研究领域

表观遗传学主要包括DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰、非编码RNA和染色质的空间结构等方面，在基因的表达调控、转座子的沉默、和调控植物发育等方面起着重要作用。其中DNA甲基化的水平和动态调控主要由甲基化和去甲基化这两个途经来协同调控。在植物中对DNA甲基化途经的研究已经比较深入，但对于DNA甲基化下游参与基因沉默的表观遗传机制还不清楚。相对于DNA甲基化的研究，目前对DNA主动去甲基化的分子机制和生物学功能的认识还十分有限。此外，非编码RNA尤其是长非编码RNA的生物学功能还不清楚。我们将运用遗传学，生物化学和细胞生物学的方法，对植物体内DNA去甲基化的机制以及非编码RNA的生物学功能进行深入的研究。主要研究方向包括：
1、植物基因组DNA主动去甲基化的分子机制和生物学功能；
2、植物基因沉默的表观遗传学机制；
3、植物非编码RNA-蛋白复合体的鉴定和功能分析。

近期论文

1. Yuan W.*, Zhou J.*, Tong J.*, Zhuo W., Wang L., Li Y., Sun Q., and Qian W. (2019) ALBA protein complex reads genic R-loops to maintain genome stability in Arabidopsis. Science Advances. Accepted. (*Contributed equally to this work)
2. Wang X., Chen X., Sun L., and Qian W. (2019) Canonical Cytosolic Iron-Sulfur Cluster Assembly and Non-Canonical Functions of DRE2 in Arabidopsis. PLoS Genet. Accepted.
3. Li J.*, Liang W.*, Li Y., and Qian W. (2018). APURINIC/APYRIMIDINIC ENDONUCLEASE2 and ZINC FINGER DNA 3'-PHOSPHOESTERASE Play Overlapping Roles in the Maintenance of Epigenome and Genome Stability. Plant Cell 30, 1954-1970. (*Contributed equally to this work)
4. Li Y., Kumar S., and Qian W. (2018). Active DNA demethylation: mechanism and role in plant development. Plant Cell Rep. 37, 77-85.
5. Jing Y., Sun H., Yuan W., Wang Y., Li Q., Liu Y., Li Y., and Qian W. (2016). SUVH2 and SUVH9 couple two essential steps for transcriptional gene silencing in Arabidopsis. Mol. Plant. 9, 1156-1167.
6. Wang X., Li Q., Yuan W., Cao Z., Qi B., Kumar S., Li Y., and Qian W. (2016). The cytosolic Fe-S cluster assembly component MET18 is required for the full enzymatic activity of ROS1 in active DNA demethylation. Sci. Rep. 6, 26443; doi: 10.1038/srep26443
7. Li Q., Wang X., Sun H., Zeng J., Cao Z., Li Y., and Qian W. (2015). Regulation of Active DNA Demethylation by a Methyl-CpG-Binding Domain Protein in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLoS Genet. 11, e1005210.