WANG XU

   Tenure-track Associate Professor

   Department of Plant Science

   Email: xu.wang@sjtu.edu.cn

   Address: Rm513, Bld B, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Dongchuan Road 800, 200240, Shanghai

 

 

 

Research Interests

My research focuses on the regulation of plant metabolism, as well as the mechanism of mitochondrial stress and nutrient utilization efficiency, to explore the impact of metabolic regulation on plant growth, development and stress tolerance. Following are three main topics:

1. Retrograde signaling in plant mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt)

2. Mitochondrial stress in regulating plant growth, development and response to stress

3. Metabolic regulation of nutrients and nutrient use efficiency in crops

 

 

Education

Postdoctoral fellow, Oct 2013 to Sep 2018

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)

Supervisor: Prof. Johan Auwerx

Ph.D. in Biology, Jan 2013

Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

Cooperation research at The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Advisor: Prof. Samuel Sun Sai-ming and Dr. Junxian He

M.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jul 2007

Jilin University, Changchun, China

B.S. in Biotechnology, Jul 2004

Jilin University, Changchun, China

 

 

Main achievements

Our group has long been engaged in the study of plant mitochondrial protein homeostasis and stress regulation, and revealed the hormone-mediated regulation of mitochondrial protein homeostasis by mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) in response to proteotoxic stress. Further mechanistic studies revealed that mitochondrial translational stress activates the jasmonic acid (JA) signaling module COI1-MYC2-ERF109 to mediate retrograde signaling and balance plant growth and resistance through JA signaling.

 

Phosphorus is an essential mineral element for crop growth and development, which has a great impact on potato yield and quality. Phosphorus resources are limited under natural conditions, and excessive application of phosphorus fertilizers has resulted in resource waste and environmental pollution. With the goal of improving the efficiency of phosphorus utilization by plants, we investigated the spatial-temporal expression pattern, transcriptional regulation, phosphorus transport efficiency and reuse efficiency of StPHT1;8, a phosphorus transporter that responds specifically to senescence in potato leaves. We analyzed the function of the potato phosphorus transporter StPHT1;8 from multiple perspectives, and elucidated its mechanism of regulating phosphorus redistribution during the senescence of potato leaves, so as to open up a new strategy to improve the efficiency of phosphorus utilization in potato.

 

 

Publications:

1. Li J, Yu G, Wang X, Guo C, Wang Y, Wang X. Jasmonic acid plays an important role in mediating retrograde signaling under mitochondrial translational stress to balance plant growth and defense. Plant Communications. 2024: 101133.
2. Qi Z*, Guo C, Li H, Qiu H, Li H, Jong C, Yu G, Zhang Y, Hu L, Wu X, Xin D, Yang M, Liu C, Lv J, Wang X*, Kong F* and Chen Q*. Natural variation in Fatty Acid 9 is a determinant of fatty acid and protein content. Plant Biotechnology Journal 2024, 22: 759-773.
3. Guo C, Huang Z, Chen J, Yu G, Wang Y, Wang X. Identification of novel regulators of leaf senescence using a deep learning model. Plants (Basel). 2024 May 5;13: 13091276
4. Yu G, Huang Z, Guo C, Li J, Wang XY, Wang Y, Wang X. Heat Shock Factor HSFA6b Mediates mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plants (Basel). 2024, accepted
5. Liu M, Huang Z, Xie K, Guo C, Wang Y*, Wang X*. Mitostasis is the central biological hub underlying the response of plants to cadmium stress. Journal of Hazardous Materials 2023; 441: 129930.
6. Liu M, Guo C, Xie K, Chen K, Chen J, Wang Y*, Wang X*. A cross-species co-functional gene network underlying leaf senescence, Horticulture Research, 2023; 10: uhac251.
7. Liu M, Sun W, Li C, Yu G, Li J, Wang Y, Wang X. A multilayered cross-species analysis of GRAS transcription factors uncovered their functional networks in plant adaptation to the environment. Journal of Advanced Research. 2021; 29: 191-205.
8. Sleiman MB, Jha P, Houtkooper R, Williams R, Wang X*, Auwerx J*. The gene regulatory footprint of aging highlights conserved central regulators. Cell Reports. 2020: 32(13):108203.
9. Liu M, Sun W, Ma Z, Yu G, Li J, Wang Y, Wang X. Comprehensive multiomics analysis reveals key roles of NACs in plant growth and development and its environmental adaption mechanism by regulating metabolite pathways. Genomics. 2020; 112: 4897-4911.
10. Li H^#, Wang X^#, Rukina D, Huang Q, Lin T, Sorrentino V, Zhang H, Sleiman MB, Arends D, McDaid A, Luan P, Ziari N, Velázquez-Villegas LA, Gariani K, Kutalik Z, Schoonjans K, Radcliffe RA, Prins P, Morgenthaler S, Williams RW, Auwerx J. An integrated systems genetics and omics toolkit to probe gene function. Cell Systems 2018; 6: 90-102.
11. Wang X & Auwerx J. Systems phytohormone responses to mitochondrial proteotoxic stress. Molecular Cell 2017; 68: 540-51.
12. Wang X^#, Ryu D^#, Houtkooper RH*, Auwerx J*. Antibiotic use and abuse: a threat to mitochondria and chloroplasts with impact on research, health, and environment. BioEssays 2015; 37:1045-53.
13. Wang YD^#, Wang X^#, Wong YS. Generation of selenium-enriched rice with enhanced grain yield, selenium content and bioavailability through fertilization with selenite. Food Chemistry 2013; 141:2385-93.
14. Wang YD^#, Wang X^#, Ngai SM, Wong YS. Comparative proteomics analysis of selenium responses in selenium-enriched rice grains. Journal of Proteome Research 2013; 12:808-20.
15. Wang X^#, Bian Y^#, Cheng K, Gu LF, Ye M, Zou H, Sun SSM, He JX. A Large-scale protein phosphorylation analysis reveals novel phosphorylation motifs and phosphoregulatory networks in Arabidopsis. Journal of Proteomics 2013; 78:486-98.
16. Wang X, Bian Y, Cheng K, Zou H, Sun SSM, He JX. A comprehensive differential proteomic study of nitrate deprivation in Arabidopsis reveals complex regulatory networks of plant nitrogen responses. Journal of Proteome Research 2012; 11:2301-15.
17. Wang YD^#, Wang X^#, Wong YS. Proteomics analysis reveals multiple regulatory mechanisms in response to selenium in rice. Journal of Proteomics 2012; 75:1849-1866.

Full publication list：

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/1bszwXerzLSQC/bibliography/41587948/public/?sort=date&direction=descending