Shunyuan Xiao

Biography: 

Shunyuan Xiao is a professor of the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR) and the Department of Plant Sciences and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland College Park. He received his Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Plant Genetics from Huazhong Agricultural University, China. After postdoctoral research at University of Florida, USA and University East Anglia, UK, he became an assistant professor of the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute in 2003 and joined the University of Maryland College Park as an associate professor in 2010. Dr. Xiao’s research interest is focused on elucidating the molecular mechanisms of plant resistance against fungal pathogens and engineering novel resistance.

https://www.ibbr.umd.edu/profiles/shunyuan-xiao

https://www.ibbr.umd.edu/groups/xiao

Education: 

B.S. Huazhong Agricultural University, Horticultural Sciences

M.S. Huazhong Agricultural University, Plant Genetics

Ph.D. Huazhong Agricultural University, Plant Genetics

Professional Positions Held:

Areas of Interest: 

• Plant immunity

• Powdery mildew pathogenesis

Current research in the Xiao Lab aims to understand molecular mechanisms of plant immunity against adapted and non-adapted pathogens using the plant-powdery mildew interaction pathosystem.  Areas of research interests include (i) host immunity mediated by RPW8 at the extra-haustorial membrane (EHM)—the host-pathogen interface, (ii) EHM biogenesis and role in plant-fungal interaction,  (iii) genetic / molecular basis of non-host resistance, and  (iv) pathogenicity mechanisms of powdery mildew fungi.

For more details, see https://www.ibbr.umd.edu/groups/xiao

Courses Taught: 

Selected Publications (since 2016): 

(*corresponding author; # co-first author)

1. Liu S, Zhang F, Su J, Fang A, Tian B, Yu Y, Bi C, Ma D, Xiao S*, and Yang Y* (2024) CRISPR-targeted mutagenesis of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 1 improves both immunity and yield in wheat. Plant Biotechnol J. 22(7): p. 1929-1941.
2. Zhou M, Wang H, Yu X, Cui K, Hu Y, Xiao S, and Wen YQ* (2024) Transcription factors VviWRKY10 and VviWRKY30 co-regulate powdery mildew resistance in grapevine. Plant Physiol 195(1): p. 446-461.
3. Yu H, Bai F, Ji C, Fan Z,  Luo J, Ouyang B, Deng X, Xiao S, Bisseling T, Limpens E, and Pan Z* (2023). Plant lysin motif extracellular proteins are required for arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 120(27): p. e2301884120.
4. Wu Y, Sexton WK, Zhang Q, Bloodgood D, Wu Y, Hooks C, Coker F, Vasquez A, Wei CI, Xiao S*. 2023. Leaf abaxial immunity to powdery mildew in Arabidopsis is conferred by multiple defense mechanisms. J Exp Bot. DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad450
5. Wu Y, Sexton W, Yang B, and Xiao S* (2023). Genetic approaches to dissect plant non-host resistance mechanisms. Molecular Plant Pathology 24(3), 272-283.
6. Zhao JH, Huang YY, Wang H, Yang XM, Li Y, Pu M, Zhou SX, Zhang JW, Zhao ZX, Li GB, Hassan B, Hu XH, Chen X, Xiao S*, Wu XJ, Fan J, Wang WM*. (2023). Golovinomyces cichoracearum effector-associated nuclear localization of RPW8.2 amplifies its expression to boost immunity in Arabidopsis. New Phytologist 238: 367-382
7. Zhang X, Mu B,  Cui K,  Liu M, Ke, G, Han Y, Wu Y, Xiao S, and Wen YQ* (2021). Genome Sequence Resource for Erysiphe necator NAFU1, a Grapevine Powdery Mildew Isolate Identified in Shaanxi Province of China. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 34(12): p. 1446-1449.
8. Feng J*, Li YL, Wang DJ,  Ma Y, Cai X, Xiao S, and Wen, YQ* (2021). First Report of Xanthomonas fragariaestrain YL19 causing crown infection pockets in strawberry in Liaoning Province, China. Plant Dis, doi: 10.1094/PDIS-12-20-2560-PDN
9. Liu L, LQ Tan, BY Huai, XF Ma, YR Qian, LJ Pang, Y Yang, Q Zhang, ZS Kang*, S Xiao*. (2021). AtSTP8, an endoplasmic reticulum-localized monosaccharide transporter from Arabidopsis, may be recruited to the extrahaustorial membrane for sugar supply by powdery mildew. New Phytologist 230(6): p. 2404-2419.
10. Wu Y, Diaz D, Yin J, Bloodgood D, Sexton W, Wei CI, and Xiao S*. (2021). An easy and flexible inoculation method for accurate assessment of powdery mildew-infection phenotypes of Arabidopsis and other plants. JoVE(doi: 10.3791/62287 Published: March 9, 2021)
11. Hu Y, Cheng Y, Yu X, Liu J, Yang L, Gao Y, Ke G, Zhou M, Mu B, Xiao S, Wang Y, and Wen YQ *. (2021). Overexpression of two CDPKs from wild Chinese grapevine enhances powdery mildew resistance in Vitis vinifera and Arabidopsis. New Phytologist 230(5): p. 2029-2046.
12. Zhao ZX, Feng Q, Liu PQ, He XR, Zhao JH, Xu YJ, Zhang LL, Huang YY, Zhao JQ, Fan J, Li Y, Xiao S, and Wang WM*. (2021). RPW8.1 enhances the ethylene-signaling pathway to feedback-attenuate its mediated cell death and disease resistance in Arabidopsis. New Phytologist 229, 516-531.
13. Bhattarai K, Conesa A, Xiao S, Peres NA, Clark DG, Parajuli S, and Deng Z*. (2020). Sequencing and analysis of gerbera daisy leaf transcriptomes reveal disease resistance and susceptibility genes differentially expressed and associated with powdery mildew resistance. BMC Plant Biology 20, 539.
14. Wang LL, Dong M, Zhang Q, Wu Y,  Hu L, Parson JF, Eisenstein E, Du XG, and Xiao S*.  (2020). Silicon modulates multi-layered defense against powdery mildew in Arabidopsis. Phytopathology Research 2  doi.org/10.1186/S42483-020-00048-9
15. Zhao ZX, Xu YJ, Lei Y, Li Q, Zhao JQ, Li Y, Fan J, Xiao S, and Wang WM*. (2020). ANNEXIN 8 negatively regulates RPW8.1-mediated cell death and disease resistance in Arabidopsis. Journal of Integrated Plant Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13025
16. Wan DY, Guo Y, Cheng Y, Hu Y, Xiao S, Wang Y, and Wen YQ*. (2020). CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis of VvMLO3 results in enhanced resistance to powdery mildew in grapevine (Vitis vinifera). Horticultural Research 7, 116.
17. Yang Y*, Zhang F, Zhou T, Fang A, Yu Y, Bi C, and Xiao S*. (2020). In Silico Identification of the Full Complement of Subtilase-Encoding Genes and Characterization of the Role of TaSBT1.7 in Resistance Against Stripe Rust in Wheat. Phytopathology, PHYTO05200176R.
18. Wu Y, Saski C, Schnabel G, Xiao S, and Hu M*. (2020). A High-Quality Genome Resource of Botrytis fragariae, a New and Rapidly Spreading Fungal Pathogen Causing Strawberry Gray Mold in the United States. Phytopathology, PHYTO05200204IA.
19. Fu H, Zhao M, Xu J, Tan L, Han J, Li D, Wang M, Xiao S, Ma X, and Deng Z*. (2020). Citron C-05 inhibits both the penetration and colonization of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri to achieve resistance to citrus canker disease. Horticultural Research 7, 58.  10.1038/s41438-020-0278-4
20. An JY, Zeng T, Ji CY, de Graaf S, Zheng ZJ, Xiao TT, Deng XX, Xiao S, Bisseling T, Limpens E, and Pan ZY*. (2019) A Medicago truncatula SWEET Transporter Implicated in Arbuscule Maintenance during Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis.  New Phytologist 224, 396-408, doi:10.1111/nph.15975
21. Zheng XJ, Zhu KJ, Sun Q, Zhang WY, Wang X, Cao HB, Tan ML, Xie ZZ, Zeng YL, Ye JL, Chai LJ, Xu Q, Pan ZY, Xiao S, Fraser PD, and Deng XX*. (2019). Natural Variation in CCD4 Promoter Underpins Species-specific Evolution of Red Coloration in Citrus Peel.  Molecular Plant 12, 1294-1307, doi:10.1016/j.molp.2019.04.014
22. Huang YY, Zhang LL, Ma XF, Zhao ZX, Zhao JH, Zhao JQ, Fan J,  Li Y, He P, Xiao S* & Wang WM*. (2019). Multiple intramolecular trafficking signals in RESISTANCE TO POWDERY MILDEW 8.2 are engaged in activation of cell death and defense. Plant Journal (Online published  https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.14199).
23. Wu Y, Ma XF, Pan ZY, Kale S, Song Y, King H, Zhang Q, Presley C, Deng X, Wei CI and Xiao S*.  (2018). Comparative genome analyses reveal distinct modes of host-adaptation between dicot and monocot powdery mildew. BMC Genomics 19(1): 705. 10.1186/s12864-018-5069-z
24. An J, Sun MQ, van Velzen R, Ji CY, Zheng ZJ, Limpens E, Bisseling T, Deng XX, Xiao  S, Pan ZP*. (2018). Comparative transcriptome analysis of Poncirus trifoliata identifies a core set of genes involved in AM symbiosis.Journal of Experimental Botany  69(21): 5255–5264. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/ery283
25. Zhang Q, Berkey R, Blakeslee J, Lin, J, Ma X, King H, Liddle A, Guo L, Munnik T, Wang X, and Xiao S*. (2018). Arabidopsis Phospholipase Dα1 and Phospholipase Dδ oppositely modulate EDS1- and SA-independent basal resistance against adapted powdery mildew. Journal of Experimental Botany 69(15):3675-3688. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/ery146
26. Li Y, Zhang Y, Wang QX, Wang TT, Cao XL, Zhao ZX, Zhao SL, Xu YJ, Xiao ZY, Li JL, Fan J, Yang H, Huang F, Xiao S, and Wang, WM*. (2017). RESISTANCE TO POWDERY MILDEW8.1 boosts pattern-triggered immunity against multiple pathogens in Arabidopsis and rice. Plant Biotechnology Journal 16(2):428-441 (DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12782)
27. Berkey R, Zhang Y, Ma X, Zhang Q, King, H, Wang W, and Xiao S*. (2017). Homologues of the RPW8 resistance protein are localized to the extra-haustorial membrane that is likely synthesized de novo. Plant Physiology 173:600-613 (dx.doi.org/10.1104/pp.16.01539)
28. Ma XF, Wang W, Bittner F, Schmidt N, Berkey R, Zhang L, King H, Zhang Y, Feng J, Wen YQ, Tan TL, Deng Z, Xiong XY, Xiao S*. (2016). Dual and opposing roles of xanthine dehydrogenase in defense-associated reactive oxygen species metabolism in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 28: 1108–1126 (Featured Article) (​dx.​doi.​org/​10.​1105/​tpc.​15.​00880)

Patents:

Xiao S, Turner JG, Coleman M, and Ellwood S (2001). Plant resistance gene, Patent number WO0198479-A/7, 27-DEC-2001. Plant Bioscience Limited (GB), UK.

Xiao S and Wang W (2011). Plants with reduced expression of phosphatase type 2C gene for enhanced pathogen resistance (PCT/US05/ 450001; U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 11/762,989)

Xiao S and Wang W (2015). Engineering broad-spectrum disease resistance against haustorium-forming pathogens using RPW8 as a delivery vehicle. (US9057077 B2; 6/16/2015)

Xiao S, Yang X, and Wang W (2015). Enhancing drought tolerance and bacterial resistance by functional interference of 14-3-3. (US20120198585 A1, 8/4/2015)