The rose team of Nanjing Agricultural University was formed in 2015. Currently, there are four team members, including one professor (Changquan Wang), one associate professors (Jinyi Liu) and two postdoctoral fellows (Jun Lu and Jingjing Sun). Among them, Changquan Wang and Jinyi Liu have overseas research experience. In recent five years, the team has undertaken the National Key R&D Program of China, several NSFC and NSFC-XINJIANG joint foundation projects, published more than ten high-quality SCI papers and owned/applied six national invention patents.
Research interests
Rose plants are economically important ornamental plants all over the world, and can be classified into three different flowering modes, including once flowering (OF), continuous flowering (CF) and occasionally re-blooming (OB). Wang’s lab mainly focuses on dissecting the molecular mechanism of CF trait from three dimensions: photoperiod, vernalization and gibberellin (details as below). Furthermore, we are also doing researches on the aspects of rose disease resistance, shade tolerance and floral organ development.
(1) Photoperiod
Photoperiodic flowering responses are classified into three major types: long day (LD), short day (SD), and day neutral (DN). Modern roses are economically important ornamental plants with CF features, and are generally regarded as DN plants. Because of the conserved role of the CO/FT pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana, rice and other crops, we aimed to investigate the function of the B-box (BBX) family members in rose photoperiod responses. We propose a schematic model of the regulation of the flowering time by RcCOL4-RcCO in R. chinensis according to the day length. Under LD condition, RcCO promotes flowering via direct binding to RcFT promoter to activate its expression while under SD condition, RcCO is downregulated and RcCOL4 accelerates flowering via physically interacting with RcCO to enhance its binding to RcFT. Consequently, the R. chinensis CF ‘Old Blush’ variety could flower under both LD and SD.
(2) Vernalization
At present, researches about the vernalizations in perennial woody plants are rare. FLC (FLOWERING LOCUS C) subgroup genes, which act as the key components in the vernalization responses of cruciferous plants, are extensively losing in rosaceous plants. While another branch in the same MADS-Box gene family, SVPs (SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE) are expanded significantly. Our results showed OF rose Rosa multiflora ‘Qizimei’ must experience low temperature induced vernalization before flower bud differentiation, in contrast, CF rose Rosa chinensis ‘Old blush’ can flower at any favorable conditions without low temperature induction. Furthermore, the expressions of SVPs in R. multiflora were tightly regulated by low temperature and that in R. chinensis didn’t response to low temperature anymore, so the functional differentiation of SVPs in the two species with opposite flowering phenotype implied the crucial roles of SVPs in vernalization. Thus, the comprehensive techniques including VIGS (Virus-induced Gene Silencing), RNA-seq, DNA methylation sequencing, lncRNA (Long Noncoding RNA) sequencing, histone modification examination, co-expression network analysis and gene function identification were used to determine the function of SVPs in vernalization.
(3) Gibberellin
The function of GA on flowering regulation varies from species to species, it has been shown exogenous application of GA inhibits floral bud formation in OF rose, whereas it has no effect on flowering in CF rose. Considering apical dominance existed in bush-grown roses, which may subject to the axillary bud do not respond to flower initiation conditions. Furthermore, in addition to being genetically determined, axillary bud burst and flower initiation may also be influenced by the topophysis, cyclophysis and periphysis. Thus, it is high relevant to further careful analyze the rose flowering response to GA in controlled conditions with high-resolution. Our lab developed self-rooted single-stemmed plants from single-node cuttings of CF rose Rosa chinensis to study the GA responses in details.
Rose resources
Currently, we have collected ~140 wild rose varieties, 53 Chinese old rose and more than 1000 modern cultivated rose with good ornamental or economic value in NAU.
Cooperation intention
We welcome any cooperation on rose research, rose breeding and rose cultivation techniques.
Selected Publications (From 2014)
(1) Liu Jinyi, Ren Min, Chen Hui, Wu Silin, Yan Huijun, Abdul Jalal, Wang Changquan*. 2020. Evolution of SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP) genes in Rosaceae: Implications of lineage-specific gene duplication events and function diversifications with respect to their roles in processes other than bud dormancy. The Plant Genome, 1-19.
(2) Ren Haoran, Bai Mengjuan, Sun Jingjing, Liu Jinyi, Ren Min, Dong Yuwei, Wang Na, Ning Guogui, Wang Changquan*. 2020. RcMYB84 and RcMYB123 mediate JA induced defenses against Botrytis cinerea in Rosa chinensis. The Plant Journal 103: 1839-1849.
(3) Lu Jun, Sun Jingjing, Jiang Anqi, Bai Mengjuan, Fan Chunguo, Liu Jinyi, Ning Guogui, Wang Changquan*. 2020. Alternate expressions of CONSTANS-LIKE 4 in short days and CONSTANS in long days facilitate day-neutral response in Rosa chinensis. Journal of Experimental Botany, 71: 4057-4068.
(4) Dong Yuwei, Lu Jun, Liu Jinyi, Abdul Jalal, Wang Changquan*. 2020. Genome‑wide identification and functional analysis of JmjC domain‑containing genes in flower development of Rosa chinensis. Plant Molecular Biology, 102: 417-430.
(5) Bai Mengjuan, Sun Jingjing, Liu Jinyi, Ren Haoran, Wang Kang, Wang Yanling, Wang Changquan*, Katayoon Dehesh*. 2019. B-box protein BBX19 suppresses seed germination via induction of ABI5. The Plant Journal, 99: 1192-1202.
(6) Liu Jinyi, Fu Xiaodong, Dong Yuwei, Lu Jun, Ren Min, Zhou Ningning, Wang Changquan*. 2018. MIKCC-type MADS-box genes in Rosa chinensis: the remarkable expansion of ABCDE model genes and their roles in floral organogenesis. Horticulture Research, 5: 25.
(7) Lu Jun, Bai Mengjuan, Ren Haoran, Liu Jinyi, Wang Changquan*. 2017. An efficient transient expression system for gene function analysis in rose. Plant Methods, 13: 116.
(8) Wang Changquan, Mostafa Khoshhal Sarmast, Jiang Jishan, Katayoon Dehesh. 2015. The transcriptional regulator BBX19 promotes hypocotyl growth by facilitating COP1-mediated EARLY FLOWERING3 degradation in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell, 27: 1128-1139.
(9) Wang Changquan, Cade Guthrie, Mostafa K. Sarmast, Katayoon Dehesh. 2014. BBX19 interacts with CO to repress FT transcription, defining a flowering time checkpoint. The Plant Cell, 26: 3589-3602.
(10) Liu Jinyi, Chu Jinjin, Ma Chuangju, Jiang Yueting, Ma Yuanchun, Xiong Jinsong and Zong-Ming (Max) Cheng*. 2019. Overexpression of an ABA-dependent grapevine bZIP transcription factor, VvABF2, enhances osmotic stress in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell Reports 38:587-596.
(11) Xi Yue #, Liu Jinyi # (co-first author), Dong Chao, Zongming（Max）Cheng*. 2017. The CBL and CIPK Gene Family in Grapevine (Vitis vinifera): Genome-Wide Analysis and Expression Profiles in Response to Various Abiotic Stresses. Frontiers in Plant Science 8:978.
(12) Liu Jinyi, Chen Nana, Xiong Jinsong, Zong-Ming (Max) Cheng*. 2016. Genome-wide identification, annotation and expression profile analysis of SnRK2 gene family in grapevine. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 22:478-488.
(13) Liu Jinyi, Chen Nana, Joshua N Grant, Zong-Ming (Max) Cheng, C. Neal Stewart Jr, and Tarek Hewezi*. 2015. Soybean kinome: Functional classification and gene expression patterns. Journal of Experimental Botany 66 (5):1-16.
(14) Liu Jinyi, Chen Nana, Chen Fei, Cai Bin, Silvia Dal Santo, Giovanni Battista Tornielli, Mario Pezzotti and Zong-Ming (Max) Cheng*. 2014. Genome-wide analysis and expression profile of the bZIP transcription factor gene family in grapevine (Vitis vinifera). BMC genomics 15:281.
(15) Liu Jinyi, J. Hollis Rice, Chen Nana, Thomas J. Baum, Tarek Hewezi*. 2014. Synchronization of developmental processes and defense signaling by growth regulating transcription factors. PloS One 9(5):e98477.
