Xialu Li, Ph.D.

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Xialu Li, Ph.D.
Assistant Investigator, NIBS, Beijing, China

Education

2000	Ph.D. degree in molecular biology Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry, Chinese AcademyofSciences, P.R.China
1995	B.S.degree in Biochemistry Department of Biochemistry, Fu-Dan University, Shanghai, P. R. China

Professional Experience

June 2006-	National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing,China
2005-June 2006	Associate Research Scientist
2000-2005	Post-Doctoral Research Scientist Department of Biological Sciences,Columbia UniversityU.S.A.

Research Description:

Transcription is a fundamental and ineluctable process of life. However, in the past three decades, a considerable body of evidence has established that transcription is one of the key contributors to genome instability. The main research goal of our lab is to understand molecular mechanism(s) and pathological relevance(s) of transcription-associated genome instability in mammalian cells by using a variety of genetic, molecular, biochemical and bioinformatic approaches. Our current interests focus on:

1. R loop and genome instability: Cotranscriptionl R loop is a structure in which a nascent transcript is hybridized with the template DNA strand, leaving the non-template strand unpaired. Our previous studies have established that such RNA:DNA hybrid has an inherent impact on the integrity of the genome from bacteria to mammals. We are currently interested to:

a. elucidate the mechanism(s) underlying R loop-mediated genome instability

b. dissect the mechanism(s) by which mammalian cells prevent and resolve R loop during transcription

c. investigate the pathological consequence(s) of transcriptional R loop formation

2. Cancer genome evolution: One of our recent studies has established a striking link between transcription disorder and the expression of chromosome fragility in human cells. Gross chromosome abnormality and transcription reprogramming are hallmarks of a number of human diseases, including cancer. Extending from the above study, we are currently pursuing the potential role(s) of transcription-associated genome instability in ovarian cancer genome evolution.

1. Yi Wei*, Fan Yang*, Jie Liu, Yonggong Zhai and Xialu Li, R loop underlies transcription-associated chromosome fragility in human cells (*These authors contribute equally) (in preparation)

2. Wenjian Gan, Zhishuang Guan and Xialu Li, Impairment of replication fork progression is an evolutionally conserved mechanism underlying R loop-mediated genome instability. (in preparation)

3. Xialu Li and James L. Manley, 2009, The Role of Alternative Splicing During the Cell Cycle and Programmed Cell Death. In Ralph A. Bradshaw and Edward A. Dennis, editors: Handbook of Cell Signaling 2nd edition, Oxford:Academic Press, , pp. 2329-2334. (invited book chapter)

4. Xialu Li*, Tianhui Niu., and James L Manley. 2007. The RNA binding protein RNPS1 alleviates ASF/SF2 depletion-induced genomic instability. RNA 13(12): 2108-2115 (*corresponding author).

5. Xialu Li and James L Manley, 2006, Co-transcriptional processes and their influence on genome stability. Genes & Development, 2006; 20(14):1838-1847.

6. Xialu Li and James L Manley. 2006. Alternative Splicing and Control of Apoptotic DNA Fragmentation. Cell Cycle 5(12).1286-1288

7. Xialu Li and James L. Manley, 2005, New talents for an old acquaintance: the SR protein splicing factor ASF/SF2 functions in the maintenance of genome stability. Cell cycle, 4(12): 1706-1708.

8. Xialu Li, Jin Wang and James L Manley, 2005, Loss of splicing factor ASF/SF2 induces G2 cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis, but inhibits internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, Genes & Development, 19(22):2705-2714.

9. Xialu Li and James L Manley, 2005, Inactivation of the SR protein splicing factor ASF/SF2 results in genomic instability. Cell, 122 (3), p365-378.

10. Boliang Li, Xialu Li et al., 1999, Human acyl-CoA:Cholesterol acyltransferase-1 (ACAT-1) gene organization and evidence that the 4.3-kilobase ACAT-1 mRNA is produced from two different chromosomes., J Biol Chem, 274 (16): p11060-11071