Education

B.S. 1985, Zhejiang University, China
M.S. 1988, Institute of Genetics, Beijing, China
Ph.D. 1993, Technical University & Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany

Work experience

Postdoc training, 1993-1994, Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
Principal Investigator, 1994-1995, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Postdoc training, 1995-2001, Dept of Genet. and Dev, Columbia University, US
Principal Investigator, 2001-present, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, China
Principal Investigator and Executive Dean, 2017-present, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University

Contact

Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032 Tel: +86 159 2176 8732

Email: xugl@fudan.edu.cn

Lab homepage:

Biography

Professor Guoliang Xu holds a BSc from Zhejiang University, China (1985), MSc from the Institute of Genetics, Beijing (1988) and a PhD from the Technical University, Berlin, Germany (1993). He completed his doctoral thesis work followed by one-year postdoc training at the Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin, before becoming a principal investigator at the National University of Singapore (1994-1995).Following this he moved to Columbia University for further postdoc research (1995-2001), before taking up a group leader appointment, co-funded by the Max Planck Society, at the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. From 2017 on, he also serves as Executive Dean of the Institutes of Biomedical Sciences (IBS) at the Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai.

Research Areas：

Cancer epigenetics
Metabolism of nucleosides and nucleotides

Research interest

Our lab focuses on the origin and contribution of aberrant DNA modification in tumorigenesis. Tumor cells are known to be not only genetically but also epigenetically distinguishable from their tissue of origin. The epigenetic characteristics of tumor cells contribute to cellular heterogeneity and drug resistance. DNA-modifying enzymes are frequently dysregulated in human cancers. We study the mutations of DNA methylation and demethylation enzymes to define their role in cancer initiation and maintenance using lung cancer and leukemia mouse models. Through the cell type-specific deletion of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) and Ten-Eleven-Translocation (TET) dioxygenase genes, we try to understand how cells undergo metabolic and epigenetic transformations to acquire unique characteristics to support their rapid proliferation and move forward along tumorigenesis. Insights to be gained from our research hold promise for the development of innovative strategies for cancer treatment.

Selected Publications

Bin Chen, Ya-Rui Du, Hong Zhu, Mei-Ling Sun, Chao Wang, Yi Cheng, Haiyan Pang, Guolian Ding, Juan Gao, Yajing Tan, Xiaomei Tong, Pingping Lv, Feng Zhou, Qitao Zhan, Zhi-Mei Xu, Li Wang, Donghao Luo, Yinghui Ye, Li Jin, Songying Zhang, Yimin Zhu, Xiaona Lin, Yanting Wu, Luyang Jin, Yin Zhou, Caochong Yan, Jianzhong Sheng, Peter R. Flatt, Guo-Liang Xu* & Hefeng Huang*. (2022) Maternal inheritance of glucose intolerance via oocyte TET3 insufficiency.Nature vol. 605,7911 (2022): 761-766.
Qin Xu, Chao Wang, Jia-Xin Zhou, Zhi-Mei Xu, Juan Gao, Peng-Fei Sui, Colum P Walsh, Hong-Bin Ji* & Guo-Liang Xu*. Loss of TET reprograms Wnt signaling through impaired demethylation to promote lung cancer development. PNAS. 119(6):e2107599119
Guo-Liang Xu*, Matthias Bochtler*. (2020) Reversal of nucleobase methylation by dioxygenases. Nat Chem Biol. 16, 1160-1169.
Jian-Huang Xue, Guo-Dong Chen, Fuhua Hao, Hui Chen, Zhaoyuan Fang, Fang-Fang Chen, Bo Pang, Qing-Lin Yang, Xinben Wei, Qiang-Qiang Fan, Changpeng Xin, Jiaohong Zhao, Xuan Deng, Bang-An Wang, Xiao-Jie Zhang, Yueying Chu, Hui Tang, Huiyong Yin, Weimin Ma, Luonan Chen, Jianping Ding, Elmar Weinhold, Rahul M Kohli, Wen Liu, Zheng-Jiang Zhu, Kaiyao Huang*, Huiru Tang* & Guo-Liang Xu*. (2019). A vitamin C-derived DNA modification catalyzed by an algal TET homolog. Nature 569, 581–585.
Hai-Qiang Dai, Bang-An Wang, Lu Yang, Jia-Jia Chen, Guo-Chun Zhu, Mei-Ling Sun, Hao Ge, Rui Wang, Deborah L. Chapman, Fuchou Tang, Xin Sun*, Guo-Liang Xu*. (2016). TET-mediated DNA demethylation controls gastrulation by regulating Lefty-Nodal signalling. Nature 538, 528-532.
Fan Guo, Xianlong Li, Dan Liang, Tong Li, Ping Zhu, Hongshan Guo, Xinglong Wu, Lu Wen, Tian-Peng Gu, Colum P.Walsh, Jinsong Li*, Fuchou Tang*, Guo-Liang Xu*.(2014). Active and Passive Demethylation of Male and Female Pronuclear DNA in the Mammalian Zygote. Cell Stem Cell 15, 477-458.
Xiao Hu, Lei Zhang, Shi-Qing Mao, Zheng Li, Jiekai Chen, Run-Rui Zhang, Hai-Ping Wu, Juan Gao, Fan Guo, Wei Liu, Gui-Fang Xu, Hai-Qiang Dai, Yujiang Geno Shi, Xianlong Li, Boqiang Hu, Fuchou Tang, Duanqing Pei, Guo-Liang Xu. (2014). Tet and TDG Mediate DNA Demethylation Essential for Mesenchymal-to-Epithelial Transition in Somatic Cell Reprogramming. Cell Stem Cell 14,512-522.
Run-Rui Zhang, Qing-Yan Cui, Kiyohito Murai, Yen Ching Lim, Zachary D. Smith, Shengnan Jin, Peng Ye, Luis Rosa, Yew Kok Lee, Hai-Ping Wu, Wei Liu, Zhi-Mei Xu, Lu Yang, Yu-Qiang Ding, Fuchou Tang, Alexander Meissner, Chunming Ding*, Yanhong Shi*, Guo-Liang Xu*. (2013) Tet1 Regulates Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Cognition. Cell Stem Cell 13, 237-245.
Jiekai Chen, Lin Guo, Lei Zhang, Haoyu Wu, Jiaqi Yang, He Liu, Xiaoshan Wang, Xiao Hu, Tianpeng Gu, Zhiwei Zhou, Jing Liu, Jiadong Liu, Hongling Wu, Shi-Qing Mao, Kunlun Mo, Yingying Li, Keyu Lai, Jing Qi, Hongjie Yao, Guangjin Pan, Guo-Liang Xu*, Duanqing Pei*. (2013). Vitamin C modulates Tet1 function during somatic cell reprogramming. Nature Genetics, 45,1504-1509.
Hui Yang, Linyu Shi, Bang-An Wang, Dan Liang, Cuiqing Zhong, Wei Liu, Yongzhan Nie, Jie Liu, Jing Zhao, Xiang Gao, Dangsheng Li, Guo-Liang Xu*, Jinsong Li*. (2012) Generation of Genetically Modified Mice by Oocyte Injection of Androgenetic Haploid Embryonic Stem Cells. Cell. 149,605-617.
Yu-Fei He, Bin-Zhong Li, Zheng Li, Peng Liu, Yang Wang, Qingyu Tang, Jianping Ding, Yingying Jia, Zhangcheng Chen, Lin Li, Yan Sun, Xiuxue Li, Qing Dai, Chun-Xiao Song, Kangling Zhang, Chuan He, Guo-Liang Xu. (2011) Tet-mediated formation of 5-carboxylcytosine and its excision by TDG in mammalian DNA. Science, 333, 1303-07.
Tian-Peng Gu, Fan Guo, Hui Yang, Hai-Ping Wu, Gui-Fang Xu, Wei Liu, Zhi-Guo Xie, Linyu Shi, Xinyi He, Seung-gi Jin, Khursheed Iqbal, Yujiang Geno Shi, Zixin Deng, Piroska E. Szabó, Gerd P. Pfeifer, Jinsong Li* and Guo-Liang Xu*. (2011) The role of Tet3 DNA dioxygenase in epigenetic reprogramming by oocytes. Nature, 477,606-610.
Jia-Lei Hu, Bo Zhou, Kang-Ling Zhang, Jin-Qiu Zhou and Guo-Liang Xu. (2009) The N-terminus of histone H3 is required for de novo DNA methylation in chromatin. PNAS 106, 22187-22192.
Yuki O., Feng Q., Lin Y., Jiang Q., Li Y., Coffield V.M., Su L., Guo-Liang Xu* and Zhang Y*. (2005) hDOT1L Links Histone Methylation to Leukemogenesis. Cell 121,167-178.
Bourc´his D., Guo-Liang Xu, C.-S. Lin, B. Bollman and T. H. Bestor. (2001) Dnmt3L and the establishment of maternal genomic imprints. Science 294, 2536-2539.
Guo-Liang Xu, T. H. Bestor, D. Bourc´his, C.L. Hsieh, N. Tommerup, M., Bugge, X., Qu, J. J. Russo and E. Viegas-Péquignot. (1999) Chromosome instability and immunodeficiency syndrome caused by mutations in a DNA methyltransferase gene. Nature 402, 187-191.
Guo-Liang Xu and T. H. Bestor. (1997) Cytosine methylation targeted to predetermined sequences. Nature Genetics 17, 376-378.
Chuang, L.S.H., Ian H.-I., Hoh H.-H., Ng H.-H., Guo-Liang Xu and Li B.F.L. (1997) Human DNA-(Cytosine-5) methyltransferase –PCNA complex as a target for p21 WAF1. Science 277, 1996-2000.