Guoliang Xu, PhDDistinguished Adjunct Professor from CAS

Most biological activities have an epigenetic basis. A given cell has its own epigenetic setup which allows for various biochemical events to proceed. Our major research effort is focused on gene regulation mechanisms involving DNA methylation. The key players in DNA methylation are DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and DNA dioxygenases commonly known as TET enzymes. Surprisingly, there are only a couple of DNMT and TET enzymes which are responsible respectively for the generation and removal of genomic methylation patterns. Both DNMT and TET enzymes are essential for early development in mammals. They regulate crucial fate-determining genes involved in stem cell maintenance, lineage commitment etc. These DNA-modifying enzymes can therefore be regarded as “regulators of regulators” in development. Though the importance of DNA modifications has long been recognized in the epigenetics field, advance in the understanding of biochemical mechanisms has been slow in general. In addition to the major subject surrounding the mechanisms of DNA methylation and demethylation which we put most of our efforts into, we are also extending our research to other important issues such as new types of DNA modifications and contribution of aberrant epigenetic regulation to tumorigenesis.