Prof. Dr. Yu-Cai Liao
PhD, Molecular Biology
Professor in Genetics and Molecular Biotechnology
Expertise Statement
Teaching Duties

Genetics, Molecular Biology, Advance in Plant Resistance and Biotechnology
Research Interests

Wheat Biotechnology and Molecular Biology

Genetics and Molecular Biology of Fusarium species infecting cereal crops

Mycotoxins and Biological Control

Wheat Genetic Engineering for resistance to FHB and Pre-harvest Sprouting

Recombinant Antibody
Professional Memberships

American Phytopathological Society

Chinese Society of Genetics

Chinese Society of Biotechnology
Other Roles

Editor, Journal of Agricultural Biotechnology

Editor, Journal of Triticeae Crops

Editor, Journal of Agriculture

Member, Administrative Committee for Journal of Agricultural Science and
Technology
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
Director, Molecular Biotechnology Laboratory of Triticeae Crops, Huazhong
Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
Education & Working Experience

1997-present Professor, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong
Agricultural University

1996-1997
Associate Professor, Department of Agronomy, Huazhong
Agricultural University

1995-1996
Postdoctor, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Aachen University
of Technology, Germany

1990-1994
Research Assistant of Molecular Biology, Institute of Molecular
Genetics, Aachen University of Technology, Germany, PhD Degree (1994)

1989-1990
Visiting Scholar, Department of Plant Breeding, Wageningen
University, The Netherlands

1983-1989
Lecturer of Genetics, Department of Agronomy, Huazhong
Agricultural University

1983 Master Degree (Crop Genetics and Breeding)
Publications
(Selected publications since 2003)
1. Liu, Z.-W., Li, H.-P., Cheng, W., Yang, P., Zhang, J.-B., Gong, A.-D., Feng, Y.-N.,
Fernando, W. G. D., Liao, Y.-C. Enhanced overall resistance to Fusarium seedling
blight and Fusarium head blight in transgenic wheat by co-expression of
anti-fungal peptides. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 2012, DOI:
10.1007/s10658-012-0048-8
2. Zhang, J.-B., Wang, J.-H., Gong, A.-D., Chen, F.-F., Song, B., Li, H.-P., Li, X.,
Peng, C.-H., Liao Y.-C. Natural occurrence of Fusarium head blight, mycotoxins,
and mycotoxin-producing strains of Fusarium in commercial fields of wheat in
Hubei. Plant Pathology, 2012, Doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3059.2012.02639.x.
3. Gao, C.-S., Kou, X.-J., Li, H.-P., Zhang, J.-B., Saad, A. Sefyan I., Liao, Y.-C.
Inverse effects of Arabidopsis NPR1 gene on fusarium seedling blight and fusariu
m head blight in transgenic wheat.
Plant
Pathology,
2012,
Doi:
10.1111/j.1365-3059.2012.02656.x.
4. Liao, Y.-C., Li, H. P., Zhang, J.B., Huang, T., Liu, J.-L., Hu, Z-Q., Xue, S., Chen,
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F.-F., Gao, C.-S., Liu, Z.-W., Cheng, W., Yang, P., Wang, J.-H.
Antibody-mediated protection of plants against Fusarium pathogens. The Borlaug
Global
Rust
Initiative
2012
Workshop,
BGRI
2012:
1-20.
http://www.globalrust.org/traction.
5. Han, Z., Zhao, Z. Y., Song, S. Q., Liu, G., Shi, J. X., Li, H.-P., Liao, Y.-C., Zhang,
D. B., Saeger, S. D., Wu, A.-B. Establishment of a model isotope dilution
LC-MS/MS method revealing kinetics and distribution of co-occurring
mycotoxins in rat. Analytical Methods, 2012, in press.
6. Hu, Z.-Q., Liu, J. L., Li, H.-P., Xing, S., Xue, S., Zhang, J.-B., Wang, J.-H., Nölke,
G., Liao, Y.-C. Generation of a highly reactive chicken-derived single-chain
variable fragment against Fusarium verticillioides by phage display. International
Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2012, 13, 7038-7056.
7. Liu, G., Han, Z., Nie, D., Yang, J., Zhao, Z. H., Zhang, J. B., Li, H.P., Liao, Y.-C.,
Song, S., Saeger, S. D., Wu, A. B. Rapid and sensitive quantitation of zearalenone
in food and feed by lateral flow immunoassay. Food Control, 2012, 27: 200-205.
8. Ndoye, M., Zhang, J-B.,Wang, J.-H., Gong, A.-D, Qu, B., Li, H.-P., Li, S.-J, Liao,
Y.-C. Nivalenol and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol chemotypes of Fusarium
graminearum clade species are prevalent on maize throughout China. Journal of
Phytopathology, 2012, 160: 519-524.
9. Wang, J.-H., Zhang, J-B., Chen, F.- F., Li, H.-P., Ndoye M., Liao, Y.-C. A
multiplex PCR assay for genetic chemotyping of toxigenic Fusarium
graminearum
and
wheat
grains
for
3-acetyldeoxynivalenol,
15-acetyldeoxynivalenol and nivalenol mycotoxins. Journal of Food, Agriculture
and Environment, 2012, 10: 505-511.
10. Liu, J.-L., Hu, Z.-Q., Xing, S., Xue, S., Li, H.-P., Zhang, J.-B., Liao, Y.-C.
Attainment of 15-fold higher affinity of a Fusarium-specific single-chain antibody
by directed molecular evolution coupled to phage display. Molecular
Biotechnology, 2012, 52: 11-122.
11. Huang, T., Qu, B., Li, H.-P., Zuo, D.-Y., Zhao, Z.-X., Liao, Y.-C. A maize
viviparous 1 gene increases seed dormancy and preharvest sprouting tolerance in
transgenic wheat. Journal of Cereal Science, 2012, 55: 166-173.
12. Glinka, E. M., Liao, Y.-C. Purification and partial characterisation of pectin
methylesterase produced by Fusarium asiaticum. Fungal Biology, 2011, 115:
1112-1121.
13. Amarasinghe, C., Wang, J.-H., Liao, Y.-C., Fernando, D. Difference in TRI13
gene sequences between the 3-Acetyldeoxynivalenol producing Fusarium
graminearum chemotypes from Canada and China. International Journal of
Molecular Science, 2011, 12, 6164-6175.
14. Wang, J.-H., Ndoye, M., Zhang, J.-B., Li, H.-P., Liao, Y.-C. Population structure
and genetic diversity of the Fusarium graminearum species complex. Toxins,
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2011, 3, 1020-1037.
15. Chen, F. F., Zhang, J. T., Song, X.S., Yang, J., Li H. P., Tang, H., Liao, Y.-C.
Combined metabonomic and quantitative real-time PCR reveal systems metabolic
changes of Fusarium graminearum induced by Tri5 gene deletion. Journal of
Proteome Research, 2011, 10：2273-2285.
16. Li, X., Zhang, J.-B., Song, B., Li, H.-P., Xu, H. Q., Qu, B., Dang, F.-J., Liao, Y.-C.
Resistance to Fusarium head blight and seedling blight in wheat is associated with
activation of a cytochrome P450 gene. Phytopathology, 2010, 100:183-191.
17. Xu, Y.-B., Li, H.-P., Zhang, J.-B., Song, B., Chen, F.-F., Duan, X.-J., Xu, H.-Q.,
Liao, Y.-C. Disruption of the chitin synthase gene Chs1 from Fusarium asiaticum
results in an altered structure of cell walls and reduced virulence. Fungal
Genetics and Biology, 2010, 47: 205-215.
18. Cheng, L., Li, H.-P., Qu, B., Huang, T., Tu, J.-X., Fu, T.-D., Liao, Y.-C.
Chloroplast transformation of rapeseed (Brassica napus) by particle bombardment
of cotyledons. Plant Cell Reports, 2010, 29, 37:371-381.
19. Li, H.-P., Huang, T., Wang, C.-X., Liao, Y.-C. An efficient regeneration system
of barley cultivars from leaf base segments. Biologia Plantarum, 2009, 53:
733-736.
20. Wang, J.-H., Li, H.-P., Qu, B., Zhang, J.-B., Huang, T., Chen, F.-F., Liao, Y.-C.
Development of a generic PCR detection of 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol-,
15-acetyldeoxynivalenol- and nivalenol-chemotypes of Fusarium graminearum
clade. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2008, 9:2495-2504.
21. Li, H.-P., Zhang, J.-B., Shi, R.-P., Huang, T., Fischer, R., Liao, Y.-C. Engineering
Fusarium head blight resistance in wheat by expression of a fusion protein
containing a Fusarium-specific antibody and an antifungal peptide. Molecular
Plant-Microbe Interaction, 2008, 21:1242-1248.
22. Hu, Z.-Q., Li, H.-P., Zhang, J.-B., Glinka, E., Liao, Y.-C. Antibody-mediated
prevention of Fusarium mycotoxins in the field. International Journal of
Molecular Sciences, 2008, 9: 1915-1926.
23. Qu, B., Li, H.-P., Zhang, J.-B., Xu, Y.-B., Huang, T., Wu, A.B., Zhao, C.-S.,
Carter, J., Nicholson, P., Liao, Y.-C. Geographical distribution and genetic
diversity of the Fusarium graminearum and F. asiaticum on wheat spikes
throughout China. Plant Pathology, 2008, 57: 15-24.
24. Qu, B., Li, H.-P., Zhang, J.-B., Huang, T., Carter, J., Liao, Y.-C., P. Nicholson.
Comparison of genetic diversity and pathogenicity of Fusarium head blight
pathogens from China and Europe revealed by SSCP and seedling assays on
wheat. Plant Pathology, 2008, 57:642-651.
25. Zhang, J.-B., Li, H.-P., Dang, F.-J., Qu, B., Xu, Y.-B., Zhao, C.-S., Liao, Y.-C.
Determination of the trichothecene mycotoxin chemotypes and associated
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geographical distribution and phylogenetic species of the Fusarium graminearum
clade from China. Mycological Research, 2007, 111:967-975.
26. Liao, Y.-C., Li, H.-P., Zhao, C.-S., Yao, M.-J., Zhang, J.-B., Liu, J.-L.
Plantibodies: A novel strategy to create pathogen-resistant plants. Biotechnology
and Genetic Engineering Reviews, 2006, 23:253-271.
27. Li, H.-P., Wu, A.-B., Zhao, C.-S., Scholten, O., Loeffler, H., Liao, Y.-C.
Development of a generic PCR detection of deoxynivalenol- and
nivalenol-chemotypes of Fusarium graminearum. FEMS Microbiology Letters，
2005, 243: 505-511.
28. Wu, A.-B.，Li., H.-P., Zhao, C.-S., Liao, Y.-C. Comparative pathogenicity of
Fusarium graminearum from China revealed by wheat coleoptile and floret
inoculations. Mycopathologia, 2005, 160:75-83.
29. Peschen, D., Li, H.-P., Fischer, R., Kreuzaler, F., Liao, Y.-C. Fusion proteins
comprising a Fusarium-specific antibody linked to anti-fungal peptides protect
plants against fungal pathogens. Nature Biotechnology, 2004, 22:732-738.
30. Li, H.-P., Fu, C.-Y., Fischer, R., Liao, Y.-C. Cloning and characterization of a
gene coding for a class I chitin synthase from Fusarium graminearum. Canadian
Journal of Plant Pathology, 2003, 25:240-248.
31. Li, H.-P., Liao, Y.-C. Isolation and characterization of two closely linked
phenylalanine ammonia-lyase genes from wheat. Acta Genetica Sinica, 2003,
30:907-912.
Additional Information

One first class award (province level)

Supervisor for Excellent PhD Thesis (Hubei Province)

4 patents issued and 7 patents pending
Contact details
Prof. Dr. Yu-Cai Liao
College of Plant Science and Technology
Huazhong Agricultural University
Wuhan, Hubei 430070
China
Tel: +86-27-87283008 (office); +86-27-87282728 (lab)
Email: yucailiao@mail.hzau.edu.cn;ycliao06@yahoo.com.cn
Website : http://mbltc.hzau.edu.cn/
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