Erfei Bi

faculty photo
Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology
Department: Cell and Developmental Biology

Contact information
Room 1156, BRB II/III
421 Curie Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6058
Office: 215-573-6676
Fax: 215-746-8791
Lab: 215-573-6677
Graduate Group Affiliations
Education:
B.S.
Wuhan University, P. R. China, 1985.
Ph.D.
University of Kansas Medical Center, 1991.
Post-Graduate Training
Postdoctoral Fellow, Yeast Cell Biology and Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1992-1997.
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Description of Research Expertise

Research Interests

Mechanisms of Cell Polarization, Cytokinesis, and Septin Assembly and Function

Key words: Cytokinesis, abscission, actomyosin ring, exocytosis, ECM remodeling, septin, hepatocyte polarization, apical tube formation

Research Description

Research in the Bi laboratory is aimed at understanding the mechanisms of cytokinesis and septin assembly and function using both yeast and mammalian cells as the experimental systems and an integrative approach involving genetics, cutting-edge imaging technologies, and biochemistry. The cytokinesis projects focus on dissecting the architecture and regulation of the actomyosin ring as well as the mechanisms of targeted vesicle fusion and ECM remodeling at the division site. The septin projects focus on elucidating the mechanisms and functional impact of septin high-order assembly and remodeling at the division site during the cell cycle.

The Bi laboratory also attempts to elucidate the mechanisms of hepatocyte polarization and apical tube formation using cell culture models and an integrated experimental approach.


Rotation projects: interested students are welcome to discuss possible rotation projects.

Current members of the lab

Kangji Wang, Research Associate
Hiroki Okada, Research Associate
Xi Chen, Research Associate
Junya Hayase, Postdoc
Yuwen Dong, Postdoc

Selected Publications

Duan, Xudong; Chen, Xi; Wang, Kangji; Chen, Li; Glomb, Oliver; Johnsson, Nils; Feng, Lin; Zhou, Xiao-Qiu; Bi, Erfei: Essential role of the endocytic site-associated protein Ecm25 in stress-induced cell elongation Cell Reports 35(7): 109122, May 2021.

Okada H, MacTaggart B, Ohya Y, Bi E.: The kinetic landscape and interplay of protein networks in cytokinesis. iScience 24: 101917, Dec 2020.

Kangji Wang, Hiroki Okada and Erfei Bi: Comparative Analysis of the Roles of Non-muscle Myosin-IIs in Cytokinesis in Budding Yeast, Fission Yeast, and Mammalian Cells. Frontiers Research Foundation 8: 593400, Nov 2020.

Joseph Marquardt, Lin-Lin Yao, Hiroki Okada, Tatyana Svitkina, Erfei Bi: The LKB1-like Kinase Elm1 Controls Septin Hourglass Assembly and Stability by Regulating Filament Pairing. Current Biology 30(12): 2386-2394, Jun 2020.

Chen, Xi; Wang, Kangji; Svitkina, Tatyana; Bi, Erfei: Critical Roles of a RhoGEF-Anillin Module in Septin Architectural Remodeling during Cytokinesis. Current Biology 30(8): 1477-1490.e3, Apr 2020.

Okada Hiroki, Wloka Carsten, Wu Jian-Qiu, Bi Erfei: Distinct Roles of Myosin-II Isoforms in Cytokinesis under Normal and Stressed Conditions. iScience 14: 69-87, Apr 2019.

Wang Kangji, Wloka Carsten, Bi Erfei: Non-muscle Myosin-II Is Required for the Generation of a Constriction Site for Subsequent Abscission. iScience 13: 69-81, Mar 2019.

Kubo Karen, Okada Hiroki, Shimamoto Takuya, Kimori Yoshitaka, Mizunuma Masaki, Bi Erfei, Ohnuki Shinsuke, Ohya Yoshikazu: Implications of maintenance of mother-bud neck size in diverse vital processes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Current genetics 65(1): 253-267, Feb 2019.

Marquardt Joseph, Chen Xi, Bi Erfei: Architecture, remodeling, and functions of the septin cytoskeleton. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken, N.J.) 76(1): 7-14, Jan 2019.

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Last updated: 01/09/2023
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