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Xin Li
Research | Teaching | Team | Publications

e-mail:xinli@interchange.ubc.ca
office phone: (604) 822-3155
lab phone: (604) 822-3205

Professor, Dept. of Botany and Michael Smith Laboratories
Ph.D. Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State Univ., (1995);
Postdoctoral Fellow, Duke Univ., (1996-1999);
Scientist, Maxygen. Inc. (1999-2001)


Research Interests:
The long-term goal of our research program is to understand the molecular mechanisms of plant innate immunity. We study plant defense against pathogen infection in the context of gene regulation, protein-protein interaction and signal transduction using the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana. Our program aims to discover new regulatory components of plant disease resistance and to elucidate the biochemical functions of a number of regulators we have already identified. Understanding the innate ability of plants to defend themselves against pathogen infection promises to revolutionize disease control practices in our fields using environmentally friendly strategies.

 

 
Courses Taught (2006-2007):
Biology 443 - Plant Genetics
BIOL 421/AGRO426 – Plant Microbe Interactions

 
Research Team:

Current Lab Members:

M.Sc. Candidates:
Oliver Xiaoou Dong
Kaeli Johnson
Shuai Huang
Virginia Woloshen,

Ph.D. Candidates:
YuTi Cheng
Fang Xu
Yan Huang
Tabea Weihmann

Visiting Professors:
Shitou Xia

Lab Alumni:

Dr. Marcel Wiermer, Ph.D (University of Cologne, 2005)
Dr. Sandra Goritschnig, Ph.D. Botany  (University of British Columbia, 2006)
Dr. Hugo Germain, Ph.D. Plant Science (University of Montréal, 2007)
Dr. Kristoffer Palma, Ph.D. Genetics  (University of British Columbia, 2007)
Dr. Jacqueline Monaghan, PhD  (University of British Columbia, 2010)
Patrick Gannon, MsC, Botany (University of British Columbia, 2011)

 

Selected Publications:

1.    Cheng, Y. T., Y. Li, et al. (2011). "Stability of plant immune-receptor resistance proteins is controlled by SKP1-CULLIN1-F-box (SCF)-mediated protein degradation." Proc Natl Acad Sci 108 (35): 14694-14699.

2.    Germain, H. et al. MOS11: a new component in the mRNA export pathway. PLoS Genet 6, e1001250 (2010).

3.    Monaghan, J., Xu, F., Xu, S., Zhang, Y. & Li, X. Two putative RNA-binding proteins function with unequal genetic redundancy in the MOS4-associated complex. Plant Physiol 154, 1783-1793 (2010).

4.    Cheng, Y.T. et al. Nuclear pore complex component MOS7/Nup88 is required for innate immunity and nuclear accumulation of defense regulators in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 21, 2503-2516 (2009).

5.    Monaghan, J. et al. Two Prp19-like U-box proteins in the MOS4-associated complex play redundant roles in plant innate immunity. PLoS Pathogen, e1000526 (2009).

6.    Goritschnig, S. et al. A novel role for protein farnesylation in plant innate immunity. Plant Physiol 148, 348-357 (2008).

7.    Palma, K. et al. Regulation of plant innate immunity by three proteins in a complex conserved across the plant and animal kingdoms.Genes Dev 21, 1484-1493 (2007).

8.    Goritschnig, S., Zhang, Y. & Li, X. The ubiquitin pathway is required for innate immunity in Arabidopsis. The Plant Journal 49, 540-551 (2007).

9.    Zhang, Y., Cheng, Y.T., Bi, D., Palma, K. & Li, X. MOS2, a protein containing G-patch and KOW motifs, is essential for innate immunity in Arabidopsis thaliana. Curr. Biol 15, 1936-1942 (2005).

10.  Palma, K., Zhang, Y. & Li, X. An importin alpha homolog, MOS6, plays an important role in plant innate immunity. Curr. Biol 15, 1129-1135 (2005).

11.  Zhang, Y. & Li, X. A putative nucleoporin 96 Is required for both basal defense and constitutive resistance responses mediated by suppressor of npr1-1,constitutive 1. Plant Cell 17, 1306-1316 (2005).

12.  Zhang, Y., Goritschnig, S., Dong, X. & Li, X. A gain-of-function mutation in a plant disease resistance gene leads to constitutive activation of downstream signal transduction pathways in suppressor of npr1-1, constitutive 1. Plant Cell 15, 2636-2646 (2003).

13.  Li, X., Clarke, J.D., Zhang, Y. & Dong, X. Activation of an EDS1-mediated R-gene pathway in the snc1 mutant leads to constitutive, NPR1-independent pathogen resistance. Mol. Plant Microbe Interact 14, 1131-1139 (2001).

 
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