Contact Information
E-mail: cwliu01@ustc.edu.cn
Phone: 0086-551-63603105
Personal profile
2020- Principal Investigator
University of Science and Technology of China
2018-2019 Research Assistant
The Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, UK
2013-2017 Postdoctoral Researcher
John Innes Centre, UK
2010-2013 Postdoctoral Fellow
John Innes Centre, UK
2003-2010 Ph.D. Botany
Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences
1998-2002 B.S. Environmental Engineering
Zhejiang University, China
Research interests
Plant microbe symbiosis, Symbiotic nitrogen fixation between legumes & rhizobia
1) Mechanisms underlying symbiotic nitrogen fixation in legume–rhizobial symbiosis
2) Subcellular remodelling in legume host during rhizobial infection
3) Legume “infectosome” complex & infection thread development
4) Evolution of rhizobial & arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiotic infection in land plants
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chengwu_Liu4
Publications (# co-first author, * co-corresponding author)
1. Jin-Li Deng, Li Zhao, Hong Wei, Han-Xiao Ye, Li Yang, Linfeng Sun, Zhong Zhao, Jeremy D Murray, Cheng-Wu Liu*. A deeply conserved amino acid required for VAPYRIN localization and function during legume-rhizobial symbiosis. New Phytologist243(1):14-22 (2024).
2. Wenjuan Wu, Yuxin Zhuang, Dasong Chen, Yiting Ruan, Fuyu Li, Kirsty Jackson, Cheng-Wu Liu, Alison East, Jiangqi Wen, Evangelos Tatsis, Philip S. Poole, Ping Xu*, Jeremy D. Murray*. Methylated chalcones are required for rhizobial nod gene induction in the Medicago truncatula rhizosphere. New Phytologist242(5):2195-2206 (2024).
3. in-Peng Gao, Wenjie Liang, Cheng-Wu Liu, Fang Xie, Jeremy D Murray*. Unraveling the rhizobial infection thread. Journal of Experimental Botany 75(8):2235-2245 (2024).
4. Zhijian Liu, Jun Yang, Yanping Long, Chi Zhang, Dapeng Wang, Xiaowei Zhang, Wentao Dong, Li Zhao, Chengwu Liu, Jixian Zhai*, Ertao Wang*. Single-nucleus transcriptomes reveal spatiotemporal symbiotic perception and early response in Medicago. Nature Plants 9(10):1734-1748 (2023).
5. Yang Jun, Liu Chengwu*, Li Xia*, Tian Changfu*, Xie Fang*, Cao Yangrong*, Wang Ertao*. Advances in the legume–rhizobia symbiosis. Plant Physiology Journal 59 (8): 1407–1435 1407 (2023).
6. Beatrice Lace*, Chao Su, Daniel Invernot Perez, Marta Rodriguez-Franco, Tatiana Vernié, Morgane Batzenschlager, Sabrina Egli, Cheng-Wu Liu, Thomas Ott*. RPG acts as a central determinant for infectosome formation and cellular polarization during intracellular rhizobial infections. eLife 12: e80741 (2023).
7. Wang J, Pislariu CI, Liu C-W, Tsyganov VE and DasGupta M Editorial: Molecular and cellular mechanisms of the legume-rhizobia symbiosis, volume II. Frontiers in Plant Science 14:1208904 (2023).
8. Jin-Peng Gao, Suyu Jiang, Yangyang Su, Ping Xu, Junjie Wang, Wenjie Liang , Cheng-Wu Liu, Jeremy D Murray*. Intracellular infection by symbiotic bacteria requires the mitotic kinase AURORA1. PNAS 119(43):e2202606119 (2022).
9. Qiying Xiao#, Yi Chen#, Cheng-Wu Liu#, Fran Robson, Sonali Roy, Xiaofei Cheng, Jiangqi Wen, Kirankumar Mysore, Anthony J. Miller*, Jeremy D. Murray*. MtNPF6.5 mediates chloride uptake and nitrate preference in Medicago roots. The EMBO Journal 40(21):e106847 (2021).
10. Cheng-Wu Liu* and Shutang Tan*. Nitrate signaling: A translator between nitrate perception and calcium signalling. Molecular Plant 14(5):718-719 (2021).
11. Sonali Roy, Andrew Breakspear, Donna Cousins, Ivone Torres-Jerez, Kirsty Jean Jackson, Anil Kumar, YangYang Su, Nick Krom, Cheng-Wu Liu, Michael Udvardi, Ping Xu*, Jeremy Dale Murray*. Three common symbiotic ABC-B transporters in Medicago truncatula are regulated by a NIN-independent branch of the symbiosis signalling pathway. Mol Plant Microbe Interact. 34(8):939-951 (2021).
12. Chengwu Liu, Zhong Zhao*. The Legume SHR-SCR Module Predetermines Nodule Founder Cell Identity. Chinese Bulletin of Botany 55(6): 661-665 (2020).
13. Anil Kumar#, Donna R. Cousins #, Cheng-Wu Liu, Ping Xu*, Jeremy D. Murray*. Nodule Inception Is Not Required for Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Colonization of Medicago truncatula.Plants-Basel 9(1): 71 (2020).
14. Cheng-Wu Liu, Andrew Breakspear, Nicola Stacey, Kim Findlay, Jin Nakashima, Karunakaran Ramakrishnan, Miaoxia Liu, Fang Xie, Gabriella Endre, Fernanda de Carvlho-Niebel, Giles E. D. Oldroyd, Michael K. Udvardi, Joëlle Fournier*, Jeremy D. Murray*. A protein complex required for polar growth of rhizobial infection threads. Nature Communications10(1):2848(2019).
15. Cheng-Wu Liu#, Andrew Breakspear#, Dian Guan, Marion R. Cerri, Kirsty Jackson, Suyu Jiang, Fran Robson, Guru V. Radhakrishnan, Sonali Roy, Caitlin Bone, Nicola Stacey, Christian Rogers, Martin Trick, Andreas Niebel, Giles E. D. Oldroyd, Fernanda de Carvalho-Niebel, Jeremy D. Murray*. NIN acts a network hub controlling a growth module required for rhizobial infection. Plant Physiology179(4):1704-1722 (2019).
16. Sonali Roy, Fran Robson, Jodi Lilley, Cheng-WuLiu, Xiaofei Cheng, Jiangqi Wen, Simon Walker, Jongho Sun, Donna Cousins, Caitlin Bone, Malcolm J. Bennett, J. Allan Downie, Ranjan Swarup, Giles Oldroyd, Jeremy D. Murray*. MtLAX2, a functional homologue of the Arabidopsis auxin influx transporter AUX1, is required for nodule organogenesis. Plant Physiology 174: 326-338 (2017).
17. James K. Hane#, Yao Ming#, Lars G. Kamphuis#, Matthew N. Nelson, Gagan Garg, Craig A. Atkins, Philipp E. Bayer, Armando Bravo, Scott Bringans, Steven Cannon, David Edwards, Rhonda Foley, Ling-ling Gao, Maria J. Harrison, Wei Huang, Bhavna Hurgobin, Sean Li, Cheng-WuLiu, Annette McGrath, Grant Morahan, Jeremy Murray, James Weller, Jianbo Jian, Karam B. Singh*. A comprehensive draft genome sequence for lupin (Lupinus angustifolius), an emerging health food: insights into plant–microbe interactions and legume evolution. Plant Biotechnology Journal15 (3): 318–30 (2017).
18. Cheng-Wu Liu, Jeremy D. Murray*. The role of flavonoids in nodulation host-range specificity: an update. Plants-Basel 5(3):33 (2016).
19. Jeremy D. Murray*, Cheng-Wu Liu, Yi Chen, Anthony J. Miller*. Nitrogen sensing in legumes. Journal of Experimental Botany68(8):1919-1926 (2016).
20. Senjuti Sinharoy, Cheng-WuLiu, Andrew Breakspear, Dian Guan, Sarah Shailes, Jin Nakashima, Shulan Zhang, Jiangqi Wen, Ivone Torres-Jerez, Giles Oldroyd, Jeremy D. Murray, Michael K. Udvardi*. A Medicago truncatula Cystathionine Beta Synthase like domain-containing protein is required for rhizobial infection and symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Plant Physiology 170:2204-17 (2016).
21. Cheng-Wu Liu, Andrew Breakspear, Sonali Roy, Jeremy D. Murray*. Cytokinin responses counterpoint auxin signaling during rhizobial infection. Plant Signaling & Behavior 10: e1019982 (2015).
22. Dasong Chen, Cheng-WuLiu, Sonali Roy, Donna Cousins, Nicola Stacey, Jeremy D. Murray*. Identification of a core set of rhizobial infection genes using data from single cell-types. Frontiers in Plant Science 6:575 (2015).
23. Andrew Breakspear, ChengwuLiu, Donna R. Cousins, Sonali Roy, Dian Guan, Jeremy D. Murray. The role of hormones in rhizobial infection. Biological Nitrogen Fixation, Chapter 56. Editor Frans J. de Bruijn, Wiley-Blackwell, New York, DOI: 10.1002/9781119053095.ch56 (2015). (Book chapter)
24. Andrew Breakspear#, Chengwu Liu#, Sonali Roy, Nicola Stacey, Christian Rogers, Martin Trick, Giulia Morieri, Kirankumar S. Mysore, Jiangqi Wen, Giles E. D. Oldroyd, J. Allan Downie, Jeremy D. Murray*. The root hair infectome of Medicago truncatula uncovers changes in cell cycle genes and reveals a requirement for auxin signaling in rhizobial infection. The Plant Cell 26(12):4680-701 (2014).
25. Ertao Wang*, Nan Yu, S. Asma Bano, ChengwuLiu, Anthony J. Miller, Donna Cousins, Xiaowei Zhang, Pascal Ratet, Million Tadege, Kirankumar S. Mysore, J. Allan Downie, Jeremy D. Murray, Giles E. D. Oldroyd, Michael Schultze. A H+-ATPase that energizes nutrient uptake during mycorrhizal symbioses in rice and Medicago truncatula. ThePlant Cell26(4):1818-1830 (2014).
26. Jeremy D. Murray*, Donna R Cousins, Kirsty J. Jackson, ChengwuLiu. Signaling at the root surface: the role of cutin monomers in mycorrhization. Molecular Plant 6(5):1381-3 (2013).
27. Dian Guan, Nicola Stacey, ChengwuLiu, Jiangqi Wen, Kirankumar S. Mysore, Ivone Torres-Jerez, Tatiana Vernié, Million Tadege, Chuanen Zhou, Zeng-yu Wang, Michael K. Udvardi, Giles E. D. Oldroyd, Jeremy D. Murray*. Rhizobial infection is associated with the development of peripheral vasculature in nodules of Medicago truncatula. Plant Physiology 162(1): 107-115 (2013).
28. Chengwu Liu, Hengfu Yin, Peng Gao, Xiaohe Hu, Jun Yang, Zhongchi Liu, Xiangdong Fu, Da Luo*. PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE SYNTHASE1 is required for inflorescence meristem and organ development in Arabidopsis. Journal of Integrative Plant Biololgy55(8): 682–695 (2013).
29. Hengfu Yin, Peng Gao, ChengwuLiu, Jun Yang, Zhongchi Liu, Da Luo*. SUI-family genes encode phosphatidylserine synthases and regulate stem development in rice. Planta 237(1): 15-27 (2013).
Zhi-cheng Dong, Zhong Zhao, Cheng-wuLiu, Jiang-hong Luo, Jun Yang, Wei-hua Huang, Xiao-he Hu, Trevor L. Wang, Da Luo*. Floral patterning in Lotus japonicus. Plant Physiology 137(4): 1272–1282 (2005).