Principal Investigator

Dr. Lei Li 

Email：lei.li@pku-iaas.edu.cn

Education:

l  Ph.D. in Genetics

    Michigan State University, 1998-2003

l  B.S. in Cell Biology & Genetics

    Peking University, 1992-1997

Professional Experience:

l  Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences

    Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agricultural Sciences in Weifang

    July 2024 - Present

l  Peking University

    July 2014 - June 2024

l  University of Virginia

    August 2007 - June 2014

l  Yale University

    June 2003 - July 2007

Honors & Awards:

Beijing Overseas High-level Talent, 2012

Shandong Taishan Scholar, 2014

Research Interests:

l  Genetic regulation of wheat stamen development

l  Copper signal transduction in plant development and environmental adaptation

Selected Publications (*Corresponding author):

     1.  Zhang H, Xiao L, Qin S, Wan M, Shen F, Zhao J, Li L* (2025) Polarized pectin accumulation regulates differential hypocotyl elongation at the dark-to-light transition. Current Biology, 35(3):699-707.

     2.  Liu C, Li A, Guo Z, Chen N, Wang Y, Tang W, Wu Y, Liu J, Wang Z, Li L*, He XQ* (2024) MicroRNA analysis reveals 2 modules that antagonistically regulate xylem tracheary element development in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell, 37(1):koaf011.

     3.  Yang Y, Xu L, Hao C, Wan M, Tao Y, Zhuang Y, Su Y, Li L* (2024) The microRNA408-plantacyanin module balances plant growth and drought resistance by regulating reactive oxygen species homeostasis in guard cells. The Plant Cell,36(10):4338-4355.

     4.  Hao Y, Yang Y, Tu H, Guo Z, Chen P, Chao X, Yuan Y, Wang Z, Miao X, Zou S, Li D, Yang Y, Wu C, Li B, Li L*, Cai H* (2024) A transcription factor complex in Dictyostelium enables adaptive changes in macropinocytosis during the growth-to-development transition. Developmental Cell, 59(5):645-660.

     5.  Shen F, Qin Y, Wang R, Huang X, Wang Y, Gao T, He J, Zhou Y, Jiao Y, Wei J*, Li L*, Yang X* (2023) Comparative genomics reveals a unique nitrogen-carbon balance system in Asteraceae. Nature Communications, 14(1):4334.

     6.  Xu L, Tang Y, Yang Y, Wang D, Wang H, Du J, Bai Y, Su S, Zhao C*, Li L* (2023) Microspore expressed SCULP1 is required for p-coumaroylation of sporopollenin, exine integrity, and pollen development in wheat. New Phytologist, 239(1):102-115.

     7.  Gao Z, Li J, Li L, Yang Y, Li J, Fu C, Zhu D, He H, Cai H, Li L* (2022) Structural and functional analyses of hub microRNAs in an integrated gene regulatory network of Arabidopsis. Genomics Proteomics Bioinformatics, 20(4):747-764.

     8.  Guo Z, Kuang Z, Tao Y, Wang H, Wan M, Hao C, Shen F, Yang, X*, Li L* (2022) Miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements drive rapid microRNA diversification in angiosperms. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 39(11):msac224.

     9.  Yang Y, Hao C, Du J, Xu L, Guo Z, Li D, Cai H, Guo H, Li L* (2022) The carboxy terminal transmembrane domain of SPL7 mediates interaction with RAN1 at the endoplasmic reticulum to regulate ethylene signaling in Arabidopsis. New Phytologist, 236(3):878-892.

     10.  Hao C, Yang Y, Du J, Deng XW*, Li L* (2022) The PCY-SAG14 phytocyanin module regulated by PIFs and miR408 promotes dark-induced leaf senescence in Arabidopsis.      Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119(3):e2116623119.

     11.  Guo Z, Kuang Z, Zhao Y, Deng Y, He H, Wan M, Tao Y, Wang D, Wei J, Li L*, Yang X* (2022) PmiREN2.0: from data annotation to functional exploration of plant microRNAs. Nucleic Acids Research, 50(D1):D1475-D1482.

     12.  Jiang A, Guo Z, Pan J, Zhuang Y, Zuo D, Hao C, Gao Z, Xin P, Chu J, Zhong S, Li L* (2021) The PIF1-MIR408-Plantacyanin repression cascade regulates light dependent seed germination. The Plant Cell, 33(5):1506-1529.

     13.  Zhang H, Guo Z, Zhuang Y, Suo Y, Du J, Gao Z, Pan J, Li L, Wang T, Xiao L, Qin G, Jiao Y, Cai H, Li L* (2021) MicroRNA775 promotes intrinsic leaf size and reduces cell wall pectin level via a target galactosyltransferase in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell,33(3):581-602.

     14.  Zhuang Y, Zuo D, Tao Y, Cai H*, Li L* (2020) Laccase3-based extracellular domain provides possible positional information for directing Casparian strip formation in Arabidopsis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 117:15400-15402.

     15.  Guo Z, Kuang Z, Wang Y, Zhao Y, Tao Y, Cheng C, Yang J, Lu X, Hao C, Wang T, Cao X, Wei J, Li L*, Yang X* (2020) PmiREN: a comprehensive encyclopedia of plant miRNAs. Nucleic Acids Research, 48:D1114-D1121.