Feng Li, PH.D

E-mail Address: fli222@whu.edu.cn

Office Address: 185# DongHu Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071

Position(s): Professor

Affiliation(s):Department of Medical Genetics

Research interests / Specialties:

Abnormal histone methylation and\or demethylation and tumorigenesis

Education and Training

B.S., 1998-2002 HuaZhong Agricultural University, China

Ph.D., 2002-2008 Joint program of Chinese academy of science and HuaZhong Agricultural University, China

Post-doctoral training, 2008-2013 University of Kentucky College of Medicine, U.S.A

Research Description

My research investigate the molecular mechanisms by which the abnormal histone methylation causes cancer.

The original focus of the lab was the regulation of mismatch repair (MMR) function by posttranslational modifications and MMR at the chromatin level. We showed that tri-methylation on H3K36 recruit MMR protein MutSα to chromatin at the early stage of replication through the interaction between Msh6 PWWP domain and H3K36me3. Disruption of the interaction would lead to enhanced mutation rate and the microsatellite instability(MSI).

We have also begun to explore the mechanism that how the high-risk virus proteins influence the host cell histone methylation and promote the tumorigenisis.

Publication list

1.  Li,F., Mao, G.G., Tong, D., Huang,J., Gu, L., and Li,G.M. (2013) The histone mark H3K36me3 regulate human mismatch repair through its interaction with MutSalpha. Cell 153, 590–600.

Ø Featured article in the same issue of Cell

Ø Highlighted in Nature Genetics

Ø Highlighted in Nature Reviews

Ø Highlighted in Cancer Discovery

Ø This article was selected as Faculty 1000

2. Li,F.,Tian,L.,Gu,L and Li,G.M (2009) Evidence that nucleosome inhibit mismatch repair in eukaryotic cells. J Biol Chem 284,33056-33061

3. Li, F., Liu, Q., Chen, Y. Y., Yu, Z. N., Zhang, Z. P., Zhou, Y. F., Deng, J. Y., Bi, L. J., and Zhang, X. E. (2008) Escherichia.coli mismatch repair protein MutL interact with clamp loader subunits. Mutat. Res. 637, 101–110.

4．Zhou Y, Li F, Chen Y, Bi L, Zhang X.E.(2010) Functional analyses of Escherichia coli MutS-beta clamp interaction in vitro and in vivo. Curr.Microbio Jun;60(6):466-70

5．Jia Y, Bi L, Li F, Chen Y, Zhang C, Zhang X. E.(2008) Alpha-shaped DNA loops induced by MutS. BiochemBiophys Res Commun.Aug 8;372(4): 618- 22