种子是植物生命传承的载体，种子是农业的“芯片”，我们以植物种子为研究对象，聚焦植物种子生物学的重要科学问题，以Seed的重要属性（Science, Eatables, Evolution, Diversity)为出发点，研究材料主要是拟南芥和大豆（不限于），主要包括以下3个方面：

1. 从种子的科学(Science)属性出发------探究植物种子发育过程中不同组织之间的信号交流的分子基础的前沿基础科学问题；

2. 从种子的粮食(Eatables)属性出发------挖掘调控植物种子发育重要性状（包括胚胎/胚乳发育、种子大小、种子贮藏物质积累、种子休眠）的关键基因及其分子机制；

3. 以种子扮演物种传承与演化的角色（Evolution）和生物多样性（Diversity）的角度出发------自然界中的植物种子结构各异，探索不同结构类型植物种子形成的个性和共性的分子基础及进化机制。

国家自然科学基金青年基金项目，2020-2022，24万（主持）；

广东省自然科学基金面上项目，2021-2023，10万（主持）；                     

1.Yilong Hu, Limeng Zhou, Mingkun Huang, Xuemei He, Yuhua Yang, Xu Liu, Yuge Li, Xingliang Hou*. Gibberellins play an essential role in late embryogenesis of Arabidopsis. 2018. Nature Plants. 4(5):289-298 (F1000 Prime);

2.Yilong Hu^#, Limeng Zhou^#, Yuhua Yang, Wenbin Zhang, Zhonghui Chen, Xiaoming Li, Qian Qian, Fanjiang Kong, Yuge Li, Xu Liu, Xingliang Hou*. Gibberellin Signaling Negative Regulator RGA-LIKE3 Promotes Seed Storage Protein Accumulation. 2020. Plant Physiology. 185(4):1697-1707;

3.Sijia Lu^#, Xiaohui Zhao^#, Yilong Hu^#, Shulin Liu^#, Haiyang Nan^#, Xiaoming Li, Chao Fang, Dong Cao, Xinyi Shi, Lingping Kong, Tong Su, Fengge Zhang, Shichen Li, Zheng Wang, Xiaohui Yuan, Elroy R Cober, James L Weller, Baohui Liu*, Xingliang Hou*, Zhixi Tian* & Fanjiang Kong*. Natural variation at the soybean J locus improves adaptation to the tropics and enhances yield. 2017. Nature Genetics. 49(5):773-779 (^#co-first author);

4.Mingkun Huang, Yilong Hu, Xu Liu, Yuge Li, Xingliang Hou*. Arabidopsis LEAFY COTYLEDON1 controls cell fate determination during post-embryonic development. 2015. Frontiers in Plant Science. 6:955;

5.Mingkun Huang, Yilong Hu, Xu Liu, Yuge Li, Xingliang Hou*. Arabidopsis LEAFY COTYLEDON1 mediates postembryonic development via interacting with PHYTOCHROMEINTERACTING FACTOR4. 2015. The Plant Cell. 27(11):3099-3111;

6.Xu Liu^#, Yuhua Yang^#, Yilong Hu, Limeng Zhou, Yuge Li, Xingliang Hou*. Temporal-Specific Interaction of NF-YC and CURLY LEAF during the Floral Transition Regulates Flowering. 2018. Plant Physiology. 177(1):105-114;

7.Yuge Li, Yuhua Yang, Yilong Hu, Hailun Liu, Ming He, Ziyin Yang, Fanjiang Kong, Xu Liu, Xingliang Hou. DELLA and EDS1 Form a Feedback Regulatory Module to Fine-Tune Plant Growth–Defense Tradeoff in Arabidopsis. 2019. Molecular Plant. 12(11):1485-1489;

8.Hailun Liu^#, Yuge Li^#, Yilong Hu, Yuhua Yang, Wenbin Zhang, Ming He, Xiaoming Li, Chunyu Zhang, Fanjiang Kong, Xu Liu, Xingliang Hou. EDS1-Interacting J Protein 1 (EIJ1) Is an Essential Negative Regulator of Plant Innate Immunity in Arabidopsis. 2020. The Plant Cell. 33(1): 153-171;

9.Qian Qian, Yuhua Yang, Wenbin Zhang, Yilong Hu, Yuge Li, Hao Yu, and Xingliang Hou* (2021) A novel Arabidopsis gene RGAT1 is required for GA-mediated tapetum and pollen development. New Phytologist. 231(1):137-151;

10.Wenbin Zhang, Yang Tang, Yilong Hu, Yuhua Yang, Jiajia Cai, Hailun Liu, Chunyu Zhang, Xu Liu, and Xingliang Hou* (2021) Arabidopsis NF-YCs play dual roles in repressing brassinosteroid biosynthesis and signaling during light-regulated hypocotylelongation. The Plant Cell. 33(7):2360–2374;

11.Yilong Hu, Limeng Zhou, Xingliang Hou*. Roles of Gibberellins in Early Embryo Morphogenesis and Late Seed Maturity in Plant. 2017. Mechanisms of Development. 145: S130-S131 (Meeting Abstract).