School of Life Science, Peking University

Lijia Qu, Ph.D.

Professor of School of Life Sciences, Peking University
Associate Director, Peking-Yale Joint Center for Plant Molecular Genetics and AgroBiotechnology
Associate Director, National Laboratory for Protein Engineering and Plant Genetic Engineering

tel : 86 - 10 - 6275-3018

fax : 86 - 10 - 6275-3339

New Life Science Building, Peking University, Summer Palace Road No. 5, Beijing, P. R. China 100871

Research Interests

Interesting point of Qu Lab:

Methylation of phytohormones and its biological function during Arabidopsis development
Molecular mechanisms involved in leaf development, branching, and gametogenesis in Arabidopsis
Molecular Biology of Rice Resistance Against Fungal Blast Disease.

We have three major lines of research: methylation of phytohormones, molecular mechanisms of leaf flatness, branching and gametogenesis, and genetic analysis of rice resistance against rice blast fungal disease.

Plant hormones are essential for many aspects during development. The homeostasis of phytohormones are regulated by many interacting pathways including de novo biosynthesis, degradation and disactivation by forming conjugates. We intend to study, at both the molecular and cellular level, the role of a newly found modification, methylation, of the phytohormones in plant development, so that new layers of understanding would be added to the complexity of regulation of the phytohormone activities. Meanwhile, we are also interested in dissecting the molecular mechanisms behind specific developmental processes, including leaf flatness, branching and gametogenesis in Arabidopsis by analyzing loss-of-function mutants. In addition to Arabidopsis, we also pay attention to the molecular mechanisms involved in the emergence, maintenance and evolution of the resistance of rice plants, a monocot model plant, to the fungal blast disease.

Publications

Liu, T., Liu S., Guan H., Ma L., Chen Z., Gu H., Qu L.-J. , Transcriptional profiling of Arabidopsis seedlings in response to heavy metal lead (Pb) , Environmental and Experimental Botany , 2009 , 67: 377-386
Guo Y., Qin G., Gu H., Qu L.-J. , HCA2, a Dof transcription factor gene, regulates interfascicular cambium formation and vascular tissue development in Arabidopsis , The Plant Cell , 2009 , (accepted)
Liu J., Qu L.-J. , Meiotic and mitotic cell cycle mutants involved in gametophyte development in Arabidopsis , Molecular Plant , 2008 , 1(4): 564-574
Liu J., Zhang Y., Qin G., Tsuge T., Sakaguchi N., Luo G., Sun K., Shi D., Aki S., Zheng N., Aoyama T., Oka A., Yang W., Umeda M., Xie Q., Gu H., Qu L.-J. , Targeted degradation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor ICK4/KRP6 by RING-type E3 ligases is essential for mitotic cell cycle progression during Arabidopsis gametogenesis , The Plant Cell , 2008 , 20: 1538-1554
Li L., Qin G., Tsuge T., Hou X., Ding M., Aoyama T., Oka A., Chen Z., Gu H., Zhao Y., Qu L.-J. , SPOROCYTELESS modulates YUCCA expression to regulate the development of lateral organs in Arabidopsis , New Phytologist , 2008 , 179: 751-764
Li X., Qin G., Chen Z.L., Gu H., Qu L.-J. , A gain-of-function mutation of transcriptional factor PTL results in curly leaves, dwarfism and male sterility by affecting auxin homeostasis , Plant Molecular Biology , 2008 , 66: 315-327.
Li L., Hou X., Tsuge T., Ding M., Aoyama T., Oka A., Gu H., Zhao Y., Qu L.-J. , The possible action mechanisms of indole-3-acetic acid methyl ester in Arabidopsis , Plant Cell Reports , 2008 , 27: 575-584.
Lin Z., Yin K., Wang X., Liu M., Chen Z., Gu H. and Qu L.-J. , Virus induced gene silencing of AtCDC5 results in accelerated cell death in Arabidopsis leaves , Plant Physiol. Biochem. , 2007 , 45: 87-94.
Yang X.Y., Li J.G., Pei M., Gu H., Chen Z.L., Qu L.-J. , Over-expression of a flower-specific transcription factor gene AtMYB24 causes aberrant anther development , Plant Cell Reports , 2007 , 26: 219-228
Qin G., Gu H., Ma L., Peng Y., Deng X.-W., Chen Z.L., and Qu L.-J. , Disruption of phytoene desaturase gene results in albino and dwarf phenotypes in Arabidopsis by impairing chlorophyll, carotenoid, and gibberellin biosynthesis , Cell Research , 2007 , 17: 471-482
Zhang X., Chen Y., Wang Z.-Y., Chen Z.L., Gu H., and Qu L.-J. , Constitutive expression of CIR1 (RVE2) affects several circadian-regulated process and seed germination in Arabidopsis , The Plant Journal , 2007 , 51: 512-525
Lin Z., Yin K., Zhu D., Chen Z.L., Gu H. and Qu L.-J. , AtCDC5 regulates G2 to M transition of cell cycle and is critical for the function of Arabidopsis shoot apical meristems , Cell Research , 2007 , 17: 815-828