Publications

Xiaozhen Huang, Nan Xiao, Yue Xie, Cao Xu^#(2025) ROS burst prolongs transcriptional condensation to slow shoot apical meristem maturation and achieve heat-stress resilience in tomato. Developmental Cell.  DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2025.03.007.

Xiaozhen Huang, Yongfang Yang, Cao Xu^#(2025) Biomolecular condensation programs floral transition to orchestrate flowering time and inflorescence architecture. New Phytologist. 245(1):88-94.

Huanchang Lou*, Shujia Li*, Zihang Shi, Yupan Zou, Yueqin Zhang, Xiaozhen Huang, Dandan Yang, Yongfang Yang, Zuoyao Li, Cao Xu^# (2025) Engineering source-sink relations by prime editing confers heat-stress resilience in tomato and rice. Cell. 188(2):530-549.e520.

News & Views

Xiaozhen Huang, Cao Xu^# (2025) Reviving the charm of a century-old classic theory: Engineering source-sink relations to breed climate-smart crops. The Innovation Life. 3:100125.

Liu Nan*, Yupan Zou*, Zhouqian Jiang*, Lichan Tu, Xiaoyi Wu, Dan Li, Jiadian Wang, Luqi Huang^#, Cao Xu^#, Wei Gao^# (2024) Multiomics driven identification of glycosyltransferases in flavonoid glycoside biosynthesis in safflower. Horticultural Plant Journal. Doi: 10.1016/j.hpj.2024.01.016

Shudong Chen*, Yupan Zou*, Xin Tong, Cao Xu^# (2024) A tomato NBS-LRR gene Mi-9 confers heat-stable resistance to root-knot nematodes. Journal of Integrative Agriculture. DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.07.017

Dandan Yang, Zhao Wang, Xiaozhen Huang, Cao Xu^# (2023). Molecular regulation of tomato male reproductive development. aBIOTECH. 4(1):72-82.

Luyan Tian, Xiaozhen Huang^# (2023) Application value of protein phase separation mechanism of flowering regulation in de novo domestication. Hereditas(Beijing). 45(9): 754-764

Qianwen Lv, Yongfang Yang^# (2023) The biological functions of peptide signaling in plant and the advances on its utilization for crop improvement. Hereditas(Beijing). 45(9): 813-828.

Qingyu Wu, Wolfgang Schmidt, Reidunn Birgitta Aalen, Cao Xu, Fuminori Takahashi (2022) Editorial: Peptide signaling in plants. Frontiers in Plant Science. 13:843918

Cao Xu (2021). From 0 to 1: de novo domestication of allotetraploid wild rice to create a new crop. Hereditas (Beijing) 43(3):199-202.

Xiaozhen Huang*, Shudong Chen*, Weiping Li, Lingli Tang, Yueqin Zhang, Ning Yang, Yupan Zou, Xiawan Zhai, Nan Xiao, Wei Liu, Pilong Li^# & Cao Xu^# (2021) ROS regulated reversible protein phase separation synchronizes plant flowering. Nature Chemical Biology. 17(5):549-557 (Featured Article, Highlighted by Nature Chemical Biology, Feb. 25. 2021).

Hailiang Zhao, Yao Qin, Ziyi Xiao, Qi Li, Ning Yang, Zhenyuan Pan, Dianming Gong, Qin Sun, Fang Yang, Zuxin Zhang, Yongrui Wu, Cao Xu, Fazhan Qiu (2020) Loss of function of an RNA polymerase III subunit leads to impaired maize kernel development. Plant Physiology. 184(1): 359-373.

Lichan Tu*, Ping Su*, Zhongren Zhang*, Linhui Gao, Jiadian Wang, Tianyuan Hu, Jiawei Zhou, Yifeng Zhang, Yujun Zhao, Yuan Liu, Yadi Song, Yuru Tong, Yun Lu, Jian Yang, Cao Xu, Meirong Jia, Reuben J. Peters, Luqi Huang# & Wei Gao# (2020) Genome of Tripterygium wilfordii and identification of cytochrome P450 involved in triptolide biosynthesis. Nature Communications. 11: 971

Daniel Rodriguez-Leal*, Cao Xu*, Choon-Tak Kwon, Cara Soyars, Edgar Demesa-Arevalo, Jarrett Man, Lei Liu, Zachary H. Lemmon, Daniel S. Jones, Joyce Van Eck, David P. Jackson#, Madelaine E. Bartlett#, Zachary L. Nimchuk# and Zachary B. Lippman# (2019) Evolution of buffering in a genetic circuit controlling plant stem cell proliferation. Nature Genetics. 51(5):786-792 (Highlighted by Nature Genetics 51:770-771, 2019).

Tingdong Li*, Xinping Yang*, Yuan Yu*, Xiaomin Si, Xiawan Zhai, Huawei Zhang, Wenxia Dong, Caixia Gao# & Cao Xu# (2018) Domestication of wild tomato is accelerated by genome editing. Nature Biotechnology. 36:1160-1163. (Highlighted by Nature, Oct. 2. 2018)

Xiaozhen Huang, Lingli Tang, Yuan Yu, Justin Dalrymple, Zachary B. Lippman# & Cao Xu# (2018) Control of flowering and inflorescence architecture in tomato by synergistic interactions between ALOG transcription factors. Journal of Genetics and Genomics. 45(10):557-560.

Ning Zhang*, Hong Yu*, Hao Yu*, Yueyue Cai, Linzhou Huang, Cao Xu, Guosheng Xiong, Xiangbing Meng, Jiyao Wang, Haofeng Chen, Guifu Liu, Yanhui Jing, Yundong Yuan, Yan Liang, Shujia Li, Steven M Smith, Jiayang Li, and Yonghong Wang# (2018) A core regulatory pathway controlling rice tiller angle mediated by the LAZY1-dependent asymmetric distribution of auxin. Plant Cell. 30(7):1461-1475.

Cao Xu, Soon Ju Park, Joyce Van Eck, and Zachary B. Lippman# (2016) Control of inflorescence architecture in tomato by BTB/POZ transcriptional regulators. Genes & Development. 30(18): 2048-2061. (Recommended by F1000 Prime)