EDUCATION
Ph.D 2006/09-2011/11, Plant Molecular Biology, The University of Hong Kong
Master 2003/09 -2006/07, Plant Molecular Biology, Lanzhou University
Bachelor 1999/09 -2003/07, Biotechnology, Lanzhou University
WORK EXPERIENCE
2018/09-present Associate Professor/Master’s Supervisor, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University
2014/12-2018/09，Assistant Professor/ Master’s Supervisor, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University
2013/03-2014/11，Research Assistant, Plant Molecular Biology and Agricultural Technique Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
2011/12 -2013/02，Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong
RESEARCH INTERESTS
1. Mitochondrial gene expression in higher plants.
We employ the maize kernel mutants that are defective on the mitochondria-encoded gene expression to investigate how they affect mitochondria function and plant growth.
2. Mechanistic study of maize kernel development.
Investigation of the mechanisms of embryogenesis and endosperm development in maize.
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
1. 2016-2018, Molecular mechanism of PPR184 involving in maize kernel development and mitochondrial cytochrome c maturation, National Natural Science Foundation for Young Scholars (PI).
2. 2016-2018, Molecular mechanism of regulation of maize PPR151 on the intron splicing of mitochondria-encoded gene, Funding of Postdoctoral Special Assistance (PI).
3. 2015-2016, Functional studies of PPR184 in governing cytochrome c maturation process, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (First-class, PI)
4. 2018-2019, Dissecting the key genetic networks in kernel size regulation and their molecular mechanisms, Major Research Program Integration Project, National Natural Science Foundation of China (First participant).
5. 2017-2021, Functional and mechanistic study of PPR genes that is essential to seed development, Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China (First participant).
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
1.FSun,,Z Xiu,.R Jiang,.,Y Liu,, X Zhang,, YZ Yang, ,XJ Li, ,X Zhang, , Y Wang, , B.C.* Tan, (2019). The mitochondrial pentatricopeptide repeat protein EMP12 is involved in the splicing of three nad2 introns and seed development in maize. Journal of Experimental Botany 70: 963-972.
2. F Sun,,X Zhang,.,Y Shen, ,H Wang, R Liu, ,X Wang, , D Gao, , YZ Yang,., Y Liu, , B.C.* Tan, (2018). The pentatricopeptide repeat protein EMPTY PERICARP8 is required for the splicing of three mitochondrial introns, complex I biogenesis and seed development in maize. Plant Journal 95: 919-932.
3. F Sun, ,X Wang, , Bonnard, G.,Y Shen,.,Z Xiu,.,X Li, ,D Gao, ,Z Zhang, ,BC Tan, (2015). Empty pericarp7 encodes a mitochondrial E-subgroup pentatricopeptide repeat protein that is required for ccmFNediting, mitochondrial function and seed development in maize. Plant Journal 84: 283–295.
4. F Sun, .,P Suen., Y Zhang.,C Liang , Carrie C., Whelan J., Ward J.L., Hawkins N.D., L Jiang., and Lim B.L. (2012). A dual-targeted purple acid phosphatase in Arabidopsis thaliana moderates carbon metabolism and its overexpression leads to faster plant growth and higher seed yield. New Phytologist 194: 206-219.
5. F.#Sun,C# Liang, Whelan J,J Yang,P Zhang,BL Lim (2013). Global transcriptome analysis of AtPAP2-overexpressing Arabidopsis thaliana with elevated ATP. BMC Genomics 14: 752. (#: co-first author)
6.F Sun,.,Carrie C., Law S., Murcha M.R, Zhang ., Law Y., Suen P., Whelan J. and B. L. Lim. (2012). AtPAP2 is a tail-anchored protein in the outer membrane of chloroplasts and mitochondria. Plant Signaling & Behavior7: 927-932.
7.XL Li, ,WL Huang, ,HH Yang, ,RC Jiang,F Sun, ,HC Wang, , J Zhao, ,C Xu, , B.C.* Tan, (2019). EMP18 functions in mitochondrial atp6 and cox2 transcript editing and is essential to seed development in maize. New Phytologist 221:896-907..
8.YF Zhang,., Suzuki, M.,F Sun,,B.C.* Tan, (2017). The mitochondrion-targeted PENTATRICOPEPTIDE REPEAT78 protein is required for nad5 mature mRNA stability and seed development in maize. Molecular Plant 10: 1321-1333.
9. M Cai, ,S Li, ,F Sun, ,Q Sun, ,H Zhao, , X Ren, ,Y Zhao, , B.C. Tan, Z* Zhang, F* Qiu, (2017). Emp10 encodes a mitochondrial PPR protein that affects the cis-splicing of nad2 intron 1 and seed development in maize. Plant Journal 91: 132-144.
10.YZ Yang, S Ding,HC Wang,F Sun, WL Huang, S Song,CH Xu, BC* Tan, (2017). The pentatricopeptide repeat protein EMP9 is required for mitochondrial ccmB and rps4 transcript editing, mitochondrial complex biogenesis and seed development in maize. New Phytologist 214: 782-795.
11. Z Xiu, F Sun, Y Shen, X Zhang,R Jiang, Bonnard, G.,JH Zhang, BC Tan, (2016). EMP16 is required for mitochondrial nad2 intron 4 cis-splicing and seed development in maize. Plant Journal 85: 507–519.
12.X Li, Y Zhang, M Hou, F Sun, Y Shen, Z Xiu,X Wang, Z Chen, SSM Sun, Small I,BC Tan, (2014). Small kernel1 encodes a pentatricopeptide repeat protein required for mitochondrial nad7 transcript editing and seed development in maize and rice. Plant Journal 79: 797–809.
13. Law, Y.,R Zhang, X Guan, S Cheng,F Sun, Duncan, O., Murcha, M.W., Whelan J., Lim, B. L. (2015). Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the presequence of precursor MULTIPLE ORGANELLAR RNA EDITING FACTOR3 during import into mitochondria from Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology 169: 1344–1355.
14.Y Zhang, F Sun, Fettke, J., Schöttler, M.A., Lawrence R., Alisdair, R.F., Lim, B.L. (2014). Heterologous expression of AtPAP2 in transgenic potato influences carbon metabolism and tuber development, FEBS Letter 588: 3726-3731.
15.Y Ku, Koo N.,F Li,M Li,H Wang Tsai S.,F Sun Lim B., Ko W., Lam H.M. (2013). GmSAL1 hydrolyzes inositol-1, 4, 5-trisphosphate and regulates stomatal closure in detached leaves and ion compartmentalization in plant cells. PLoS ONE22; 8: e78181.
16.Y Zhang, ,L Yu.,K Yung,Y Leung,F Sun and Lim B. L. (2012). Over-expression of AtPAP2 in Camelina sativa leads to faster plant growth and higher seed yield. Biotechnology Biofuels 5: 19-28.
