研究内容
- C4植物代表着陆地上一类高生产力植物类群，通过叶肉细胞与维管束鞘细胞的协作形成高效碳浓缩机制，在资源利用和逆境适应性上显著优于C3植物，其形成依赖遗传与表观遗传调控。染色质可及性与组蛋白修饰为转录因子结合顺式作用元件提供结构基础，而复杂的冗余互作实现基因表达的时空特异性和稳健灵活的平衡。解析C4光合调控不仅帮助理解这一经典趋同进化想象的关键所在，也为高光效作物育种提供理论支持。课题组综合利用（单细胞）多组学测序技术和人工智能分析方法，系统解析C4光合作用的分子调控及其特殊功能性状塑造，主要包含以下科学问题：
- C4光合基因的动态调控网络与细胞分工；
- 光合基因跨物种调控的适应性进化；
- 作物高光效合成的调控策略工程设计及应用。
论文
- Tu, X., Ren, S.†, Shen, W.†, Li, J.†, Li, Y., Li, C., Li, Y., Zong, Z., Xie, W., Grierson, D., Fei, Z., Giovannoni, J., Li, P.*, Zhong, S.*; Limited conservation in cross-species comparison of GLK transcription factor binding suggested wide-spread cistrome divergence; Nature Communications, 2022, 13:7632 (Nature Communications featured article：//www/nature.com/subjects/plant-genetics/ncomms)
- Tu, X., Marand, A.P.†, Schmitz, R.J.*, Zhong, S.*; A combinatorial indexing strategy for low-cost epigenomic profiling of plant single cells; Plant Communications, 2022, 3:100308
- Zhang, Y., Ma, M.†, Liu, M.†, Sun, A.†, Zheng, X., Liu, K., Yin, C., Li, C., Jiang, C.*, Tu, X.* (co-corresponding), Fang, Y.*; Histone H2A monoubiquitination marks are targeted to specific sites by cohesin subunits in Arabidopsis; Nature Communications, 2023, 14:1209 (Nature Communications featured article：//www/nature.com/subjects/plant-evolution/ncomms)
- Dai, X., Tu, X.† (co-first), Du, B., Dong, P., Sun, S., Wang, X., Sun, J., Gang, L., Lu, T.*, Zhong, S.*, Li, P.*; Chromatin and regulatory differentiation between bundle sheath and mesophyll cells in maize; Plant Journal, 2022, 109(3):675-692
- Yan, H., Mendieta, J.P., Zhang, X., Liang, Y., Luo, Z., Marand, A.P., Wang Y., Tu, X., Zhong, S., Wessler, S.R., Schmitz, R.J.*; Evolution of plant cell-type-specific cis-regulatory elements, Nature Plant, 2025
- Zicola, J.*, Weber, B., Tu, X., Bader, R., Zisis, D., Aesaert, S., Salvi, S., Krajewski, P., Lijsebettens, M. V., Li, C., Li, Y., Zhong, S., Scholten, S., Turck, F.*, Stam, M.*; Vgt1 as enhancer of ZmRap2.7 impacts flowering time and gene regulatory networks involved in jasmonate signaling in maize, Plant Physiology, 2025
- Xiao, K., Fan, J., Bi, X., Tu, X., Li, X., Cao, M., Liu, Z., Lin, A., Wang, C., Xu, P.*, Lian, H.*; Antagonistic Regulation of Sucrose Accumulation in Strawberry Receptacles by FvNAC073 and FvCMB1L, Plant Physiology, 2025, 197(3):kiaf043
- Zhu, Y., Ngan, H.†, Liu, W., Zhu, T., Nan, L., Li, W., Xiao, Y., Zhuo, L., Chen, D., Tu, X., Gao, K., Yan, J., Zhong, S.*, Yang, N.*; Pan-cistrome analysis of the leaf accessible chromatin regions of 214 maize inbred lines, Plant Journal, 2025, 123, e70437
- Mendieta, J.P., Tu, X., Jiang, D., Yan, H., Zhang, X., Marand, A.P., Zhong, S., Schmitz, R.J.*; Investigating the cis-regulatory basis of C3 and C4 photosynthesis in grasses at single-cell resolution; PNAS, 2024, 121(40):e2402781121
- Sun, A., Yin, C., Ma, M., Zhou, Y., Zheng, X., Tu, X., Fang, Y.; Feedback regulation of auxin signaling through the transcription of H2A.Z and deposition of H2A.Z to SMALL AUXIN UP RNAs in Arabidopsis; New Phytologist, 2022, 236(5):1721-1733
- Wang, X., Wang, X.†*, Sun, S., Tu, X., Lin, K., Qin, L., Wang, X., Li, G.*, Zhong, S.*, Li, P.*; Characterization of regulatory modules controlling leaf angle in maize; Plant Physiology, 2022, 190(1):500-515
- Before SJTU
- Tu, X., Mejía-Guerra, M.K.†*, Valdes Franco, J.A., Tzeng, D., Chu, P., Shen, W., Wei, Y., Dai, X., Li, P.*, Buckler, E.S., Zhong, S.*; Reconstructing the maize leaf regulatory network using ChIP-seq data of 104 transcription factors, Nature Communications, 2020, 11:5089
- Dong, P., Tu, X.† (co-first), Chu, P.†, Lü, P., Zhu, N., Grierson, D., Du, B., Li, P.*, Zhong, S.*; 3D chromatin architecture of large plant genomes determined by local A/B compartments; Molecular Plant, 2017, 10(12):1497-1509
- Dong, P., Tu, X., Liang, Z., Kang, B., Zhong, S.*; Plant and animal chromatin three-dimensional organization: similar structures but different functions, Journal of Experimental Botany, 2020, 71(17):5119-5128
- Dai, X., Xu, Z., Liang, Z., Tu, X., Zhong, S., Schnable, J.C.*, Li, P.*; Non‐homology‐based prediction of gene functions in maize (Zea mays ssp. mays), Plant Genome, 2020, 13(2):e20015
- Ding, Z., Weissmann, S., Wang, M., Du, B., Huang, L., Wang, L., Tu, X., Zhong, S., Myers, C., Brutnell, T.P., Sun Q.*, Li, P.*; Identification of Photosynthesis-Associated C4 Candidate Genes through Comparative Leaf Gradient Transcriptome in Multiple Lineages of C3 and C4 Species, PLoS ONE, 2015, 10:e0140629
专利著作
- 涂晓雨，李杨美汇，张优，李传顺，龙正标：一种基于染色质预富集的高效植物ChIPmentation方法
- 涂晓雨，钟思林，李杨美汇，张优，林堪德，李传顺，龙正标，杨乐意，邓琪琳：荧光蛋白标记辅助的Tn5转座酶纯化方法