研究方向
植物环境表观遗传学 (plant environmental epigenetics)。利用分子、生化、遗传及组学等手段，揭示环境信号包括光周期和冬季低温调控植物开花时间（flowering time）的分子与表观遗传机制。种子植物历经营养生长后转换至生殖生长，其转换时机（即成花转变时间或开花时间）受多种内在因子（如年龄、激素等）与外源环境因素（如日照长度变化、温度等）的调控。这些因素通过多种遗传途径如光周期路径、春化路径、年龄路径等，调控开花时间基因的表达，从而诱导植物开花。目前的研究内容：利用模式开花植物拟南芥及小麦，聚焦春化路径及光周期路径，揭示季节转换调控越冬植物在春季开花的分子与表观遗传机制。
代表性论文
1. Luo X, Ou Y, Li R, and He Y. (2020) Maternal transmission of the epigenetic 'memory of winter cold' in Arabidopsis. Nature Plants, 6: 1211-1218.
2. Tao Z, Hu H, Luo X, Jia B, Du J*, He Y.* (2019) Embryonic resetting of the parental vernalized state by two B3 domain transcription factors in Arabidopsis. Nature Plants, 5: 424-435.
3. Li Z, Fu X, Wang Y, Liu R and He Y. (2018) Polycomb-mediated gene silencing by the BAH-EMF1 complex in plants. Nature Genetics, 50: 1254-1261.
4. Li Z, Jiang D and He Y. (2018) FRIGIDA establishes a local chromosomal environment for FLOWERING LOCUS C mRNA production. Nature Plants, 4: 836-846.
5. Z. Li, Y. Ou, J. Li and He Y. (2018) Brassinosteroid signaling recruits Histone 3 lysine-27 demethylation activity to FLOWERING LOCUS C chromatin to inhibit the floral transition in Arabidopsis. Molecular Plant, 11: 1135-1146.
6. Y. He & Li Z. (2018) Epigenetic environmental memories in plants: establishment, maintenance, and reprogramming. Trends in Genetics, 34: 856-866.
7. Z. Tao, L. Shen, X. Gu, Y. Wang, H. Yu & He Y. (2017) Embryonic epigenetic reprogramming by a pioneer transcription factor in plants. Nature, 551: 124-128.
8. Yuan W, Luo X, Li Z, Yang W, Wang Y, Liu R, Du J & He Y. (2016) A cis cold memory element and a trans epigenome reader mediate Polycomb silencing of FLC by vernalization in Arabidopsis. Nature Genetics, 48: 1527-1534.
9. Li Z, Jiang D, Fu X, Luo X, Liu R & He Y. (2016) Integration of histone methylations with RNA processing by the nuclear mRNA Cap Binding Complex. Nature Plants, 2: 16015.
