Principal Investigator
Researcher
Email:lgli@sippe.ac.cn
Personal Web: http://sippe.ac.cn/llg

National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics

Education: 

1997, Ph.D. Plant Molecular Genetics 

Michigan Technological University  

1988, Advanced Biochemistry Studies, Peking University  

1985, M.S. Seed Physiology, Central South Forestry University 

1982, B.S. Agricultural Science, Central South Forestry University  

Work Experience:  

2007 – present Professor, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology 

2018.01 –2018.5 Visiting Professor, Kyoto University  

2003 – 2007 Associate Professor, North Carolina State University  

1999 – 2002 Research Assistant Professor, Michigan Technological University 

1991–1994 Associate Professor, Central South University of Forestry & Technology 

1987 – 1991 Lecturer, Central South University of Forestry & Technology 

Research in my laboratory is focused around elucidating the principles of cell wall biosynthesis and regulation of cell wall formation. Our research goals are 1) to understand how plants regulate their secondary cell wall formation to build up the plant body, particularly in tree species; and 2) to innovate the plant cell wall knowledge for improvement of plant traits, such as wood property and crop lodging resistance.  

My lab has studied cell wall formation in poplar and rice with a concentration on regulation of secondary cell wall formation by intrinsic signals and environmental stimuli. Our research has resulted in more than 60 peered-reviewed papers published on high ranking scientific journals.  

For example, we found a modulator through an novel mechanism to control lignin biosynthesis which shows important implications for improving the utilization of cell wall biomass. Lignin is specifically deposited in plant secondary cell walls and initiation of lignin biosynthesis is regulated by a variety of developmental and environmental signals. We identified a lignin biosynthesis associated transcription factor (LTF) from Populus, LTF1, which binds to the promoter of 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL), a key lignin biosynthetic gene. LTF1 in its unphosphorylated state functions as a regulator to restrain lignin biosynthesis. When LTF1 becomes phosphorylated by PdMPK6 in response to external stimuli such as wounding, it underwent degradation through a proteasome pathway, resulting in activation of lignification. Expression of the LTF1 phosphorylation-null mutation led to stable LTF1 accumulation and persistent attenuation of lignification in wood cells. The study reveals a mechanism where LTF1 phosphorylation acts as a sensory switch to regulate lignin biosynthesis in response to environmental stimuli (Gui et al., 2019 Molecular Plant). 

Secondary cell walls are formed in some specific types of plant cells. During plant growth and development, formation of secondary cell walls is regulated by various developmental and environmental signals. We found that the blue light receptor cryptochrome 1 (cry1) mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana displayed a decline of SCW thickening in fiber cells. This study demonstrates that SCW thickening in fiber cells is regulated by a blue light signal that is mediated through MYC2/MYC4 activation of NST1–directed SCW formation in Arabidopsis (Zhang et al., 2018 Plant Cell).  

Breeding semi-dwarf varieties to improve lodging resistance has proven to be enormously successful in increasing grain yield since the advent of the “green revolution”. We found a new rice lodging resistance gene, Shortened basal internodes (SBI), which specifically controls the elongation of culm basal internodes through deactivating GA activity. SBI encodes a gibberellin 2-oxidase which is particularly expressed in culm basal internodes. Genetic evidence indicated that SBI is a semi-dominant gene affecting rice height and lodging resistance. Breeding of SBI alleles gives rise to new rice varieties with improved lodging resistance and increased yield. The discovery of the SBI provides a desirable gene resource to control for semi-dwarf rice phenotypes and offers an effective strategy for breeding rice varieties with lodging resistance and high yield (Liu et al., 2018 Molecular Plant).