014 Jan 2

DhhP, a cyclic di-AMP phosphodiesterase of Borrelia burgdorferi, is essential for cell growth and virulence.
Ye M; Zhang JJ; Fang X; Lawlis GB; Troxell B; Zhou Y; Gomelsky M; Lou Y; Yang XF; Infection and immunity 2014 Feb 24

Cyclic Di-GMP receptor PlzA controls virulence gene expression through RpoS in Borrelia burgdorferi.
He M; Zhang JJ; Ye M; Lou Y; Yang XF; Infection and immunity 2013 Nov 11

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