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Dr F. Liu

PhD Plant Molecular Biology,
Peking University, 1998.

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Contact Information
Tel:  +44 (0)28 9097 2477 (Direct line)
Fax:  +44 (0)28 9097 5877
Email:  f.liu@qub.ac.uk
Room:  Medical Biology Centre - 01.445.

Research Interests

Expression of eukaryotic genes is an integrated process of transcription and co-transcriptional RNA processing in the dynamic context of chromatin.  Every step of transcription is intimately coupled with co-transcriptional RNA processing-capping, splicing and 3' formation/polyadenylation.  Co-transcriptional RNA processing is now recognized as one of the major steps of gene expression regulation in all eukaryotic cells.  Recent evidence also hints the vital role of co-transcriptional processing of non-coding RNA in chromatin modification and epigenetic regulation of gene expression.  My research interest focuses on dynamics, regulatory mechanisms and functions of co-transcriptional RNA processing in plants, especially in response to abiotic stresses.

Publications

Liu, F., Marquardt, S. and Dean, C. (2010). Targeted RNA 3' processing of antisense RNA triggers chromatin silencing of FLC.  Science, 327: 94-97.

Swiezewski, S., Liu, F., Magusin, A. and Dean, C. (2009). Cold-induced silencing by long antisense transcripts of an Arabidopsis Polycomb target FLC.  Nature, 62: 799-802.

Manzano, D., Marquardt, S., Jones, A., Bäurle, I., Liu, F. and Dean, C. (2009). Altered interactions within FY/AtCPSF complexes required for Arabidopsis FCA-mediated chromatin silencing.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 106: 8772-8777.

Liu, F., Quesada, V., Crevillén, .P, Bäurle, I., Swiezewski, S. and Dean, C. (2007). The Arabidopsis RNA-binding protein FCA requires a lysine-specific demethylase 1 homolog to downregulate FLC.  Molecular Cell, 28: 398-407.

Swiezewski, S., Crevillen, P., Liu, F., Ecker, J.R., Jerzmanowski, A. and Dean, C. (2007). Small RNA-mediated chromatin silencing directed to the 3' region of the Arabidopsis gene encoding the developmental regulator, FLC.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 104: 3633-8.

Henderson, I., Liu, F., Drea, S., Simpson, G. and Dean, C. (2005). An allelic series reveals essential roles for FY in plant development in addition to flowering-time control.  Development, 132: 3597-607.

Xiao, S., Dai, L., Liu, F., Wang, Z., Peng, W. and Xie, D. (2004). COS1: an Arabidopsis coronatine insensitive1 suppressor essential for regulation of jasmonate-mediated plant defense and senescence.  Plant Cell, 16: 1132-42.

Liu, F., Ni, W., Griffith, M., Huang, Z., Chang, C., Peng, W., Ma, H. and Xie, D. (2004). The ASK1 and ASK2 genes are essential for Arabidopsis early development.  Plant Cell, 16: 5-20.

Xu, L., Liu, F., Lechner, E., Genschik, P., Crosby, W., Ma, H., Peng, W. and Xie, D. (2002), The SCFCOI1 ubiquitin-ligase complexes are required for jasmonate response in Arabidopsis.  Plant Cell, 14: 1919-35.

Xu, L., Liu, F., Wang, Z., Peng, W., Huang, R., Huang, D. and Xie, D. (2001). An Arabidopsis mutant cex1 exhibits constant accumulation of jasmonate-regulated AtVSP, Thi2.1 and PDF1.2.  FEBS Letters, 494: 161-4.

Yang, L., Chen, M., Liu, F., Geng, Y., Chen, C., Li, Y., Cao, Z., Xu, Z. and Bai, S. (2000). Carpel of cucumber (cucumis sativas. L) male flowers maintains early characteristics during organ development.  Chinese Science Bulletin, 45: 729-733.

Liu, F., Zhu, G., Luo, D., Wu, X. and Xu, Z. (1999). Cloning and analysis of CFL, a LFY-like gene from cucumber.  Acta Botanica Sinica, 41: 813-819.