The Research Group of Fish Molecular Immunology focuses on exploring the defense mechanism of fish immune system and the immune escape mechanism of fish pathogen from the level of gene, protein and cell, and tries to apply the theoretical achievement to fish disease prevention.  

Major research areas:  

* Fundamental research on fish immune response 

* Immune escape mechanism of fish virus 

* Applied research on fish disease prevention. 

Equipments: 

PCR amplifier, High speed refrigerated centrifuge, High precision temperature-control water bath, Temperature-control rotary shaker,Ultrasonic cleaning instrument, Water purification system, Laminar flow cabinet, Ultra low temperature refrigerator, Micro Injection instrument, ？KTA protein purification system, NanoDrop, Microplate reader, Electrophoresis system for nucleic acid/protein, Gel imaging system, Autoclaves sterilizers, Low temperature carbon dioxide incubator, Normal temperature carbon dioxide incubator, et al. 

Recent Publications: 

1. Zhang Y-A, Salinas I & Sunyer J O. 2011. Recent findings on the structure and function of teleost IgT. Fish & Shellfish Immunology, 31(5):627-634. 

2. Salinas I*, Zhang Y-A* & Sunyer J O. 2011. Mucosal immunoglobulins and B cells in teleost fish. Developmental & Comparative Immunology, 35(12):1346-1365. (*Co-first authors) 

3. Zhang Y-A, Salinas I, Li J, Parra D, Bjork S J, Xu Z, LaPatra S E, Bartholomew J L & Sunyer J O. 2010. IgT, a primitive immunoglobulin class specialized in mucosal immunity. Nature Immunology, 11 (9): 827-835.  

4. Zhang Y-A, Hikima J-I, Li J, LaPatra S E, Luo Y-P & Sunyer J O. 2009. Conservation of structural and functional features in a primordial CD80/86 molecule from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), a primitive teleost fish. Journal of Immunology, 183 (1): 83-96.  

5. Chang C-I*, Zhang Y-A*, Zou J, Nie P & Secombes C J. 2006. Two cathelicidin genes are present in both rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 50 (1): 185-195. (*Co-first authors) 

6. Li J,Barreda D R*, Zhang Y-A*, Boshra H, Gelman A E, LaPatra S, Tort L & Sunyer J O. 2006. B lymphocytes from early vertebrates have potent phagocytic and microbicidal abilities. Nature Immunology, 7 (10): 1116-1124. (*Co-second authors) 

7. Liu Y-L, Cocka L, Okumura A, Zhang Y-A, Sunyer J O & Harty R N. 2010. Conserved motifs within Ebola and Marburg virus VP40 proteins are important for stability, localization, and subsequent budding of virus-like particles. Journal of Virology,84 (5): 2294-2303. 

8. Tian J-Y, Xie H-X, Zhang Y-A, Xu Z, Yao W-J & Nie P. 2009. Ontogeny of IgM-producing cells in the mandarin fish Siniperca chuatsi identified by in situ hybridization. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, 132 (2-4): 146-152.  

9. Tian J-Y, Sun B-J, Luo Y-P, Zhang Y-A & Nie P. 2009. Distribution of IgM, IgD and IgZ in mandarin fish, Siniperca chuatsi lymphoid tissues and their transcriptional changes after Flavobacterium columnare stimulation. Aquaculture, 288: 14-21.  

10. Harun N O, Zou J, Zhang Y-A, Nie P & Secombes C J. 2008. The biological effects of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) recombinant interleukin-8. Developmental & Comparative Immunology, 32 (6): 673-681.  

11. McCarthy S E, Johnson R F, Zhang Y-A, Sunyer J O & Harty R N. 2007. Role for amino acids₂₁₂KLR₂₁₄ of Ebola virus VP40 in assembly and budding. Journal of Virology, 81 (20): 11452-11460.