Zongrang Liu
______
Personal Vita
Contact information:
USDA-ARS
Appalachian Fruit Research Station
2217 Wiltshire Road
Kearneysville, WV 25430
Phone: 304-725-3451 Ext. 239
Fax: 304-728-2340
E-mail:
Professional Preparation
1978-1982BS, Pomology, Northwest A&F University, China
1984-1986 MS, Pomology, Cornell University
1987-1991PhD, Plant Molecular Biology, Cornell University
Appointments
2001- Present, ResearchMolecular Biologist, USDA-ARS, Appalachian FruitResearch Station,
2009- Present, Adjunct Faculty, Dept. of Horticulture, Virginia Tech
1994- Oct, 2000, Research Associate, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Arizona
1992- 1993, Postdoc, Department of Biology, DartmouthCollege,
Research Interests
My current research focuses on the elucidation of regulatory mechanism underlying dormancy release and chilling requirement in temperate fruit tree, and its adaption to climate change; understanding of theroles of siRNAs, miRNAs and phasiRNAs in fruit development, quality and pathogen resistance; investigation ofthe enhancer-promoter interaction, promoter silencing and control, and gene insulation mechanisms in plants.
Publications
Liu, Y., Miao, J., Traore, S., Kong, D., Liu, Y., Zhang, X., Nimchuk, Z., Liu, Z., and Zhao, B (2016). SacB-SacR genecassette as the negative selection marker to suppress Agrobacterium overgrowth in Agrobacterium mediated plant transformation. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences, Technology Report doi: 10.3389/fmolb.2016.00070. 2016.
Li, W., Katin-Grazzini, L., Krishnan, S., Thammina, C., El-Tanbouly, R., Yer, H., Merewitz, E., Guiliard, K., Inguagiato, J., Mcavoy, R., Liu, Z., and Li, Y (2016). A novel two-step method for screening shade tolerant mutant plants via dwarfism. Frontiers in Plant Science 7: 1495. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01495. 2016.
Wang, L., Zhang, L., Xu, W., Liu, Z., Zhang, C., Whiting, M.D., Ma, C., and Wang, S (2016).Impact of Chilling Accumulation and Hydrogen Cyanamide on Floral Organ Development of Sweet Cherry in a Warm Region. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 15, 2529-2538. 2016.
Xia R, Ye S, Liu Z, Meyers B and Liu Z (2015). Novel and recently evolved miRNA clusters regulate expansive F-box gene networks through phasiRNAs in wild diploid strawberry. Plant Physiology, Online published on July 4, doi:
Abbott AG, Zhebentyayeva T, Barakat A, Liu Z (2015). The genetic control of budbreak in trees: In Land
Plants – Trees 74, page 201–228, EDS. A-F Adam-Blondon & C. Plomion, Academic Press.
Liu Z, Zhu H, Abbott A (2015). Dormancy behaviors and underlying regulatory mechanisms: From perspective of pathways to epigenetic regulation: In Advances in Plant Dormancy, page 75-106, Eds. James Anderson, Spring Science
Wen Z, Yang Y, Zhang J, Wang X, Singer S, Liu Z, Yang Yand Liu Z (2014). Highly interactive nature of flower-specific enhancers and promoters, and its potential impact on tissue-specific expression and engineering of multiple genes or agronomic traits. Plant Biotechnology Journal 12, 951-962
Zhang J, Yan G, Wen Z, An Y-Q, Singer S and Liu Z (2014) Two tobacco AP1-like gene promoters drive highly specific, tightly regulated and unique expression patterns during floral transition, initiation and development. Planta 239, 469-478
Goettel W, Liu Z, Xia J, Zhang W, Zhao PX,) An Y-Q (2014) Systems and evolutionary characterization of microRNAs and their underlying regulatory networks in soybean cotyledons. PLoS ONE 9(1): e86153. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0086153
Lin L, Tian S, Kaeppler S, Liu Z, An Y-Q(2014) Conserved transcriptional regulatory programs underlying rice and barley germination. PLoS One 9, e87261. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0087261
Ralph S, Callahan AM, Dardick CD, Bell RL, Liu Z, Srinivasan C, Hollender CC, Vann CA, Ravelonandro M, (2013) Tree fruit breeding for the 21st Century. Aspects of Applied Biology. 119: 1-12
Xia R, Meyers B, Liu Z, Beers E and Liu Z (2013) MicroRNA superfamilies descended from miR390 and their roles in secondary siRNA biogenesis. Plan Cell 25, 1555-1572
Xia R, Zhu H, Beers E, An Y-Q, and LiuZ (2012). Apple microRNAs and trans-acting siRNAs with novel regulatory networks. Genome Biology 2012, 13:R47 (
Zhu H, Xia R, Dardick CD, Callahan A, An Y-Q, Liu Z (2012). Unique expression, processing regulation, and regulatory network of peach (Prunus persica) miRNAs. BMC Plant Biology 2012, 12:149doi:10.1186/1471-2229-12-149
Wang X, Singer S and Liu Z (2012) Silencing of meiosis-critical genes for engineering male sterility in plants. Plant Cell Rep, 31, 747-756
Liu Z and Singer S (2012). Tapping RNA silencing for transgene containment through engineering of sterility in plants: In Plant Gene Containment. Eds. Mei Oliver and Yi Li, Wiley- Blackwell. Pp. 146-174
Singer S, Liu Zand Cox KD(2012) Minimizing the unpredictability of transgene expression in plants: the role of genetic insulators. Plant Cell Rep 31, 13-25
Yang Y, Singer S and Liu Z (2011) Petunia AGAMOUS enhancer-derived chimeric promoters specify a carpel-, stamen- and petal-specific expression pattern sufficient for engineering male and female sterility in tobacco. Plant Mol. Biol. Rep 29: 162-170
Srinivasan C, Liu Z and Scorza R (2011) Overexpression of Malus domesticaKNOX 1 genes altered growth and development of Nicotiana tabacum and Prunus domestica, and induced adventitious shoot regeneration in vitro from leaf explants without exogenous cytokinin. Plant Cell Rep, 30: 655-664
Yang Y, Singer S, Liu Z (2011) Evaluation and comparison of insulation efficiency among three enhancer-blocking insulators in plants. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture 105 (3): 405-414
Li R, Mock R, Fuchs M, Halbrendt J, Howell B and Liu Z (2011) Molecular characterization of the long 3’ non-translated regions of Tomato ringspot virus isolated from North America. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology 33:94-99
Singer S, Cox KD, LiuZ (2011) Enhancer-promoter interference and prevention in transgenic plants. Plant Cell Reports, 30:723-731
Singer S, Cox KD, Liu Z (2010) Both the constitutive Cauliflower Mosaic Virus 35S and tissue-specific AGAMOUS enhancers activate transcription autonomously in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Molecular Biology 74: 293-305
Yang Y, Singer S, and Liu Z (2010). Two similar but distinct second intron fragments from tobacco AGAMOUS homologs confer identical floral organ-specific expression sufficient for generating complete sterility in plants. Planta 231: 1159 – 1169
Singer S, HilyJ-M, and Liu Z (2010). A 1-kb bacteriophage lambda fragment functions as an insulator to effectively block enhancer-promoter interactions in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Mol. Biol. Rep. 28: 69 -76
Hily J-M,Singer S, Yang Y and LiuZ (2009). A transformation booster sequence (TBS) from Petunia hybrida functions as an enhancer-blocking in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Cell Rep 28: 1095-1104
Hall JD, Cobb J, Iqbal M, Abidali M, Liu Z, and Mount DW. (2009). UVH6, a plant homolog of the human/yeast TFIIH transcription factor subunit XPD/RAD3, regulates cold-stress genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Mol. Biol. Rep. 27: 217-228.
Hily J-M andLiu Z (2009). A simple and sensitive high-throughtput GFP screening in woody and herbaceous plants. Plant Cell Rep 28: 493-501.
Liu Z, Zhou C, and Wu K (2008). Creation and analysis of a novel chimeric promoter for the complete containment of pollen- and seed-mediated gene flow. Plant Cell Rep 27: 995-1004.
Liu Z and Liu Z (2008). The second intron of AGAMOUS drives carpel- and stamen-specific expression sufficient to induce complete sterility in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell Rep 27: 855-863.
Liu Z,Scorza R, Hily J-M, Scott SW, and James D(2007). Engineering resistance to multiple stone fruit viruses through expression of chimeric hairpins. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 132, 283-436.\
Hily, J.-M., Ravelonandro, M., Damsteegt, V., Bassett, C., Petri, C., Liu Z, and Scorza, R. (2007). Plum pox potyvirus coat protein geneintron-hairpin-RNA (ihpRNA) constructs provide resistance to plum pox virus in Nicotiana benthamiana Domin. and plum (Prunus domestica L.). Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 132: 850-858.
Hily J-M and Liu Z(2007). An overview of small RNAs IN: Regulation of Gene Regulation in Plants. Eds. C. Bassett, Springer-Life Sciences. Pp. 123-147. 2007.
Srinivasan C, Liu Z, Heidmann I, Supena EDJ, Fukuoka H, Joosen R, Lambalk J, Angenent G, Scorza R, Custers JBM, and Boutilier K.(2006). Heterologous expression of the BABYBOOM AP2/ERF transcription factor enhances the repression capacity of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.). Planta 225, 341-351.
Liu Z(2005). Developing multi-virus resistant stone fruit cultivars. New York Fruit Quarterly, Volume 13 (4), 32-34.
Liu Z, Suk-Whan Hong, Mindy Escobar, Elizabeth Vierling, David L. Mitchell, David W. Mount, and Jennifer D. Hall (2003). Arabidopsis UVH6, a Homolog of Human XPD and Yeast RAD3 DNA Repair Genes, Functions in DNA Repair and Is Essential for Plant Growth. Plant Physiology 132: 1405-1414.
Liu Z,Hall JD and Mount DW (2001). Arabidopsis UVH3 gene is a homolog of the Saccharomyces cerevisiaeRAD2 and human XPG DNA repair genes. Plant Journal 26:1-11.
Liu Z, Hossain S, Islas M, Mitchell DL and Mount DW (2000). Repair of UV damage in plants by nucleotide excision repair: ArabidopsisUVH1 DNA repair gene is a homolog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rad1. Plant Journal 21, 519-528.
Liu Z, Davies C, and Mount DW (2000). TREGED: A new strategy for inducing deletions in plant genomes. Plant Mol. Biol. Rep 18: 1-9.
Liu Z, Taub CC, and McClung CR (1996). Identification of an Arabidopsis thaliana ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase activase (RCA) minimal promoter regulated by light and the circadian clock. Plant Physiology 112: 43-51.
Jenkins M, Harlow G, Liu Z, Shotwell M, Ma Jand Mount DW (1995). Radiation-sensitive mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana. Genetics 140: 725-732.
Liu Z, Ma J and Sanford JC (1995). The location of untranscribed DNA sequences within ras genes essential for eliciting plant growth suppression. Plant Mol. Biology 28: 195-201.
Liu Z and and Sanford JC (1993). Investigation of the mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect of heterologous ras genes in plant cells. Plant Mol. Biol. 22: 751-765. 1993.
Liu Z and Sanford JC (1988). Plant regeneration by organogenesis from strawberry leaf and runner tissues. HortSciences 23(6): 1057-1059.
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