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Xin Li

Associate Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology

Research Interests

Research Topics

Development, Genetics, Genomics, Neurobiology, Regulation of Gene Expression

Research Description

Regulation of temporal patterning in neural progenitors and subsequent generation of neural diversity

Generation of neural diversity is a key question in developmental neurobiology. Studies in both vertebrates and Drosophila have shown that neural progenitors are temporally patterned to generate different neural types in a defined order. We use the Drosophila medulla (the first color-information processing center) to address this question. Through an antibody screen, we identified a large set of transcription factors expressed in the developing medulla, and five of them, Homothorax (Hth), Eyeless (Ey), Sloppy paired 1 and 2 (Slp), Dichaete (D) and Tailless (Tll), are expressed sequentially in neural progenitors called neuroblasts as they age. These temporally-expressed transcription factors are required for sequential generation of different neural types. Cross-regulation between these transcription factors is required but not sufficient for temporal transitions, suggesting additional mechanism is required.

My lab’s goal is to elucidate the molecular mechanism controlling the sequential temporal transitions in medulla neuroblasts to generate different neural types, using both genetics and genomics approaches. In a genomics approach, we compare the transcriptome profiles of medulla neuroblasts as they transit through different temporal stages using the five transcription factors as markers. In parallel, we use genetic analysis to identify the molecular players and elucidate the molecular clock. The integrated approaches are also used in our investigation of how the sequential expression of transcription factors in neuroblasts generates neural diversity. Our research will shed light on the neurogenesis of a complex adult neural structure, as well as on the general mechanism of temporal patterning of neural progenitors.

Education

B.S., Beijing Medical University, China
Ph.D., Northwestern University
Postdoc., New York University

Awards and Honors

2022-2024, Lincoln Excellence for Assistant Professors (LEAP) Award, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

2023-2024, Helen Corley Petit Scholar, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Additional Campus Affiliations

Associate Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology
Affiliate, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology

Recent Publications

Hailun Zhu, Sihai Dave Zhao, Alokananda Ray, Yu Zhang, and Xin Li (2022). “A comprehensive temporal patterning gene network in Drosophila medulla neuroblasts revealed by single-cell RNA sequencing.” Nature Communications. 13, 1247 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28915-3. 

Alokananda Ray and Xin Li  (2022). “A Notch-dependent transcriptional mechanism controls expression of temporal patterning factors in Drosophila medulla”. eLife. 11:e75879.  https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.75879. 

Yu Zhang, Scott Lowe, Andrew Z. Ding and Xin Li (2023). “Notch-dependent binary fate choice regulates the Netrin pathway to control axon guidance of Drosophila visual projection neurons.” Cell Reports. 42 (3): 112143, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112143. 

Yu Zhang, Scott Lowe, Andrew Z. Ding and Xin Li (2023). “Axon targeting of Drosophila medulla projection neurons requires diffusible Netrin and is coordinated with neuroblast temporal patterning”. Cell Reports. 42(3):112144. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112144. 

Invited review:  Alokananda Ray, Hailun Zhu, Andrew Ding, and Xin Li (2022). “Transcriptional and Epigenetic Regulation of Temporal Patterning in Neural Progenitors.” Developmental Biology. 481:116-128. In Special Issue on "Transcriptional and epigenetic control of cell fate specification". doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.10.006. Epub 2021 Oct 16. 

Editorial:  Xin Li and Mubarak Hussain Syed (2022). “Time, Space, and Diversity”. for Special Issue on “Temporal Patterning in the CNS”, Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology. Sep10;S1084-9521(22)00264-6, doi: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.09.002. 

Yu Zhang and Xin Li. Immunostaining of Drosophila Brains to Study Optic Lobe Development. Cold Spring Harb Protoc. 2024 Mar 1;2024(3):pdb.prot108157. doi: 10.1101/pdb.prot108157. PMID: 37758286.

Yu Zhang and Xin Li. Development of the Drosophila Optic Lobe. Cold Spring Harb Protoc. 2024 Mar 1;2024(3):pdb.top108156. doi: 10.1101/pdb.top108156. PMID: 37758285.