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  Location: Home >> Faculty >> Molecular Agrobiology
  Molecular Agrobiology


Yunhai Li


2003 Ph.D, Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
1999 M.S, Crop Breeding, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
1996 B.S, Biology, Henan University.
2003-2008 Postdoctoral fellow, John Innes Centre, UK.


Research Interests
The size of determinate plant organs or seeds is coordinately determined by cell proliferation and cell growth. However, the molecular mechanisms that control the final size of seeds and organs are largely unknown, and how plants know their seed and organ size remains unclear in developmental biology. Thus, our lab has applied several complementary approaches to identify key regulators of seed and organ size in the model species rice and Arabidopsis. The major aims of our research are to elucidate molecular mechanisms that control the final size of seeds and organs and improve seed yield in key crops.
 

Publications (* author for correspondence; # Co-first authors)
 
2023
The SOD7/DPA4-GIF1 module coordinates organ growth and iron uptake in Arabidopsis. (2023) Leiying Zheng#, Huilan Wu#, Anbin Wang#, Yueying Zhang, Zupei Li, Hong-Qing Ling* , Xian-Jun Song*,Yunhai Li*. Nature Plants,DOI: 10.1038/s41477-023-01475-0.

A molecular link between organ size control and iron uptake in plants. (2023) Huilan Wu, Yunhai Li*. Nature Plantshttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-023-01484-z.
 
Jing Li , Baolan Zhang   , Penggen Duan  , Li Yan , Haiyue Yu , Limin Zhang  , Na Li  , Leiying Zheng  , Tuanyao Chai , Ran Xu , Yunhai Li*. (2023) An endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation-related E2-E3 enzyme pair controls grain size and weight through the brassinosteroid signaling pathway in rice. Plant Cell. 15;35(3):1076-1091.
 
Yuancheng Peng, Shan Jiang, Jiayu Wang, Xuewei Xu  , Ximing Gong  , Weihuan Jin, Chunxia Song , Zhiqiang Dong  , Siyu Sun  Yunhai Li  , Hao Yu. (2023) Control of lateral root initiation by DA3 in Arabidopsis. Cell Rep. 31;42 (1):111913.
  
2022
Ran Xu*, Shengjun Li*, Na Li*, Hirokazu Tsukaya*and Yunhai Li*.2022Editorial: Control of plant organ size and shape. Frontiers in Plant Science. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1067587.
 
Lunying Wu#, Xiaohui Jing#, Baolan Zhang, Shoujun Chen, Ran Xu, Penggen Duan, Danni Zou, Shengjian Huang, Tingbo Zhou, Chengcai An*, Yuehua Luo*, Yunhai Li*. (2022) A natural allele of OsMS1 responds to temperature changes and confers thermosensitive genic male sterility. Nature Communications. 13(1):2055.
 
Lisha Shen, Jiayang Li*, Yunhai Li*. (2022) Resistant starch formation in rice: genetic regulation and beyond. Plant Communications. doi: 10.1016/j.xplc.2022.100329. (Invited review)
 
 
Shan Jiang, Jinwei Wei, Na Li, Zhibiao Wang, Yilan Zhang, Ran Xu, Lixun Zhou, Xiahe Huang, Li Wang, Shiyi Guo, Yingchun Wang, Chunpeng Song, Wei Qian, Yunhai Li*. (2022) The UBP14-CDKB1; 1-CDKG2 cascade controls endoreduplication and cell growth in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell. 34(4):1308-1325.
 
 
Antoine Nicolas, Aude Maugarny-Calès,Bernard Adroher, Liudmila Chelysheva, Yu Li, Jasmine Burguet, Anne-Maarit B?gman, Margot E.Smit , Siobhan M. Brady ,Yunhai Li and Patrick Laufs*. (2022) De novo stem cell establishment in meristems requires repression of organ boundary cell fate. The Plant Cell. doi: 10.1093/plcell/koac269.
 
Xuedan Wu, Xingbo Cai, Baowen Zhang, Shuting Wu, Ruiju Wang, Na Li, Yunhai Li, Yu Sun, Wenqiang Tang*. (2022) ERECTA regulates seed size independently of its intracellular domain via MAPK-DA1-UBP15 signaling. The Plant Cell. 34 (10):3773-3789.
 
Benguo Gu, Hui Dong, Caroline Smith, Guicai Cui, Yunhai Li, and Michael W. Bevan*. (2022) Modulation of receptor-like transmembrane kinase 1 nuclearlocalization by DA1 peptidases in Arabidopsis. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2205757119.
 
2021
Penggen Duan, Yunhai Li*. (2021) Size matters: G-protein signaling is crucial for grain size control in rice. Molecular Plant. 14(10):1618-1620.
 
Jianqin Hao#, Dekai Wang#, Yingbao Wu#, Ke Huang#, Penggen Duan, Na Li, Ran Xu, Dali Zeng, Guojun Dong, Baolan Zhang, Limin Zhang, Dirk Inzé, Qian Qian*,Yunhai Li*. (2021) The GW2-WG1-OsbZIP47 pathway controls grain size and weight in rice. Molecular Plant. 14(8):1266-1280.
 
Luojiang Huang#,Kai Hua#,Ran Xu,Dali Zeng,Ruci Wang,Guojun Dong,Guozheng Zhang,Xueli Lu,Na Fang,Dekai Wang,Penggen Duan,Baolan Zhang,Zupei Liu,Na Li,Yuehua Luo,Qian Qian*,Shanguo Yao*,Yunhai Li*. (2021) The LARGE2-APO1/APO2 regulatory module controls panicle size and grain number in rice. The Plant Cell. 33(4):1212-1228.
 
2020
Lyu J#, Wang D#, Duan P#, Liu Y#, Huang K, Zeng D, Zhang L, Dong G, Li Y, Xu R, Zhang B, Huang X, Li N, Wang Y, Qian Q*, Li Y*. (2020) Control of Grain Size and Weight by the GSK2-LARGE1/OML4 Pathway in Rice. The Plant Cell. 32(6):1905-1918.
 
 
Li Y#, Xia T#, Gao F, Li Y*. (2020) Control of Plant Branching by the CUC2/CUC3-DA1-UBP15 Regulatory Module. The Plant Cell. 32(6):1919-1932.
 
2019
 
Li N#, Xu R#, Li Y*. (2019) Molecular networks of seed size control in plants. Annual Review of Plant Biology. 70:435-463. (Invited review)
 
Xu R#, Li N#, Li Y*. (2019) Control of grain size by G protein signaling in rice. J Integr Plant Biol. 61(5):533-540. (Invited review)
 
2018
Peng Y#, Chen L#, Li S#, Zhang Y, Xu R, Liu Z, Liu W, Kong J, Huang X, Wang Y, Cheng B, Zheng L, and Li Y*. (2018) BRI1 and BAK1 interact with G proteins and regulate sugar-responsive growth and development in Arabidopsis Nature Communications. 9:1522.
 
Li S#, Xu R#, Li A#, Liu K, Gu L, Li M, Zhang H, Zhang Y, Zhuang S, Wang Q, Gao G, Li N, Zhang C ,Li Y*, Yu B*. (2018) SMA1, a homolog of the splicing factor Prp28, has a multifaceted role in miRNA biogenesis in Arabidopsis.  Nucleic Acids Research. 46(17):9148-9159.
 
Xu R#, Yu H#, Wang J#, Duan P#, Zhang B, Li J, Li Y, Xu J, Lyu J, Li N, Chai T, Li Y*. (2018) A Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatase influences grain size and weight in rice. Plant Journal. 95(6):937-946.
 
Xu R#, Duan P#, Yu H#, Zhou Z, Zhang B, Wang R, Li J, Zhang G, Zhuang S, Lyu J, Li N, Chai T, Tian Z,Yao S, and Li Y*. (2018) Control of grain size and weight by the OsMKKK10-OsMKK4-OsMAPK6 signaling pathway in rice. Molecular Plant. 11:860-873.
 
Li N#, Liu Z#, Wang Z, Ru L, Gonzalez N, Baekelandt A, Pauwels L, Goossens A, Xu R, Zu Z, Inzé D, Li Y*. (2018) STERILE APETALA modulates the stability of a repressor protein complex to control organ size in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLoS Genetics. 14(2):e1007218.
 
Li N, Xu R, Duan P, Li Y*. (2018) Control of grain size in rice.Plant Reprod. 31:237-251. (Invited review)
 
Baekelandt A, Pauwels L, Wang Z, Li N, De Milde L, Natran A, Vermeersch M, Li Y, Goossens A, Inzé D, Gonzalez N. (2018) Arabidopsis Leaf Flatness Is Regulated by PPD2 and NINJA through Repression of CYCLIN D3Genes. Plant Physiology. 178(1):217-232.
 
2017
Huang K#, Wang D#, Duan P#, Zhang B, Xu R, Li N, Li Y*. (2017) WIDE AND THICK GRAIN 1, which encodes an otubain-like protease with deubiquitination activity, influences grain size and shape in rice. Plant Journal. 91(5):849-860.
 
Duan P#, Xu J#, Zeng D, Zhang B, Geng M, Zhang G, Huang K, Huang L, Xu R, Ge S, Qian Q and Li Y*. (2017) Natural variation in the promoter of GSE5 contributes to grain size diversity in rice. Molecular Plant. 10(5):685-694. 
 
Dong H#, Dumenil J#, Lu F#, Li N#., Vanhaeren H, Naumann C, Klecker M, Prior R, Smith C, McKenzie N, Saalbach G, Chen C, Xia T, Gonzalez N, Seguela M, Inze D, Dissmeyer N, Li Y*, Bevan M*. (2017) Ubiquitylation activates a peptidase that promotes cleavage and destabilization of its activating E3 ligases and diverse growth regulatory proteins to limit cell proliferation in Arabidopsis. Genes & Development. 31(2):197-208.
 
Wang J, Tang M, Chen S, Zheng X, Mo H, Li S, Wang Z, Zhu K, Ding L, Liu S, Li Y*, Tan X*. (2017) Down-regulation of BnDA1, whose gene locus is associated with the seeds weight, improves the seeds weight and organ size in Brassica napus. Plant Biotechnology Journal. 15:1024-1033.
 
2016
Li N., Li Y* (2016) Signaling pathways of seed size control in plants. Current Opinion in Plant Biology. 33:23-32. (Invited review)
 
Chen L#., Peng, Y#., Tian, J., Wang, X, Kong, Z, Mao, T, Yuan, M, Li Y* (2016) TCS1, a microtubule-binding protein, interacts with KCBP/ZWICHEL to regulate trichome cell shape in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLoS Genetics. 12(10):e1006266.
 
Xu Y#, Jin W#, Li N, Zhang W, Liu C, Li C*, Li Y* (2016) UBIQUITIN-SPECIFIC PROTEASE 14 interacts with ULTRAVIOLET-B INSENSITIVE 4 to regulate endoreduplication and cell and organ growth in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell. 28(5):1200-1214.
 
Wang Z, Li N, Jiang S, Gonzalez N, Huang X, Wang Y, Inze D, Li Y* (2016) SCFSAP controls organ size by targeting PPD proteins for degradation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Nature Communications. 7:11192.
 
Fang N, Xu R, Huang L, Zhang B, Duan P, Li N, Luo Y*, Li Y*. (2016) SMALL GRAIN 11 Controls Grain Size, Grain Number and Grain Yield in Rice. Rice. 9(1):64.
 
Duan P#, Ni S#, Wang J#, Zhang B#, Xu R, Wang Y, Chen H, Zhu X*, and Li Y* (2016) Regulation of OsGRF4 by OsmiR396 controls grain size and yield in rice. Nature Plants.14(11):2134-2146. (Cover story)
 
2015
Zhang Y, Du L, Xu R, Cui R, Hao J, Sun C, and Li Y.* (2015) Transcription factors SOD7/NGAL2 and DPA4/NGAL3 act redundantly to regulate seed size by directly repressing KLU expression in Arabidopsis thaliana. The Plant Cell. 27(3):620-32.
 
Peng Y#, Chen L#, Lu Y, Wu Y, Dumenil J, Zhu Z, Bevan M, and Li Y.* (2015) The ubiquitin receptors DA1, DAR1 and DAR2 redundantly regulate endoreduplication by modulating the stability of TCP14/14 in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell. 27(3):649-62.
 
Liu S, Hua L, Dong S, Chen H, Zhu X, Jiang J, Zhang F, Li Y, Fang X, and Chen F. (2015) OsMAPK6, a mitogen-activated protein kinase, influences rice grain size and biomass production. Plant Journal. 84(4):672-681.
 
Zheng L*#, Shang L#, Chen X, Zhang L, Xia Y, Smith C, Bevan MW, Li Y, Jing HC. (2015) TANG1, Encoding a Symplekin_C Domain-Contained Protein, Influences Sugar Responses in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology. 168(3):1000-12.
 
Li N, and Li Y. * (2015) Maternal control of seed size in plants. Journal of Experimental Botany. 66(4):1087-1097. (Invited review)
 
2014
Du L#, Li N#, Chen L, Xu Y, L Y, Zhang Y, Li C, Li Y.* (2014) The ubiquitin receptor DA1 regulates seed and organ size by modulating the stability of the ubiquitin-specific protease UBP15/SOD2 in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell. 26(2):665-677.
 
Li N, Li Y*. (2014) Ubiquitin-mediated control of seed size in plants. Frontiers in Plant Science. 5:332. (Invited review)
 
Duan P#, Rao Y#, Zeng D#, Yang Y, Xu R, Zhang B, Dong G, Qian Q.*, Li Y*. (2014) SMALL GRAIN 1, which encodes a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (MKK4), influences grain size in rice. The Plant Journal. 77(4):547-57.
 
Colas des Francs-Small C, Falcon de Longevialle A, Li Y, Lowe E, Tanz S, Smith C, Bevan M, Small I. (2014) The Pentatricopeptide Repeat Proteins TANG2 and ORGANELLE TRANSCRIPT PROCESSING439 Are Involved in the Splicing of the Multipartitenad5 Transcript Encoding a Subunit of Mitochondrial Complex I. Plant Physiology. 165(4):1409-1416.
 
2013
Xia T#, Li, N#, Dumenil, J, Li J, Kamenski A, Bevan M, Gao F, Li Y*. (2013) The Ubiquitin Receptor DA1 Interacts with the E3 Ubiquitin Ligase DA2 to Regulate Seed and Organ Size in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell. 25(9):3347-59.
 
Peng Y#, Ma W#, Chen L, Yang L, Li S, Zhao H, Zhao Y, Jin W, Li N, Bevan MW, Li X, Tong Y*, Li Y*. (2013)  Control of root meristem size by DA1-related protein 2 in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Physiology. 161(3):1542-56.
 
Peng Y, Chen L, Lu Y, Ma W, Tong Y, Li Y*. (2013) DAR2 acts as an important node connecting cytokinin, auxin, SHY2 and PLT1/2 in root meristem size control. Plant Signal Behav. 8(6): e24226.
 
2012
Fang W#, Wang Z#, Cui R, Li J, and Li Y*. (2012) Maternal control of seed size by EOD3/CYP78A6 in Arabidopsis thaliana. The Plant Journal. 70(6):929-39.
 
Li S#, Liu Y#, Zheng L, Chen L, Li N, Corke F, Lu Y, Fu X, Zhu Z, Bevan M, and Li Y*. (2012) The plant specific G protein γ subunit AGG3 influences organ size and shape in Arabidopsis thaliana. New Phytologist. 194(3):690-703.
 
Li S, Liu W, Zhang X, Liu Y, Li N, Li, Y*. (2012) Roles of the Arabidopsis G protein γ subunit AGG3 and its rice homologs GS3 and DEP1 in seed and organ size control. Plant Signal Behav. 7(10):1357-9.
 
Xu, R and Li, Y*. (2012). The Mediator complex subunit 8 regulates organ size in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Signal Behav. 7(2):182-3.
 
2011
Xu R and Li Y*. (2011) Control of final organ size by Mediator complex subunit 25 in Arabidopsis thaliana. Development. 138:4545-4554. 
 
Before 2010
Li Y*, Zheng L, Corke F, Smith C, and Bevan M.W.* (2008) Control of seed and organ size by the DA1 gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana. Genes & Development. 22:1331-1336.
 
Li Y, Smith C, Corke F, Zheng L, Merali Z, Ryden P, Derbyshire P, Waldron K, and Bevan MW*. (2007) Signaling from an altered cell wall to the nucleus mediates sugar-responsive growth and development in Arabidopsis thaliana. The Plant Cell 19: 2500-2515.
 
Li Y, Lee KK, Walsh S, Smith C, Hadingham S, Sorefan K, Cawley G, and Bevan MW*. (2006) Establishing glucose- and ABA-regulated transcription networks in Arabidopsis by microarray analysis and promoter classification using a Relevance Vector Machine. Genome Research.16: 414-427.
 
Rook F, Hadingham S, Li Y and Bevan MW*. (2006) Sugar and ABA response pathways and the control of gene expression. Plant Cell & Enviroment 29 (3):426-434.
 
Li Y#, Sorefan K#, Hemmann G#, and Bevan MW.* (2004) Arabidopsis NAP and PIR regulate actin-based cell morphogenesis and multiple developmental processes. Plant Physiology. 136: 3616-3627.
 
Li Y#, Qian Q#, Zhou Y#, Yan M, Sun L, Zhang M, Fu Z, Wang Y, Han B, Pang X, Chen M, and Li J.* (2003) BRITTLE CULM1, which encodes a COBRA-like protein, affects the mechanical properties of rice plants. The Plant Cell. 15: 2020-2031.