Dr. Hou received his B.S. and M.S. from Northeast Agricultural University in 1997 and 2000, respectively, and his Ph.D from Zhejiang University in 2004. After postdoctoral research at National University of Singapore and Temasek Life Science Laboratory from 2006-2011, he joined SCBG as a principal investigator.
Phytohormones and their cross-talks play vital roles during various developmental processes and environmental challenges in plants. It is important to enhance the precise understanding of the mechanisms engaged by phytohormones in modulating plant growth and development. Furthermore, these findings would also provide potential methods for improving crop economical traits.
Our studies use Arabidopsis and soybean as research materials and focus on the following projects:
1. As an important plant hormone, gibberellins (GAs) control various crucial aspects in plant life cycle including germination, stem elongation, flower development, defense response and stress response. We are interested in revealing the molecular mechanism of GA signaling pathway and finally elucidate how GA functions in plants; Meanwile, we are investigating the molecular mechanism of cross-talks between phytohormones and elucidating their roles in plant development and stress responses.
2. We are also interested in investigating the molecular mechanism of plant seed development, maturation, and germination.
(# Co-first authors, * Corresponding author)
1. Shu Liu, Peichun Zeng, Dingyue Ban, Chunyu Zhang, Fanjiang Kong, Xiaoming Li*, Xingliang Hou* (2025) A natural allele of PC08 lost in domestication contributes to soybean seed storage protein accumulation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America doi: 10.1073/pnas.2508709122.
2. Huan Wu, Xingliang Hou*, Chunyu Zhang* (2025) Nuclear factor-Y transcription factors in crops: Biological roles, regulation, and breeding applications. Plant Communications doi: 10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101530.
3. Chunyu Zhang#*, Weijun Li#, Cuirong Tan#, Mingkun Huang, Huan Wu, Shu Liu, Hongjie Liu, Xiaoming Li, Yansong Miao, Baohui Liu, Fanjiang Kong, Xingliang Hou* (2025) Natural allelic variation in SW14 determines seed weight and quality in soybean. Nature Communications 16, 8070.
4. Bin Yu, Yilong Hu*, Xingliang Hou* (2025) More than flowering: CONSTANS plays multifaceted roles in plant development and stress responses. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology 67, 425-439
5. Xiangbo Zhang#, Chaochen Tang#, Bingzhi Jiang#, Rong Zhang#, Ming Li#, Yaoyao Wu, Zhufang Yao, Lifei Huang, Zhongxia Luo, Hongda Zou, Yiling Yang, Minyi Wu, Ao Chen, Shan Wu, Xingliang Hou, Xu Liu*, Zhangjun Fei*, Junjie Fu*, and Zhangying Wang* (2025) Refining polyploid breeding in sweetpotato through allele dosage enhancement. Nature Plants 11, 36-48
6. Xiang Huang#, Zhiming Ma#, Danxia He, Xiao Han, Xu Liu, Qiong Dong, Cuirong Tan, Bin Yu, Tiedong Sun3, Lars Nordenskiöld, Lanyuan Lu, Yansong Miao*, and Xingliang Hou* (2025) Molecular condensation of the CO/NF-YB/NF-YC/FT complex gates floral transition in Arabidopsis. The EMBO Journal 44, 225-250
7. Xiaoming Li#, Zhonghui Chen#, Haiyang Li#, Lin Yue#, Cuirong Tan, Hongjie Liu, Yilong Hu, Yuhua Yang, Xiani Yao, Lingping Kong, Xiang Huang, Bin Yu, Chunyu Zhang, Yuefeng Guan, Baohui Liu, Fanjiang Kong*, and Xingliang Hou*(2024) Dt1 inhibits SWEET-mediated sucrose transport to regulate photoperiod-dependent seed weight in soybean. Molecular Plant 17, 496-508
8. Guoguo Mei#, Ao Chen#, Yaru Wang, Shuquan Li, Minyi Wu, Yilong Hu, Xu Liu*, and Xingliang Hou* (2024) A simple and efficient in planta transformation method based on the active regeneration capacity of plants. Plant Communications 5, 100822
9. Shu Liu, Zhaojun Liu, Xingliang Hou, and Xiaoming Li* (2023) Genetic mapping and functional genomics of soybean seed protein. Molecular Breeding 43, 29
10. Chunyu Zhang#, Mingyang Jian#, Weijun Li, Xiani Yao, Cuirong Tan, Qian Qian, Yilong Hu, Xu Liu, and Xingliang Hou* (2023) Gibberellin signaling modulates flowering via the DELLA-BRAHMA-NF-YC module in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell 35, 3470-3484
11. Bin Yu#, Xuemei He#, Yang Tang#, Zhonghui Chen, Limeng Zhou, Xiaoming Li, Chunyu Zhang, Xiang Huang, Yuhua Yang, Wenbin Zhang, Fanjiang Kong, Yansong Miao, Xingliang Hou*, and Yilong Hu*(2023) Photoperiod controls plant seed size in a CONSTANS-dependent manner. Nature Plants 9, 343–354 ESI高被引论文
12. Langting Zeng#, Xiaochen Zhou#, Xiumin Fu, Yilong Hu, Dachuan Gu, Xingliang Hou, Fang Dong, and Ziyin Yang* (2023). Effect of the biosynthesis of the volatile compound phenylacetaldehyde on chloroplast modifications in tea (Camellia sinensis) plants. Horticulture Research 10, uhad003.
13. Xu Liu#, Yaru Wang#, Hongbo Zhu#, Guoguo Mei#, Yinyin Liao#, Shunfa Rao, Shuquan Li, Ao Chen, Hongjie Liu, Lanting Zeng, Yangyang Xiao, Xiaoming Li, Ziyin Yang, and Xingliang Hou* (2022) Natural allelic variation confers high resistance to sweet potato weevils in sweet potato. Nature Plants 8, 1233-1244
14. Xiali Guo, Jian-Guo Huang*, Valentina Buttò, Dawei Luo, Chunyu Shen, Jingye Li, Hanxue Liang, Shaokang Zhang, Xingliang Hou, Ping Zhao, and Sergio Rossi (2022) Auxin concentration and xylem production of Pinus massoniana in a subtropical forest in south China. Tree Physiology 42, 317-324
15. Yuhua Yang#, Xu Liu#, Wenbin Zhang, Qian Qian, Limeng Zhou, Shu Liu, Yuge Li, and Xingliang Hou* (2021) Stress response proteins NRP1 and NRP2 are pro-survival factors that inhibit cell death during ER stress. Plant Physiology 187, 1414–1427
16. Xiaoming Li#, Chao Fang#, Yongqing Yang#, Tianxiao Lv#, Tong Su#, Liyu Chen, Haiyang Nan, Shichen Li, Xiaohui Zhao, Sijia Lu, Lidong Dong, Qun Cheng, Yang Tang, Meilan Xu, Jun Abe, Xingliang Hou, James L Weller, Fanjiang Kong*, Baohui Liu* (2021) Overcoming the genetic compensation response of soybean florigens to improve adaption and yield at low latitudes. Current Biology 31, 3755-3767
17. Chunyu Zhang, Qian Qian, Xiang Huang, Wenbin Zhang, Xu Liu, and Xingliang Hou* (2021) NF-YCs modulate histone variant H2A.Z deposition to regulate photomorphogenic growth in Arabidopsis. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology 63, 1120-1132
18. Wenbin Zhang, Yang Tang, Yilong Hu, Yuhua Yang, Jiajia Cai, Hailun Liu, Chunyu Zhang, Xu Liu, and Xingliang Hou* (2021) Arabidopsis NF-YCs play dual roles in repressing brassinosteroid biosynthesis and signaling during light-regulated hypocotyl elongation. The Plant Cell 33, 2360-2374
19. Lin Yue#, Xiaoming Li#, Chao Fang#, Liyu Chen#, Hui Yang#, Jie Yang, Zhonghui Chen, Haiyang Nan , Linnan Chen , Yuhang Zhang , Haiyang Li, Xingliang Hou, Zhicheng Dong, James L. Weller, Jun Abe, Baohui Liu, and Fanjiang Kong* (2021) FT5a interferes with the Dt1‐AP1 feedback loop to control flowering time and shoot determinacy in soybean. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology 63, 1004-1020
20. Qian Qian, Yuhua Yang, Wenbin Zhang, Yilong Hu, Yuge Li, Hao Yu, and Xingliang Hou* (2021) A novel Arabidopsis gene RGAT1 is required for GA-mediated tapetum and pollen development. New Phytologist 231, 137-151
21. Yilong Hu#, Limeng Zhou#, Yuhua Yang, Wenbin Zhang, Zhonghui Chen, Xiaoming Li, Qian Qian, Fanjiang Kong, Yuge Li, Xu Liu, and Xingliang Hou* (2021) The gibberellin signaling negative regulator RGA-LIKE3 promotes seed storage protein accumulation. Plant Physiology 185, 1697-1707
22. Hailun Liu#, Yuge Li#, Yilong Hu, Yuhua Yang, Wenbin Zhang, Ming He, Xiaoming Li, Chunyu Zhang, Fanjiang Kong, Xu Liu, and Xingliang Hou* (2021) EDS1-interacting J protein 1 is an essential negative regulator of plant innate immunity in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell 33, 153-171
23. Yinyin Liao, Lanting Zeng, Shunfa Rao, Dachuan Gu, Xu Liu, Yaru Wang, Hongbo Zhu, Xingliang Hou*, and Ziyin Yang* (2020) Induced biosynthesis of chlorogenic acid in sweetpotato leaves confers the resistance against sweetpotato weevil attack. Journal of Advanced Research 24, 513-522
24. Ying Zhou#, Lanting Zeng#, Xingliang Hou, Yinyin Liao, and Ziyin Yang* (2020) Low temperature synergistically promotes wounding-induced indole accumulation by INDUCER OF CBF EXPRESSION-mediated alterations of jasmonic acid signaling in Camellia sinensis. Journal of Experimental Botany 71, 2172-2185
25. Yuge Li, Yuhua Yang, Yilong Hu, Hailun Liu, Ming He, Ziyin Yang, Fanjiang Kong, Xu Liu, and Xingliang Hou* (2019) DELLA and EDS1 form a feedback regulatory module to fine-tune plant growth-defense tradeoff in Arabidopsis. Molecular Plant 12, 1485-1498
26. He Sun, Zhu Qiao, Khi Pin Chua, Alma Tursic, Xu Liu, Yong-Gui Gao, Yuguang Mu, Xingliang Hou, and Yansong Miao* (2018) Profilin negatively regulates formin-mediated actin assembly to modulate PAMP-triggered plant immunity. Current Biology 28, 1882-1895
27. Yilong Hu, Limeng Zhou, Mingkun Huang, Xuemei He, Yuhua Yang, Xu Liu, Yuge Li, and Xingliang Hou* (2018) Gibberellins play an essential role in late embryogenesis of Arabidopsis. Nature Plants 4, 289-298
28. Xu Liu#, Yuhua Yang#, Yilong Hu, Limeng Zhou, Yuge Li, and Xingliang Hou* (2018) Temporal-specific interaction of NF-YC and CURLY LEAF during the floral transition regulates flowering. Plant Physiology 177, 105-114
29. Xu Liu and Xingliang Hou* (2018) Antagonistic regulation of ABA and GA in metabolism and signaling pathways. Frontiers in Plant Science 9, 251 ESI高被引论文
30. Sijia Lu#, Xiaohui Zhao#, Yilong Hu#, Shulin Liu#, Haiyang Nan#, Xiaoming Li, Chao Fang, Dong Cao, Xinyi Shi, Lingping Kong, Tong Su, Fengge Zhang, Shichen Li, Zheng Wang, Xiaohui Yuan, Elroy R Cober, James L Weller, Baohui Liu*, Xingliang Hou*, Zhixi Tian*, and Fanjiang Kong* (2017) Natural variation at the soybean J locus improves adaptation to the tropics and enhances yield. Nature Genetics 49,773-779
31. Yang Tang#, Xuncheng Liu#, Xu Liu, Yuge Li, Keqiang Wu, and Xingliang Hou* (2017) Arabidopsis NF-YCs mediate the light-controlled hypocotyl elongation via modulating histone acetylation. Molecular Plant 10, 260-273
32. Xu Liu, Pengwei Hu, Mingkun Huang, Yang Tang, Yuge Li, Ling Li, and Xingliang Hou* (2016) The NF-YC–RGL2 module integrates GA and ABA signaling to regulate seed germination in Arabidopsis. Nature Communications 7, 12768 ESI高被引论文
33. Lisha Shen#, Zhe Liang#, Xiaofeng Gu, Ying Chen, Zhi Wei Norman Teo, Xingliang Hou, Weiling Maggie Cai, Peter C. Dedon, Lu Liu, and Hao Yu* (2016) N6-Methyladenosine RNA Modification Regulates Shoot Stem Cell Fate in Arabidopsis. Developmental Cell 38, 186-200
34. Mingkun Huang, Yilong Hu, Xu Liu, Yuge Li, and Xingliang Hou* (2015) Arabidopsis LEAFY COTYLEDON1 mediates postembryonic development via interacting with PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR 4. The Plant Cell 27, 3099-3111
35. Mingkun Huang, Yilong Hu, Xu Liu, Yuge Li, and Xingliang Hou* (2015) Arabidopsis LEAFY COTYLEDON1 controls cell fate determination during post-embryonic development. Frontiers in Plant Science 6, 955
36. Xingliang Hou*, Jiannan Zhou, Chang Liu, Lu Liu, Lisha Shen, and Hao Yu* (2014) Nuclear factor Y-mediated H3K27me3 demethylation of the SOC1 locus orchestrates flowering responses of Arabidopsis. Nature Communications 5, 4601 ESI高被引论文
37. Xingliang Hou*, Lihua Ding, and Hao Yu* (2013) Crosstalk between GA and JA signaling mediates plant growth and defense. Plant Cell Reports 32, 1067-1074
38. Lu Liu#, Chang Liu#, Xingliang Hou, Wanyan Xi, Lisha Shen, Zhen Tao, Yue Wang and Hao Yu* (2012) FTIP1 is an essential regulator required for florigen transport. PLoS Biology 10, e1001313
39. Li Yen Candy Lee#, Xingliang Hou#, Lei Fang, Shuguo Fan, Prakash P. Kumar, and Hao Yu* (2012) STUNTED mediates the control of cell proliferation by GA in Arabidopsis. Development 139, 1568-1576
40. Lei Fang, Xingliang Hou, Li Yen Candy Lee, Lu Liu, Xiaojing Yan, and Hao Yu* (2011) AtPV42a and AtPV42b redundantly regulate reproductive development in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLoS ONE 6, e19033
41. Xingliang Hou, Li Yen Candy Lee, Kuaifei Xia, Yuanyuan Yan, and Hao Yu* (2010) DELLAs modulate jasmonate signaling via competitive binding to JAZs. Developmental Cell 19, 884-894
42. Wanyan Xi#, Chang Liu#, Xingliang Hou, and Hao Yu* (2010) MOTHER OF FT AND TFL1 regulates seed germination through a negative feedback Loop modulating ABA signaling in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell 22, 1733-1748
43. Xingliang Hou#, Wen-wei Hu#, Lisha Shen, Li Yen Candy Lee, Zhen Tao, Jinhua Han, and Hao Yu* (2008) Global identification of DELLA target genes during Arabidopsis flower development. Plant Physiology 147, 1126-1142
44. Xingliang Hou, Ping Wu*, Fangchan Jiao, Qiaojun Jia, Hanmin Chen, Jie Yu, Xinwei Song, and Keke Yi (2005) Regulation of the expression of OsIPS1 and OsIPS2 in rice via systemic and local Pi signaling and hormones. Plant Cell and Environment 28, 353–364
45. Yu Chao, Hou Xingliang, and Wu Ping* (2005) The effects of phosphorus, glucose and cytokinin on SEN1 gene expression in Arabidopsis. Acta Phytophysiologica Sinica 31, 85-89
46. Ping Wu, Ligeng Ma, Xingliang Hou, Mingyi Wang, Yunrong Wu, Feiyang Liu, and Xingwang Deng* (2003) Phosphate starvation triggers distinct alterations of genome expression in Arabidopsis roots and leaves. Plant Physiology 132, 1260-1271