Research Experience
2021-present: PI at PKU-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences
2020-present: Assistant Professor, Principal Investigator, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, Peking University
2012-2019: Associated Professor, Co-Principal Investigator, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, Peking University
2009-2012: Postdoc Fellow, The University of Chicago
2007-2008: Visiting Student, The University of Chicago
2007-2012: Ph.D. in Chemistry, China Agricultural University
1998-2002: B.S. in Chemistry, China Agricultural University
Research Interests
Analogous to DNA and histone epigenetic modifications, RNA contains reversible and dynamic chemical modifications (eg. The first discovered reversible RNA modification N6-methyladenosine), that regulate RNA processing and metabolism, thereby affecting multiple biological processes and diseases. The new and fast expanding research area was termed as RNA epigenetics or epitranscriptomics. The epitranscriptomic marks can be “written”, “read”, and “erased” via the action of a complex network of proteins. RNA contains more than 150 modifications, however, the functions of most of them are unknown.
Our research focuses on the functions of RNA modifications in regulation of human diseases and plant development. Through application of the tools from chemical biology, cell biology, molecular biology, and bioinformatics, we will develop the Chemical labeling methods for detection of RNA modifications, characterize the writers, erasers, and readers for RNA modifications to uncover the unknown regulatory roles, and elucidate the molecular mechanism of RNA modifications in human diseases and plant developments. Research projects include:
- Development of the chemical labeling methods for detection of RNA modifications;
- Characterization of the writers, erasers, and readers for RNA modifications to uncover the unknown regulatory roles in plant development and stress responses;
- Modulating plant epitranscriptomic modifications to achieve economically impactful agronomic traits;
- The biological functions of epitranscriptomics/RNA modifications in human health;
- Development of small molecule tuning of epitranscriptomic regulation.
Selected Publications
- Ye Wang, Yu Xiao, Shunqing Dong, Qiong Yu, Guifang Jia*. Antibody-free enzyme-assisted chemical approach for detection of N6-methyladenosine. Nature Chemical Biology, 2020, In press.
- Jin-Hong Luo#, Ye Wang#, Min Wang, Li-Yuan Zhang, Hui-Ru Peng, Yu-Yi Zhou, Guifang Jia*, Yan He*. Natural variation in RNA m6A methylation and its correlation with translational status in maize. Plant Physiology, 2020, 182, 332.
- Xiao Zhang#, Lian-Huan Wei#, Yuxin Wang#, Yu Xiao#, Jun Liu, Wei Zhang, Ning Yan, Gubu Amu, Xinjing Tang, Liang Zhang*, Guifang Jia*. Structural insights into FTO's catalytic mechanism for the demethylation of multiple RNA substrates. Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2019, 116, 2919.
- Yu Xiao, Ye Wang, Qian Tang, Lianhuan Wei, Xiao Zhang, Guifang Jia*. An elongation- and ligation-based qPCR amplification method for the radiolabeling-free detection of locus-specific N6-methyladenosine modification. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2018, 57, 15995.
- Lian-Huan Wei, Peizhe Song, Ye Wang, Zhike Lu, Qian Tang, Qiong Yu, Yu Xiao, Xiao Zhang, Hong-Chao Duan, Guifang Jia*. The m6A reader ECT2 controls trichome morphology by affecting mRNA stability in Arabidopsis, Plant Cell, 2018, 30, 968.
- Hong-Chao Duan, Lian-Huan Wei, Chi Zhang, Ye Wang, Lin Chen, Zhike Lu, Peng Chen, Chuan He*, Guifang Jia*. ALKBH10B is an RNA N6-methyladenosine demethylase affecting Arabidopsis floral transition, Plant Cell, 2017, 29, 2995.
- Yue Huang#, Jingli Yan#, Qi Li, Jiafei Li, Shouzhe Gong, Hu Zhou, Jianhua Gan, Hualiang Jiang, Guifang Jia*, Cheng Luo*, Cai-Guang Yang*. Meclofenamic acid selectively inhibits FTO demethylation of m6A over ALKBH5, Nucleic Acids Research, 2015, 43, 373.
- Guan-Zheng Luo#, Alice MacQueen#, Guanqun Zheng#, Hongchao Duan, Louis C. Dore, Zhike Lu, Jun Liu, Kai Chen, Guifang Jia*, Joy Beigelson*, Chuan He*, Unique features of the m6A methylome in Arabidopsis thaliana, Nature Communications, 2014, 5, 5630.
