Research
Our Research Interests
Evolutionary Developmental Biology, Evolutionary Genomics, Single-Cell Transcriptomics, Symbiosis
Current Projects
Genetic Regulation and Evolution of Symbiotic Cell States
Animal-algal endosymbiosis is a remarkable phenomenon in which microalgae reside within an animal host, establishing a close and often essential relationship. Successful symbiosis hinges on the precise orchestration of gene regulation between the host and the symbiont. To better understand this regulation, we are studying the genomic basis and transcriptional regulation for initiating and maintaining animal—algal symbiosis.
Research Directions:
Symbiosis genomics and evolution of acoels (Symsagittifera*, Praesagittifera, Waminoa)
Symbiosis genomics and microbiome of corals (Galaxea, Stylophora)
Evolutionary developmental biology of marine invertebrates (brachiopods, bryozoans)
Approaches:
Comparative genomics
Functional genomics
Single-cell analysis
*SPLiT-seq experiments are a collaboration with Jordi Solana.
Previous Projects | Link
Regulation of stem cell fate (Molecular control of pluripotent stem cells)
Evolution of animal genomes (Comparative genomics and transcriptomics of lophotrochozoans)
Evolution of gene regulatory networks in deuterostomes (Axial patterning in sea urchins)
Specification of germlines and sensory neurons in chordates (Cell fate specification in amphioxus)
Coral–dinoflagellate endosymbiosis (Dynamics of the lipid content between corals and algae)
Selected Publications
Hulett RE†, Kimura JO†, Bolaños DM†, Luo YJ†, Rivera-Lopez C, Ricci L, Srivastava M* (2023) Acoel single-cell atlas reveals expression dynamics and heterogeneity of adult pluripotent stem cells. Nature Communications 14, 2612. (†contributed equally) | Link
Gehrke AR, Neverett E, Luo YJ, Brandt A, Ricci L, Hulett RE, Gompers A, Ruby JG, Rokhsar DS, Reddien PW, Srivastava M* (2019) Acoel genome reveals the regulatory landscape of whole-body regeneration. Science 363, eaau6173. | Link
Luo YJ*, Kanda M, Koyanagi R, Hisata K, Akiyama T, Sakamoto H, Sakamoto T, Satoh N* (2018) Nemertean and phoronid genomes reveal lophotrochozoan evolution and the origin of bilaterian heads. Nature Ecology & Evolution 2, 141–151. | Link
Luo YJ*, Takeuchi T, Koyanagi R, Yamada L, Kanda M, Khalturina M, Fujie M, Yamasaki S, Endo K, Satoh N* (2015) The Lingula genome provides insights into brachiopod evolution and the origin of phosphate biomineralization. Nature Communications 6, 8301. | Link
Luo YJ, Su YH* (2012) Opposing Nodal and BMP signals regulate left–right asymmetry in the sea urchin larva. PLOS Biology 10, e1001402. | Link
Luo YJ, Wang LH, Chen WNU, Peng SE, Tzen JTC, Hsiao YY, Huang HJ, Fang LS, Chen CS* (2009) Ratiometric imaging of gastrodermal lipid bodies in coral–dinoflagellate endosymbiosis. Coral Reefs 28, 289–301. | Link
Funding
Our research has been funded by a range of funders across the globe, including Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS, Japan), Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP, International), Royal Society (UK), Academia Sinica (Taiwan), and National Science and Technology Council (NSTC, Taiwan).
The current and past direct funding includes:
Academia Sinica Career Development Award
Royal Society International Exchanges Award (Cost Share Programme with NSTC)
Royal Society Newton International Fellowship
Human Frontier Science Program Long-Term Fellowship
Grant-in-Aid for Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellows