1. Molecular mechanism of circadian clock in fungi

Circadian clock is an important time keeping system that controls temporal expression of numerous genes regulating rhythmic cellular and physiological functions as we go through our daily routines (e.g. sleep/wake, meals, exercise). Mutations of the clock genes cause different human diseases, such as sleep disorders, depression, metabolic syndrome, and cancer. Our group studied the molecular mechanism of circadian clock using Neurospora as a model fungus and the circadian regulation of pathogenic factors in pathogenic fungi. Relevant studies not only analyze the mechanism of circadian regulation of the development and pathogenicity of fungi, but also promote understanding of the conserved mechanism of circadian clock in different species.

Our research will focus on four parts: (1) The relationships between circadian clock system and other signaling transduction systems; (2) Regulation of circadian clock gene expression by transcription factors and epigenetic regulators; (3)The molecular mechanism of  circadian temperature compensation; (4) The role of circadian clock in development and pathogenicity of fungi.

2. Epigenetic regulation of gene expression in fungi

Epigenetic regulation is an important part of gene expression regulation, including DNA methylation, histone modification and chromatin remodeling. Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is involved in human development, metabolism, immunity and tumor diseases. Our group took Neurospora and pathogenic fungi as model fungi to study the role of epigenetic regulatory factors, transcription factors and signaling pathways on gene expression under different environmental conditions, such as high temperature, DNA damage, nutrient starvation and drug resistance. We intend to discover specific role of epigenetic regulators in regulating fungal environmental adaptation and the conserved mechanism of epigenetic regulation in different eukaryotes.

3. Molecular interaction between fungi and mycovirus

Mycoviruses, including RNA viruses and DNA viruses, infect fungi and replicate in their bodies. Mycovirus infection affects the growth and development of fungi, such as reducing mushroom production, and weakening plant pathogenic fungal diseases. During long-term evolution, host defense systems including RNA interference systems have been formed in fungi to against mycovirus. Using Neurospora and pathogenic fungi as models, our group studied how viruses invaded pathogenic fungi and investigated the novel host defense system in fungi.

2009.09- 2014.07, Ph.D. in Microbiology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University

Dr. Xiao Liu, a principal investigator and professor at Institute of Microbiology, CAS, obtained his Ph. D. degree from China Agricultural University in 2014. After five years postdoctoral training in University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, he joined the Institute of Microbiology, CAS in 2019. His research interests are focused on the molecular mechanism of circadian clock, epigenetic regulation in fungi and the interaction between fungi and virus. His researches have been published in Molecular Cell, Nature Communications, PNAS, eLife, mBio, PLoS Genetics, et al.

2019.03-Present, Principal Investigator, State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, CAS
2014.10-2019.03, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, USA

1.  Liu X.L., Yang Y., Hu Y., Wu J., Han C., Lu Q., Gan X., Qi S., Guo J., He Q., Liu Y., Liu X.#. The nutrient-sensing GCN2 signaling pathway is essential for circadian clock function by regulating histone acetylation under amino acid starvation. eLife. 2023 Apr 21;12:e85241. (#Corresponding author)

2. Hu Y., Liu X., Lu Q., Yang Y., He Q., Liu Y.#, Liu X.# FRQ-CK1 Interaction Underlies Temperature Compensation of the Neurospora Circadian Clock. mBio. 2021 Jun 29;12(3):e0142521. (#Corresponding author)

3. Cui, G., Dong, Q., Duan, J., Zhang, C., Liu, X. #, and He, Q #. NC2 complex is a key factor for the activation of catalase-3 transcription by regulating H2A.Z deposition. Nucleic Acids Research. 2020 Sep 4;48(15):8332-8348. (#Corresponding author)

4. Liu, X.*, Chen, A.*, Caicedo-Casso, A., Cui, G., Du, M., He, Q., Lim, S., Kim, H.J., Hong, C.I., and Liu, Y. FRQ-CK1 interaction determines the period of circadian rhythms in Neurospora. Nature Communications. 2019,10, 4352. (* Co-first author)

5. Cao X*, Liu X*, Li H, Fan Y, Duan J, Liu Y and He Q. Transcription factor CBF-1 suppresses frequency transcription by modulating the proper binding of WHITE COLLAR complex in Neurospora. PLoS Genetics. 2018 Sep; 14(9): e1007570. (* Co-first author)

6.     Liu X, Dang Y, Matsu-Ura T, He Y, He Q, Hong CI, Liu Y. DNA replication is required for circadian clock function by regulating rhythmic nucleosome composition. Molecular Cell. 2017 Jul 20;67(2):203-213.e4. (Highlighted by Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology)

7.     Sun G*, Zhou Z*, Liu X*, Gai K, Liu Q, Cha J, Kaleri FN, Wang Y, He Q. Suppression of WHITE COLLAR-independent frequency transcription by histone H3 lysine 36 methyltransferase SET-2 is necessary for clock function in Neurospora. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2016 May 20;291(21):11055-63. (* Co-first author)

8.     Liu X, Li H, Liu Q, Niu Y, Hu Q, Deng H, Cha J, Wang Y, Liu Y, He Q. Role for protein kinase A in the Neurospora circadian clock by regulating White Collar-independent frequency transcription through phosphorylation of RCM-1. Molecular and Cellular Biology 2015 Jun;35(12):2088-102.

9.     Zhou Z*, Liu X*, Hu Q*, Zhang N, Sun G, Cha J, Wang Y, Liu Y, He Q. Suppression of WC-independent frequency transcription by RCO-1 is essential for Neurospora circadian clock. PNAS. 2013 Dec 10;110(50):E4867-74. (* Co-first author)

已指导学生

卢悄佳  硕士研究生  085238-生物工程  

现指导学生

杨钰琳  博士研究生  071005-微生物学  

王泽宇  博士研究生  071005-微生物学  

吴京京  硕士研究生  071005-微生物学  

张亚豪  硕士研究生  071005-微生物学  

宋淋浩  博士研究生  071005-微生物学  

袁光玉  硕士研究生  071005-微生物学  

卢悄佳  博士研究生  071005-微生物学  

1. Outstanding Graduate in Beijing，Beijing Municipal Commission of Education, 2014

2. President Scholarship, China Agricultural University, 2013