Professor of Plant Cell and Development Biology
Minjiang Scholar; 1000 Young Talents Program in China, NSF Outstanding Youth

Contact Information

Haixia Institute of Science and Technology (HIST)
Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU)

15 Shang xia dian Road

Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, P. R. China

Phone: 86-591-86392657

Email: tdxu@sibs.ac.cn

Education

2005-2010, Ph.D, University of California Riverside, US
1999-2003, B.S, Peking University, China

Professional Experience
2017-Present, Professor, Fujian Agriculture and Forest University, China

2014-2017, Principal Investigator, Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, China

2011-2013, Young Investigator, Temasek Lifescience Laboratory Ltd., Singapore

2003-2005, Research Assistant, China Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China

Research Interests
Plant hormone auxin, as one of the most important intercellular signal in plants, mediates an astonishing variety of physiological and developmental processes. Auxin is perceived and interpreted by the auxin binding proteins, one of which mediates a nucleus based transcriptional signaling through TIR1/AFB and Aux/IAA co-receptor. Our work focused on auxin signaling mediated by TMK receptor like kinase family. Previous work suggested TMK together with auxin binding protein1 (ABP1) mediated auxin activation of Rho GTPase and cytoskeleton organization. Our work aimed to investigate the diverse role of auxin in plant development and abiotic stresses that depends on the parallel action of both TIR1- and TMK- auxin signaling (Figure 1). 

1. TMK mediated cell surface based auxin signaling
   The complex growth defects in tmk mutant suggest the diverse function of TMK family in plant development. First, we would like to identify TMK substrate in plant, and further analysis their function. Second, based on the root phenotype, we also do enhancer and suppressor screening in tmk mutant background to find out the key components in TMK signaling.
2. TMK mediated transcriptional auxin signaling
   Auxin is well known for its diverse and profound function. How auxin achieves such functional diversity and specificity remains poorly understood. Auxin is perceived by TIR1/AFB receptor that regulates a nucleus-based transcriptional auxin signaling. This is to date the only known auxin signaling in regulating gene transcription. We uncovered a cell surface Transmembrane Kinase (TMK) based transcriptional auxin signaling that is triggered by local high level of auxin, that negatively regulate gene expression and spatially inhibit growth.
3. TMK mediated abiotic stress response in plant
   TMK as a key component in auxin signaling, also regulates stress responses. During stress condition, both auxin levels and signaling are fast adjusted. However, the underlining mechanism of auxin in regulating stress responses is unknown. We focused on temperature tolerance and drought tolerance to figure out how the TMK mediated auxin signaling regulate abiotic stresses in plant.

Figure1 Auxin signaling in plant.

Publications

Qian Wang, Guochen Qin, Min Cao, Rong Chen, Yuming He, Liyuan Yang, Zhejun Zeng, Yongqiang Yu, Yangtao Gu, Weiman Xing, W. Andy Tao & Tongda Xu(2020)A phosphorylation-based switch controls TAA1-mediated auxin biosynthesis in plants. Nature Communication, 11:679（*Corresponding author）

Cao M, Chen R, Li P, Yu Y, Zheng R, Ge D, Zheng W, Wang X, Gu Y, Gelova Z, Friml J, Zhang H, Liu R, He J, Xu T* (2019) TMK1-mediated auxin signalling regulates differential growth of the apical hook. Nature, 568:240–243（*Corresponding author）

Huang R, Zheng R, He J, Zhou Z, Wang J, Xiong Y, Xu T* (2019) Noncanonical auxin signaling regulates cell division patterns during lateral root development. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1910916116 （*Co-corresponding author) 

Li X, Cai W, Liu Y, Li Y, Fu L, Liu Z, Xu L, Liu H, Xu T*, and Xiong Y* (2017) Differential TOR activation and cell proliferation in Arabidopsis root and shoot apexes. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 114:2765-2770. * Co-corresponding author

Cai W, Li X, Liu Y, Wang Y, Zhou Y, Xu T*& Xiong Y* (2017). COP1 integrates light signals to ROP2 for cell cycle activation. Plant Signaling & Behavior, DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2017.1363946. * Co-Corresponding author

Li X; Ma D; Lu X.; Hu X; Huang R; Liang T; Xu T; Tobin E; Liu H.(2016)Blue Light- and Low Temperature-Regulated COR27 and COR28 Play Roles in the Arabidopsis Circadian Clock , PLANT CELL, 2016.11, 28(11): 2755~2769

Gu X; Xu T; He Y (2014) A Histone H3 Lysine-27 Methyltransferase Complex Represses Lateral Root Formation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Molecular Plant, 2014.6, 7(6): 977~988

Xu T, Dai N, Chen J, Nagawa S, Cao M, Li H, Zhou Z, Chen X, Rycke R, Rakusova H, Wang W, Jones A, Friml J, Patterson S, Bleecker A, Yang Z. (2014) Cell surface ABP1-TMK auxin sensing complex activates ROP GTPase signaling. Science 343:1025-1028

Xu T, Wen M, Nagawa S, Fu Y, Chen JG, Wu MJ, Perrot-Rechenmann C, Friml J, Jones AM, Yang Z. (2010) Cell Surface- and Rho GTPase-Based Auxin Signaling Controls Cellular Interdigitation in Arabidopsis. Cell 143:99-110

Nagawa S*, Xu T*, Lin D, Dhonukshe P, Zhang X, Friml J, Scheres B, Fu Y, Yang Z. (2012) ROP GTPase-dependent actin microfilaments promote PIN1 polarization by localized inhibition of clathrin-dependent endocytosis. PLOS Biology 10:e1001299. *Co-First Author.

Li H, Xu T, Lin D, Wen M, Xie M, Duclercq J, Bielach A, Kim J, Reddy GV, Zuo J, Benková E, Friml J, Guo H, Yang Z.. (2012) Cytokinin signaling regulates pavement cell morphogenesis in Arabidopsis. Cell Research 2012.146:1038


Lin D, Nagawa S, Chen J, Cao L, Chen X, Xu T, Li H, Dhonukshe P, Yamamuro C, Friml J, Scheres B, Fu Y and Yang Z. (2012) A ROP GTPase-Dependent Auxin Signaling Pathway Regulates the Subcellular Distribution of PIN2 in Arabidopsis Roots. Current Biology 22: 1319-1325.

Xu T. (2012) Rho GTPase Activity Analysis in Plant Cells. Plant Signalling Networks: Methods and Protocols Chapter 10:135-144

Xu T, Nagawa S, Yang Z. (2011) Uniform auxin triggers the Rho GTPase-dependent formation of interdigitation patterns in pavement cells. Small GTPases 0.0861111111111:

Nagawa S, Xu T, Yang Z. (2010) RHO GTPase in plants: Conservation and invention of regulators and effectors. Small GTPases 0.0430555555555: 78-88

Fu Y, Xu T, Zhu L, Wen M, Yang Z. (2009) A ROP GTPase signaling pathway controls cortical microtubule ordering and cell expansion in Arabidopsis. Current Biology 19: 1827-1832