Education

1999-2003, B.Sc., Anhui Normal University;

2003-2006, M.Sc., Xiamen University;

2006-2010, PhD, Xiamen University;

2008-2010, Oxford University, Joint training doctoral students.

Professional Experience

2010-present,Assistant Professor/Associate Professor/Professor, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University

Research Area

Among the living invertebrates, amphioxus shows most similarities with vertebrates in respect to either body structure, developmental process, or genome content, which makes amphioxus an ideal model organism for studying developmental and evolutionary mechanisms of vertebrate embryogenesis. We are using methods including gene knockout, transgene, microinjection, whole-mount in situ hybridization and scanning electron microscope to dissect the molecular mechanisms of amphioxus embryogenesis, aiming to illustrate how the morphological and developmental complexity of vertebrates has evolved.

Selected Publications

1.Xing CF#, Pan RR#, Hu G, Liu X, Wang YQ, Li G* (2021). Pitx controls amphioxus asymmetric morphogenesis by promoting left-side development and repressing right-side formation. BMC Biology 19(1):166.
2.Zou JQ#, Wu XT, Shi CG, Zhong YH, Zhang L, Yan QN, Su LR, Li G*. A potential method for rapid screening of amphioxus founder harboring germline mutation and transgene. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 12;9:702290. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.702290.
3.Ren QQ#, Zhong YH#, Huang X, Leung B, Xing CF, Hu GW, Wang YQ*, Shimeld SM*, Li G*. 2020. Step-wise evolution of neural patterning by Hedgehog signalling in chordates. Nature Ecology & Evolution, Sep;4(9):1247-1255.
4.Zhong YH#, Herrera-Úbeda C#, Garcia-Fernàndez J, Li G*, Holland PW*, 2020. Mutation of amphioxus Pdx and Cdx demonstrates conserved roles for ParaHox genes in gut, anus and tail patterning. BMC Biology, 16;18(1):68.
5.Zhu X#, Shi CG, Zhong YH, Liu X, Yan QN, Wu XT, Wang YQ*, Li G*, 2020. Cilia-driven asymmetric Hedgehog signalling determines the amphioxus left-right axis by controlling Dand5 expression. Development, 147(1). pii: dev182469. doi: 10.1242/dev.182469.
6.Shi CG#, Wu XT, Su LR, Shang CQ, Li XW, Wang YQ*, Li G*, 2020. A ZZ/ZW sex chromosome system in cephalochordate amphioxus. Genetics, 214(3):617-622
7.Su LR#, Shi CG, Huang X, Wang YQ, Li G*, 2020. Application of CRISPR/Cas9 nuclease in amphioxus genome editing. Genes (Basel), 2020 Nov 5;11(11):1311.
8.Yuan L#, Wang YQ, Li G*. 2020. Differential expression pattern of two Brachyury genes in amphioxus embryos. Gene Expr Patterns, Dec;38:119152. doi: 10.1016/j.gep.2020.119152.
9.Zhang HY, Chen S, Shang CQ, Wu XT, Wang YQ*, Li G*, 2019. Interplay between Lefty and Nodal signaling is essential for the organizer and axial formation in amphioxus embryos. Developmental biology, 456(1):63-73.
10.Huang JF#, You WW#, Xu ZW, Yan QN, Shi CG, Tang B, Luo X, Li, G.* , Ke, CH*, 2019. An Effective Microinjection Method and TALEN-Mediated Genome Editing in Pacific Abalone. Marine biotechnology, 21(4):441-447.
11.Hu GW, Li G, Wang H, Wang YQ* (2017), Hedgehog participates in the establishment of left-right asymmetry during amphioxus development by controlling Cerberus expression. Development, 144(24):4694-4703. Co-first author
12.Li G, Liu X, Xing CF, Zhang HY, Shimeld SM, Wang YQ. (2017) Cerberus-Nodal-Lefty-Pitx signaling cascade controls left-right asymmetry in amphioxus. PNAS, 14(114): 3684–3689
13.Li G, Wang J, Yuan L, Wang H, Wang YQ. (2015) A simple method for selecting spawning-ready individuals out from laboratorial cultured amphioxus population. Journal of experimental zoology, 324(7):629-635.
14.Feng J, Li G, Liu X, Wang J, Wang YQ. (2014) Functional analysis of the promoter region of amphioxus beta-actin gene: a useful tool for driving gene expression in vivo. Mol Biol Rep. 41:6817–6826. Co-first author
15.Li G, Feng J, Lei Y, Wang J, Wang H, Shang LK, Liü DT, Zhao H, Zhu Y and Wang YQ. (2014) Mutagenesis at specific genomic loci of amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri using TALEN method. Journal of Genetics and Genomics. 41(4):215-219
16.Liü X, Li G, Feng J, Yang X, Wang YQ. (2013) An efficient microinjection method for unfertilized eggs of Asian amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri. Dev Genes Evol. 223:269-278
17.Qian GH, Li G, Chen X, Wang YQ. (2013) Characterization and embryonic expression of four amphioxus Frizzled genes with important functions during early embryogenesis. Gene Expr Patterns. 13(8):445-453
18.Li G, Shu ZH  and Wang YQ. (2013) Year-round reproduction and induced spawning of Chinese amphioxus, Branchiostoma Belcheri, in laboratory. PLoS ONE. 8(9): e75461
19.Xu QH, Li G, Cao LX, Wang ZJ, Ye H, Chen XY, Yang X, Wang YQ and Chen LB. (2012) Proteomic characterization and evolutionary analyses of zona pellucida domain-containing proteins in the egg coat of the cephalochordate, Branchiostoma belcheri. BMC Evolutionary Biology. 12:239. Co-first author.
20.Li G, Yang X, Shu ZH, Chen XY and Wang YQ. (2012) Consecutive spawnings of Chinese amphioxus, Branchiostoma belcheri, in captivity. PLoS ONE 7(12): e50838
21.Li DL, Li G, Wang KR, Liu X, Li W, Chen XY, Wang YQ. (2012) Isolation and functional analysis of the promoter of the amphioxus Hsp70a gene. Gene. 510(1):39-46. Co-first author.
22.Li G, Holland PWH. (2010) The origin and evolution of ARGFX homeobox loci in mammalian radiation. BMC Evolutionary Biology. doi: 10.1186/1471-2148-10-182.
23.Li G, Zhang J, Sun Y, Wang H, Wang Y. (2009) The evolutionarily dynamic IFN-inducible GTPase proteins play conserved immune functions in vertebrates and cephalochordates. Mol Biol Evol. 26 (7):1619-1630.
24.Li G, Zhang QJ, Zhong J, Wang YQ. (2009) Evolutionary and functional diversity of green fluorescent proteins in cephalochordates. Gene. 446(1):41-49.
25.Li G, Shi P and Wang Y. (2007) Evolutionary dynamics of the ABCA-chr17q24 cluster genes in vertebrates. Genomics. 89 (3) 385–391.
26.Li G, Zhang QJ, Ji ZL, Wang YQ. (2007) Origin and evolution of vertebrate ABCA genes: A story from Amphioxus. Gene. 405 (1-2):88-95.
27.Zhang QJ, Li G, Sun Y, Wang YQ. (2009) Chromosome Preparation and Preliminary Observation of Two Amphioxus Species in Xiamen. Zoological Research. 30(2): 131−136