Feng Qu, PhD

Research Associate Professor Deptartment of Biological Sciences University of Nebraska E 229 Beadle Center City, State zip: Lincoln, NE 68588-0666 Ph: 402-472-8889 Fax: 402-472-8722 Email: fqu1@unl.edu

Research Interests

My long term research interest is to understand the molecular mechanisms of virus-host interactions, in particular, the interactions that help the infected hosts defend themselves. Our model system is plant viruses and their respective host plants. My current research focus is to elucidate the RNA silencing-based host antiviral defense.

Selected Publications:

• Feng Qu, and T. Jack Morris (2006). Carmoviruses. A chapter in the book “Encyclopedia of Virology” 3nd edition. Academic Press.

• Feng Qu, Xiaohong Ye, Hou, G., Shirley Sato, Thomas E. Clemente and T. Jack Morris (2005). The Nicotiana benthamiana homolog of SDE1/SGS2/RDR6 functions in a temperature-dependent manner to defend both differentiated tissues and shoot apices against viral invasion. Journal of Virology 79, 15209-15217.

• Feng Qu, and T. Jack Morris (2005). Suppressors of RNA silencing encoded by plant viruses and their role in viral infections. FEBS Letters 579, 5958-5964.

• Tao Ren, Feng Qu and T. Jack Morris (2005). The nuclear localization of the Arabidopsis transcription factor TIP is blocked by its interaction with the coat protein of Turnip Crinkle Virus. Virology 331, 316-324.

• Chang Won Choi, Feng Qu, Tao Ren, Xiaohong Ye and T. Jack Morris (2004).The RNA silencing suppressor function of Turnip crinkle virus coat protein cannot be attributed to its interaction with the Arabidopsis protein TIP. Journal of General Virology 85, 3415-3420.

• Feng Qu, Tao Ren, and T. Jack Morris (2003). The coat protein of Turnip crinkle virus suppresses post-transcriptional gene silencing at an early initiation step. Journal of Virology 77, 511-522.