XIAOFENG FANG PH.D.
Associate Professor
2005 - 2009 B.S.A., Northwestern A&F University, Xi’an
2009 - 2015 Ph.D., Peking Union Medical College & National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS)
2015 - 2017 Postdoctoral Scientist, Tsinghua University, Beijing
2017 - 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow, Postdoctoral Scientist, John Innes Centre, UK
2020 - present Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing
Research interest
The biomolecular condensates are emerging as a central way for cellular compartmentalization. Most of the biomolecular condensates are assembled via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). Using a combination of genetics, biochemistry, cell biology and bioinformatics, my lab is focusing on the assembly and biological functions of biomolecular condensates during plant development and stress responses.
Selected publications
1. Wang Y, He S*, Fang X*. (2023) Emerging roles of phase separation in plant transcription and chromatin organization. Current Opinion in Plant Biology 75:102387.
2. Zhang H#, Peng F#, He C#, Liu Y#, Deng H*, Fang X*. (2023) Large-scale identification of potential phase separation proteins from plants using a cell-free system. Molecular Plant 16(2):310-313.
3. Wang B#, Zhang H#, Huai J#, Peng F, Wu J, Lin R*, Fang X*. (2022) Condensation of SEUSS promotes hyperosmotic stress tolerance in Arabidopsis. Nature Chemical Biology. 18(12):1361-1369.
4. Lin Y*, Fang X*. (2021) Phase Separation in RNA Biology. J Genet Genomics. 48(10):872-880 (Invited Review)
5. Li C, Fang X*. (2020) Phase Separation as a Molecular Thermosensor. Developmental Cell. 55(2):118-119.
6. Fang X*, Wu Z, Raitskin O, Webb K, Voigt P, Lu T, Howard M, Dean C (2020) The 3' processing of antisense RNAs physically links to chromatin-based transcriptional control. PNAS. 117(26):15316-15321.
7. Fang X#, Wang L#, Ishikawa R#, Li Y, Fiedler M, Liu F, Calder G, Rowan B, Weigel D, Li P, Dean C. (2019) Arabidopsis FLL2 promotes liquid-liquid phase separation of polyadenylation complexes. Nature. 569(7755): 265-269.
8. Fang X#, Zhao G#, Zhang S, Li Y, Gu H, Li Y, Zhao Q, Qi Y (2018) Chloroplast-to-nucleus signaling regulates microRNA biogenesis in Arabidopsis. Developmental Cell. 48, 371-382.
9. Li Y#, Yuan Y#, Fang X#, Lu X, Lian B, Zhao G, Qi Y (2018) A role for MINIYO and QUATRE-QUART2 in the assembly of RNA polymerases II, IV, and V in Arabidopsis.Plant Cell. 30, 466-480.
10. Cui Y#, Fang X#, and Qi Y (2016) TRANSPORTIN1 promotes the association of microRNAs with ARGONAUTE1 in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell. 28, 2576-2585.
11. Fang X, and Qi Y (2016) RNAi in plants: an Argonaute-centered view. Plant Cell. 28, 272-285.
12. Fang X, Cui Y, Li Y, and Qi Y (2015) Transcription and processing of primary microRNAs are coupled by Elongator complex in Arabidopsis. Nature Plants. 1, 15075.
13. Fang X#, Shi Y#, Lu X, Chen Z, Qi Y (2015) CMA33/XCT regulates small RNA production through modulating the transcription of Dicer-Like genes in Arabidopsis. Molecular Plant. 8, 1227-1236.
Contact information
Email: xffang@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
Lab website: http://fanglab.life.tsinghua.edu.cn/
Address: 4-214, Biotech Building, Tsinghua University
Tel: 010-62781942
