Hongju Li

2023-Present    Principal Investigator 

2017-2022       Young Investigator 

2013/1-2016/12  Research associate

2010/3-2012/12  Research assistant

 

Institute of genetics and developmental biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences 

2004-2010  Ph.D.

College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University

2000-2004  B.S.

 

Our group is interested in the molecular mechanism of plant reproduction. We focus on the molecular regulations of plant inflorescence development, fertilization and seed development. Using Arabidopsis, soybean and rice as model systems, we have identified some genetic factors that regulate pattern formation of flowers, fertilization and seed size, and elucidated the molecular mechanism. We hope to improve the hybrid breeding practice and crop yield in the future through genetic engineering of these genes.

 

(#Co-first author; *Co-corresponding author)

1. Li S, Wang J, Jia S, Wang K* and Li HJ* (2023). Synthetic apomixis: from genetic basis to agricultural application. Seed Biology 2: 10.

2. Meng JG, Xu YJ, Wang WQ, Yang F, Chen SY, Jia PF, Yang WC, and Li HJ (2023) Central cell-produced attractants control fertilization recovery. Cell 186:1-13.

3. Xue Y, Jia PF, Li HJ (2022) SUN3/4/5 proteins regulate endoplasmic reticulum tubule formation and luminal spacing in Arabidopsis. J Genet Genomics 50: 370-373.

4. Chen SY, Wang L, Jia PF, Yang WC, Sze H, and Li HJ (2022) Osmoregulation determines sperm cell geometry and integrity for double fertilization in flowering plants. Mol Plant 15: 1488–1496.

5. Xue Y, Meng JG, Jia PF, Zhang ZR, Li HJ* and Yang WC* (2022) POD1-SUN-CRT3 chaperone complex guards the ER sorting of LRR receptor kinases in Arabidopsis. Nat Commun 13: 2703.

6. Luo Y, Shi DQ, Jia, PF, Bao Y, Li HJ, Yang WC (2021) Nucleolar histone deacetylases HDT1, HDT2 and HDT3 regulate plant reproductive development. J Genet Genomics 49:30-39.

7. Li HJ*, Yang WC* (2020) Central cell in flowering plants: specification, signaling, and evolution. Front Plant Sci 11: 590307.

8. Chen W, Jia PF, Yang WC*, Li HJ* (2020) Plasma membrane H+-ATPases-mediated cytosolic proton gradient regulates pollen tube growth. J Integr Plant Biol 62: 1817-1822.

9. Zhang MX#, Zhu SS#, YC, Guo YL, Yang WC*, Li HJ* (2020) Transcriptional repression specifies the central cell for double fertilization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 117: 6231-6236.

10.Meng JG#, Liang L#, Jia PF, Wang YC, Li HJ*, Yang WC* (2020) Integration of ovular signals and exocytosis of a Ca²⁺ channel by MLOs in pollen tube guidance. Nat Plants 6: 143-153.

11.Meng JG, Zhang MX, Yang WC*, Li HJ* (2019) TICKET attracts pollen tubes and mediates reproductive isolation between relative species in Brassicaceae. Sci China Life Sci 62: 1413-1419.

12.Shi C, Luo P, Du YT, Chen H, Huang X, Cheng TH, Luo A, Li HJ, Yang WC, Zhao P, Sun MX (2019) Maternal control of suspensor programmed cell death via gibberellin signaling. Nat Commun 10: 3484.

13.Jia PF#, Xue Y#, Li HJ*, Yang WC* (2018) Golgi-localized LOT regulates trans-Golgi network biogenesis and pollen tube growth. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 115: 12307-12312.

14.Li HJ*, Meng JG, Yang WC* (2018) Multilayered signaling pathways for pollen tube growth and guidance. Plant Reprod 31: 31-41.

15.Li HJ*, Yang WC* (2018) Ligands switch model for pollen-tube integrity and burst. Trends Plant Sci 23: 369-372.

16.Yuan GL, Li HJ*, Yang WC* (2017) The integration of Gβ and MAPK signaling cascade in zygote development. Sci Rep 7: 8732. 

17.Jia PF, Li HJ, Yang WC (2017) Analysis of peroxisome biogenesis in pollen by confocal microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Methods Mol Biol 1669:173-180. Springer.

18.Jia PF, Li HJ, Yang WC (2017) Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to study histology of pollen and pollen tubes. Methods Mol Biol 1669:181-189. Springer.

19.Wang T, Liang L, Yong X, Jia PF, Chen W, Zhang MX, Wang YC, Li HJ*, Yang WC* (2016) A receptor heteromer mediates the male perception of female attractants in plants. Nature 531: 241-244.

20. Li HJ*; Yang WC* (2016) RLKs orchestrate the signaling in plant male-female interaction. Sci China Life Sci 59: 867-877.

21.Wang JG, Feng C, Liu HH, Ge FR, Li S, Li HJ, Zhang Y (2016) HAPLESS13-mediated trafficking of STRUBBELIG is critical for ovule development in Arabidopsis. PLoS Genetics 12: e1006269.

22.Yu TY, Shi DQ, Jia PF, Tang J, Li HJ, Liu J, Yang WC* (2016). The Arabidopsis receptor kinase ZAR1 is required for zygote asymmetric division and its daughter cell fate. PLoS Genetics 12: 0-e1005933.

23.Wang J#, Li HJ#, Han Z, Zhang H, Wang T, Lin G, Chang J, Yang WC*, Chai J* (2015) Allosteric receptor activation by the plant peptide hormone phytosulfokine. Nature 525: 265-268.

24.Li HJ#, Zhu SS#, Zhang MX#, Wang T, Liang L, Xue Y, Shi DQ, Liu J, Yang WC* (2015) Arabidopsis CBP1 is a novel regulator of transcription initiation in central cell-mediated pollen tube guidance. Plant Cell 27: 2880-2893.

25.Yan L, Wei S, Wu Y, Hu R, Li HJ, Yang W, Qi Xie (2015) High efficiency genome editing in Arabidopsis using Yao promoter-driven CRISPR/Cas9 system. Mol Plant 1823: 1820-1823.

26.Li XR#, Li HJ#, Yuan L#, Liu M, Shi DQ, Liu J, Yang WC (2014) Arabidopsis DAYU/ABERRANT PEROXISOME MORPHOLOGY9 is a key regulator of peroxisome biogenesis and plays critical roles during pollen maturation and germination in planta. Plant Cell 26: 619-635.

27.Li HJ, Yang WC (2012) Emerging role of ER quality control in plant cell signal perception. Protein & Cell 3: 10-16.

28.Li HJ, Xue Y, Jia DJ, Wang T, Shi DQ, Liu J, Cui F, Xie Q, Ye D, Yang WC (2011) POD1 regulates pollen tube guidance in response to micropylar female signaling and acts in early embryo patterning in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 23: 3288-3302.

29.Li HJ#, Liu NY#, Shi DQ, Liu J, Yang WC* (2010) YAO is a nucleolar WD40-repeat protein critical for embryogenesis and gametogenesis in Arabidopsis. BMC Plant Biol 10: 169.

30.Chen YH, Li HJ, Shi DQ, Yuan L, Liu J, Sreenivasan R, Baskar R, Grossniklaus U, Yang WC (2007) The central cell plays a critical role in pollen tube guidance in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 19: 3563-3577.