PI

Dr. Guanjing Hu, Principle Investigator. Her lab focuses on evolutionary systems biology of polyploidization that underlies phenotypic evolution, crop domestication and improvement in cotton. At a broader scale, the lab will approach classical systems biology questions within an evolutionary framework and aim to develop innovations for modern plant breeding.

Research Experience

2020/09-present: Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Principle Investigation

2018/09-2020/08: Iowa State University (US), Assistant Scientist

2013/08-2018/08: Iowa State University (US), Postdoctoral Research Association

Education

2006/09-2013/08: Iowa State University (US), Genetics, PhD

2002/09-2006/06: Peking University (US), Biotechnology, Bachelor

Research Interest

Our research program integrates multi-level and multi-omics methods to approach classical systems biology questions within an evolutionary framework, and to develop innovations for modern plant breeding. Using the cotton genus Gossypium as a model system, we aim to enable insights into the evolution of genomic and epigenomic architecture, the functional genomics of polyploid genomes, the complexities of the genotype-to-phenotype equation, and agricultural breeding applications.

Selected Publication (#Co-first-author)

1.  Hu, G., C. E. Grover, M. A. I. I. Arick, M. Liu, D. G. Peterson et al., 2020 Homoeologous gene expression and co-expression network analyses and evolutionary inference in allopolyploids. Brief. Bioinform. bbaa35.

2.  #Bao, Y., #G. Hu, C. E. Grover, J. Conover, D. Yuan et al., 2019 Unraveling cis and trans regulatory evolution during cotton domestication. Nat. Commun. 10: 5399.

3.  Hu, G., and J. F. Wendel, 2018 Cis-trans controls and regulatory novelty accompanying allopolyploidization. New Phytologist 221: 1691–1700.

4.  Dong, Y., G. Hu, J. Yu, S. W. Thu, C. E. Grover et al., 2019 Salt-tolerance diversity in diploid and polyploid cotton (Gossypium) species. Plant J. 101: 1135-1151.

5.  #Zhao, B., #J. F. Cao, #G. Hu, Z. W. Chen, L. Y. Wang, X. X. Shangguan, Ling-Jian Wang, Y. B. Mao, T. Z. Zhang, J. F. Wendel, X. Y. Chen. 2018. Core cis-element variation confers subgenome-biased expression of a transcription factor that functions in cotton fiber elongation. New Phytologist 218(3):1061-1075.

6.  Hu, G., R. Hovav, C. E. Grover, A. Faigenboim-Doron, N. Kadmon et al., 2016 Evolutionary conservation and divergence of gene co-expression networks in Gossypium (cotton) seeds. Genome Biol. Evol. 8: 3765–3783.

7.  Hu, G., J. Koh, M.-J. Yoo, S. Chen, and J. F. Wendel, 2015 Gene-expression novelty in allopolyploid cotton: a proteomic perspective. Genetics 200: 91–104.

8.  Hu, G., J. Koh, M.-J. Yoo, D. Pathak, S. Chen et al., 2014 Proteomics profiling of fiber development and domestication in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Planta 240: 1237–1251.

9.  Hu, G., J. Koh, M.-J. Yoo, K. Grupp, S. Chen et al., 2013 Proteomic profiling of developing cotton fibers from wild and domesticated Gossypium barbadense. New Phytol. 200: 570–582.

10.     Hu, G., N. L. Houston, D. Pathak, L. Schmidt, J. J. Thelen et al., 2011 Genomically biased accumulation of seed storage proteins in allopolyploid cotton. Genetics 189: 1103–1115.