Feng Li, PhD
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Cell Biology
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Research Scientist in Cell Biology
Appointments
Cell Biology
Research ScientistPrimary
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Education & Training
- PhD
- University of California at Santa Barbara (2005)
- BS
- Peking University (1997)
Research
Overview
Synaptic vesicle fusion is an ultrafast and highly synchronized process. In the prefusion stage, vesicles are docked and primed at the presynaptic terminal, probably through some tethering factors and the initial association of the v- and t-SNAREs, and form a ready-to-release pool. Upon the entry of calcium, the SNAREs further zipper up to induce bilayer merging, and neurotransmitters are then released from the vesicles to synaptic cleft in sub-millisecond. How this fusion achieves ultrafast kinetics and synchronicity is poorly understood. It likely involves the collaborative efforts of several proteins such as Syntaxin, SNAP25, VAMP2, Synaptotagmin, Complexin, and probably Munc18, alpha-SNAP, NSF, too. To unravel the molecular basis of this process, it requires a thorough understanding of the role of each protein as well as their interplay.
ORCID
0000-0003-3533-0184
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Feng Li's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Feng Li's research output by year.
Frederic Pincet, PhD
Jeff Coleman, PhD
James E Rothman, PhD
Shyam Krishnakumar, PhD
Karin Reinisch, PhD
Yongli Zhang, PhD, MS
18Publications
929Citations
Publications
2024
Single-Mode Control and Individual Nanoparticle Detection in the Ultraviolet Region Based on Boron Nitride Microdisk with Whispering Gallery Mode
Li J, Li Q, Chen R, Zhang Q, Fang W, Liu K, Li F, Yun F. Single-Mode Control and Individual Nanoparticle Detection in the Ultraviolet Region Based on Boron Nitride Microdisk with Whispering Gallery Mode. Nanomaterials 2024, 14: 501. PMID: 38535649, PMCID: PMC10975174, DOI: 10.3390/nano14060501.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsWhispering gallery modesMicrodisk cavitiesOptical microcavitiesGallery modesBoron nitrideResonant modesUltraviolet regionLight-matter interactionSingle-mode outputNonlinear opticsSingle-modeUltraviolet bandMicrodiskUltraviolet spectraSingle-mode controlMicrocavitiesPrecision sensitivityResonanceNanoparticle detectionBoronMicroresonatorsModeAbsorption propertiesTime-domain (FDTD) methodFinite-difference time-domain (FDTD) methodTunable chiral spin–spin interactions in a spin-mechanical hybrid system: application to causal-effect simulation
Li B, Li X, Zhao X, Zhang Y, Wang H, Li F. Tunable chiral spin–spin interactions in a spin-mechanical hybrid system: application to causal-effect simulation. New Journal Of Physics 2024, 26: 023029. DOI: 10.1088/1367-2630/ad24a1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSpin-spin interactionsSu-Schrieffer-Heeger modelCoupled quantum systemsHybrid quantum devicesQuantum information processingSpin–spin coupling interactionsSpin-spin couplingChiral symmetrySpin qubitsQuantum systemsQuantum simulationSpin-phononQuantum devicesMechanical latticeChiral interactionsCorrelation functionManipulating voltageCoupling interactionInformation processingOn-chipQubitsHamiltonianSpinSublatticeSymmetry
2023
Combining three sources of optical anisotropy in a tunable open-access microcavity: From theory to experiment
Li Y, Luo X, Guo Y, Ren J, Long T, Wang B, Cai Y, Guo C, Qin Y, Fu H, Zhang Y, Yun F, Liao Q, Li F. Combining three sources of optical anisotropy in a tunable open-access microcavity: From theory to experiment. Journal Of Applied Physics 2023, 134: 223106. DOI: 10.1063/5.0173709.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsOpen‐access microcavityPhotonic spin-orbit couplingTE-TM splittingSpin-orbit couplingFine energy splittingOptical property measurementsEmergent anisotropyMicrocavity photonsImportant physical mechanismsDegenerate perturbation theoryPhotonic devicesExciton-polaritonsPhotonic potentialPolarization controlSO couplingOptical anisotropySpin vorticesActive mediumEnergy splittingClear observationPhysical mechanismsPerturbation theoryMicrocavitiesIsotropic situationEigenstatesSimultaneous creation of multiple vortex-antivortex pairs in momentum space in photonic lattices
Li F, Koniakhin S, Nalitov A, Cherotchenko E, Solnyshkov D, Malpuech G, Xiao M, Zhang Y, Zhang Z. Simultaneous creation of multiple vortex-antivortex pairs in momentum space in photonic lattices. Advanced Photonics 2023, 5: 066007-066007. DOI: 10.1117/1.ap.5.6.066007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsPhotonic latticesOrbital angular momentumMomentum spaceSingle focused Gaussian beamHexagonal photonic latticesFocused Gaussian beamVortex-antivortex pairsRich physicsOAM conversionDirac pointWave packetsGaussian beamUnstructured lightAngular momentumVortex arrayHoneycomb latticeExperimental creationSimultaneous creationPhysicsLatticeTopological propertiesSymmetryPotential applicationsVorticesLight
2016
Stability, folding dynamics, and long-range conformational transition of the synaptic t-SNARE complex
Zhang X, Rebane AA, Ma L, Li F, Jiao J, Qu H, Pincet F, Rothman JE, Zhang Y. Stability, folding dynamics, and long-range conformational transition of the synaptic t-SNARE complex. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2016, 113: e8031-e8040. PMID: 27911771, PMCID: PMC5167175, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1605748113.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsMeSH KeywordsAmino Acid SequenceAnimalsMembrane FusionMiceMicroscopy, Atomic ForceMolecular Dynamics SimulationMunc18 ProteinsOptical TweezersProtein ConformationProtein DomainsProtein FoldingProtein StabilityQa-SNARE ProteinsSNARE ProteinsSynaptic TransmissionSynaptosomal-Associated Protein 25Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein 2ConceptsSynaptic soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptorT-SNARE complexC-terminal domainN-terminal domainSNARE zipperingPlasma membraneN-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptorsSoluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptorsFactor attachment protein receptorsTarget plasma membraneAttachment protein receptorsFour-helix bundleThree-helix bundleSynaptic vesicle fusionSingle-molecule force spectroscopyV-SNARESNARE assemblySNARE complexHelical bundleConformational switchC-terminusMembrane fusionVesicle fusionProtein receptorsZipperingKinetic barriers to SNAREpin assembly in the regulation of membrane docking/priming and fusion
Li F, Tiwari N, Rothman JE, Pincet F. Kinetic barriers to SNAREpin assembly in the regulation of membrane docking/priming and fusion. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2016, 113: 10536-10541. PMID: 27601655, PMCID: PMC5035884, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1604000113.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsSnapshot of sequential SNARE assembling states between membranes shows that N-terminal transient assembly initializes fusion
Wang YJ, Li F, Rodriguez N, Lafosse X, Gourier C, Perez E, Pincet F. Snapshot of sequential SNARE assembling states between membranes shows that N-terminal transient assembly initializes fusion. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2016, 113: 3533-3538. PMID: 26979957, PMCID: PMC4822643, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1518935113.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsFörster resonance energy transferProminent biological processesIntermembrane spaceSNARE proteinsTransmembrane complexTerminal domainInvolved proteinsBiological processesTransient assemblyResonance energy transferProteinSnareIntermembrane distanceMembraneAssemblyMolecular assembliesPathwayComplexes
2015
Phosphorylation of Complexin by PKA Regulates Activity-Dependent Spontaneous Neurotransmitter Release and Structural Synaptic Plasticity
Cho RW, Buhl LK, Volfson D, Tran A, Li F, Akbergenova Y, Littleton JT. Phosphorylation of Complexin by PKA Regulates Activity-Dependent Spontaneous Neurotransmitter Release and Structural Synaptic Plasticity. Neuron 2015, 88: 749-761. PMID: 26590346, PMCID: PMC4847943, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.10.011.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsMeSH KeywordsAdaptor Proteins, Vesicular TransportAnimalsBase SequenceCalciumCyclic AMP-Dependent Protein KinasesDrosophilaDrosophila ProteinsExocytosisMolecular Sequence DataNerve Tissue ProteinsNeuromuscular JunctionNeuronal PlasticityNeurotransmitter AgentsPhosphorylationSNARE ProteinsSynaptic TransmissionConceptsSpontaneous neurotransmitter releaseActivity-dependent synaptic growthNeurotransmitter releasePKA-dependent phosphorylationActivity-dependent phosphorylationSynaptic plasticityPresynaptic release machinerySNARE complexRegulated traffickingActivity-dependent mannerC-terminusSynaptic growthSpontaneous releaseStructural synaptic plasticityPhosphorylationStructural plasticityRelease machineryPostsynaptic glutamate receptorsPlasticityNeuronal plasticityGlutamate receptorsSynaptic transmissionNervous systemKey roleFusion mechanismFormation of Giant Unilamellar Proteo-Liposomes by Osmotic Shock
Motta I, Gohlke A, Adrien V, Li F, Gardavot H, Rothman JE, Pincet F. Formation of Giant Unilamellar Proteo-Liposomes by Osmotic Shock. Langmuir 2015, 31: 7091-7099. PMID: 26038815, PMCID: PMC4950989, DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b01173.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsGiant unilamellar vesiclesLipid-anchored proteinsOsmotic shockTrans-membrane proteinsSingle giant unilamellar vesiclesProtein substratesPeripheral proteinsSpecific lipidsDifferent proteinsPhotobleaching experimentsFluorescence recoveryCell membraneProteinLarge vesiclesPhysiological conditionsModel systemUnilamellar vesiclesPhospholipid bilayersVesiclesSimple generic methodPrevious dataMembraneHigh concentrationsLipidsBilayersRe-visiting the trans insertion model for complexin clamping
Krishnakumar SS, Li F, Coleman J, Schauder CM, Kümmel D, Pincet F, Rothman JE, Reinisch KM. Re-visiting the trans insertion model for complexin clamping. ELife 2015, 4: e04463. PMID: 25831964, PMCID: PMC4384536, DOI: 10.7554/elife.04463.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH KeywordsAdaptor Proteins, Vesicular TransportAlgorithmsAnimalsCalorimetryCircular DichroismEntropyFluorescence Resonance Energy TransferHumansKineticsMembrane FusionModels, NeurologicalMutationNerve Tissue ProteinsNeuronsProtein BindingSignal TransductionSNARE ProteinsSynaptic TransmissionSynaptotagminsVesicle-Associated Membrane Protein 2
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