Chen Fadi

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Areas of Research

Ornamental plants, Abiotic and biotic stresses,

Flower color, Flower development, Chrysanthemum

genome

Contact Information

Office location: Room B5005 Bioscience Building

(Mailing Address: No.1 Weigang, College of

Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University,

Nanjing 210095. Jiangsu Province, China)

Office phone：86-25-84395231

Email address：chenfd@njau.edu.cn

Research Interests

Abiotic and biotic stresses; Flower color; Flower development; Chrysanthemum genome

Our lab integrates transcriptome methods, bioinformatics, reverse genetic methods to study the

molecular mechanisms involved in flower color, flower development, and Chrysanthemum

genome. Some of the topics we are currently working on are described below:

1. Abiotic stresses

Waterlogging causes the death and loss of chrysanthemum to a great extend. Ethylene is a key

plant hormone involved in the response of chrysanthemum to waterlogging. We are focusing on

regulatory roles of key transcription factors modulating the production of ethylene and ethylene

signaling upon waterlogging.

2. Flower color

Flower color is one of the most important traits in ornamental plants, and it has also been an

important breeding goal in the long history of chrysanthemum breeding. Flavonoids confer a wide

range of colors to chrysanthemum flowers. We are interested in molecular networks regulating

flavonoid synthesis, mechanisms involved in flower color bud sport mutation in chrysanthemum,

and how environmental factors influence flower color formation in chrysanthemum.

3. Flower development

Chrysanthemum is well-known for showy highly compressed capitulum which is composed of

both female ray florets and bisexual disc florets. Chrysanthemum is rich in inflorescence form

and petal type, which are the significant embodiment of its ornamental value. However, the

molecular mechanism underlying flower and petal shape is still largely unexplored. The weighted

gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed important networks and hub genes

including ray floret petals-specific coexpression network, disc floret petals-specific network, B

and E class genes involved network and CYC2 genes network. We are going to focus on these

networks in determing petal morphogenesis and ray and disc flowers.

4. Chrysanthemum genome

The lack of genomic data from chrysanthemum species has hampered dissection of the

evolutionary mechanisms involved in their diversification. Therefore, we used Oxford Nanopore

long-read technology to sequence the diploid Chrysanthemum nankingense genome which is

probably one of the progenitors of domesticated chrysanthemums. Our analysis revealed that the

evolution of the C. nankingense genome was driven by bursts of repetitive element expansion

and WGD events including a recent WGD that distinguishes chrysanthemum from sunflower.

Variations of ornamental and medicinal traits in chrysanthemums are linked to the expansion of

candidate gene families by duplication events including paralogous gene duplication. Our study

of the assembled reference genome will be aid to disclose the history and pattern of evolution and

diversification of chrysanthemum plants, and also to accelerate the breeding and improvement of

chrysanthemum. Now, we are focusing on analyzing the genome of hexaploid chrysanthemum,

which will give us a clue to discipline the origin of cultivated chrysanthemum.

Education Background

Bachelor：Nanjing Agricultural University

Master：Nanjing Agricultural University

Doctor：Nanjing Agricultural University

Work experience

Assistant Professor, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1994-1996

Lecturer, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1997-1999

Associate Professor, Nanjing Agricultural University, 2000-2004

Professor, Nanjing Agricultural University, 2004-

Visiting Scholar, Chiba University, 2004-2005

Vice Dean, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 2009-2013

Dean, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 2014-2015

Vice President, Nanjing Agricultural University, 2016-2019

President, Nanjing Agricultural University, 2019-

Honors and Awards

The second class national technology award for invention prize (1

contributor)

The second class national award for S&T Progress prize (3

contributor)

The first class Jiangsu Provincial S&T Progress Award (1

contributor)

The first class Jiangsu Provincial Agricultural Technology Extension Award (1

contributor)

Distinguished professor of the Ministry of Education

Outstanding Young Scholars of National Science Fund

Selected Publication

(1) Song Chi

, Liu Yifei

, Song Aiping

, Dong Gangqiang

, Zhao Hongbo

, Sun

Wei,Ramakrishnan Shyam, Wang Ying, Wang Shuaibin, Li Tingzhao, Niu Yan, Jiang Jiafu,

Dong Bin, Xia Ye, Chen Sumei, Hu Zhigang, Chen Fadi*, Chen Shilin*. The Chrysanthemum

nankingense Genome Provides Insights into the Evolution and Diversification of

Chrysanthemum Flowers and Medicinal Traits. Molecular Plant. 2018, 11: 482-1491.

(2) Zhang Zixin, Hu Qian, Liu Yanan, Cheng Peilei, Cheng Hua, Liu Weixin, Xing Xiaojuan,

Guan Zhiyong, Fang Weimin, Chen Sumei, Jiang Jiafu*, Chen Fadi*. Strigolactone represses

the synthesis of melatonin, thereby inducing floral transition in Arabidopsis thaliana in an FLC-

dependent manner. Journal of Pineal Research. 2019, 67(2): e12582.

(3) Ding Lian, Zhao Kunkun, Zhang Xue, Song Aiping, Su Jiangshuo, Hu Yueheng, Zhao

Wenqian, Jiang Jiafu, Chen Fadi*. Comprehensive characterization of a floral mutant reveals

the mechanism of hooked petal morphogenesis in Chrysanthemum morifolium. Plant

Biotechnology Journal. 2019, 17(12): 2325-2340.

(4) Chen Yu, Jiang Jiafu, Song Aiping, Chen Sumei, Shan Hong, Luo Huolin, Gu Chunsun, Sun

Jing, Zhu Lu, Fang Weimin, Chen Fadi*. Ambient temperature enhanced freezing tolerance of

Chrysanthemum dichrum CdICE1 Arabidopsis via miR398. BMC Biology. 2013, 11: 121.

(5) Qi Xiangyu, Wang Haibin, Song Aiping, Jiang Jiafu, Chen Sumei, Chen Fadi*. Genomic and

transcriptomic alterations following intergeneric hybridization and polyploidization in the

Chrysanthemum nankingense × Tanacetum vulgare hybrid and allopolyploid (Asteraceae).

Horticulture Research. 2018, 5: 5.

(6) Liu Peng, Chen Sumei, Song Aiping, Zhao Shuang, Fang Weimin, Guan Zhiyong, Liao Yuan,

Jiang Jiafu*, Chen Fadi*. A putative high affinity phosphate transporter,CmPT1, enhances

tolerance to Pi deficiencyof chrysanthemum. BMC Plant Biology. 2014, 14: 18.

(7) Wang Jingjing

, Guan Yunxiao

, Ding Lian, Li Pirui, Zhao Wenqian, Jiang Jiafu, Chen Sumei,

Chen Fadi*. The CmTCP20 gene regulates petal elongation growth in Chrysanthemum

morifolium. Plant Science. 2019, 280: 248-257.

(8) Li Huiyun, Chen Sumei, Song Aiping, Wang Haibin, Fang Weimin, Guan Zhiyong, Jiang

Jiafu*, Chen Fadi*. RNA-Seq derived identification of differential transcription in the

chrysanthemum leaf following inoculation with Alternaria tenuissima. BMC Genomics. 2014,

15: 9.

(9) Wang Jingjing, Wang Haibin, Ding Lian, Song Aiping, Shen Feng, Jiang Jiafu, Chen Sumei,

Chen Fadi*. Transcriptomic and hormone analyses reveal mechanisms underlying petal

elongation in Chrysanthemum morifolium 'Jinba'.

Plant Molecular Biology. 2017, 93: 593-606.

(10) Chong Xinran

, Zhang Fei

, Wu Yangyang, Yang Xiaodong, Zhao Nan, Wang Haibin, Guan

Zhiyong, Fang Weimin, Chen Fadi*. A SNP-enabled assessment of genetic diversity,

evolutionary relationships and the identification of candidate genes in chrysanthemum. Genome

Biology and Evolution. 2016, 8 (12): 3661-3671.