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New Mexico State University

Jiannong Xu
xu

Jiannong Xu


Title: Assistant Professor
Research area: Genomics on mosquito-malaria interactions
Office location: FH 469
Laboratory Location:  FH 449
Email Address: jxu@nmsu.edu
Office Phone: 646-7713
Lab Phone: 646-5936
Lab Webpage: ---

Education:

  • PhD: 1993, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
  • Postdoctoral fellow: 1998-2003, New York University, Dept of Molecular and Medical Parasitology
  • Research Associate: 2003-2008, University of Minnesota, Dept of Microbiology.

Research Interests:   

Malaria is an urgent threat to global health especially in Africa, causing a million life losses annually. Malaria is caused by a protozoan Plasmodium parasite that carries out its life cycle in two distinct hosts - the human and the vector Anopheles mosquito. Vector control is one of the measures in the integrated malaria control program. Mosquitoes function as the vectors that transmit malaria to humans as well as the hosts that suffer the infection.  Anti-malaria architecture has been shaped in mosquito genome during the interactions with the Plasmodium throughout the evolution. The immune architecture programs mechanisms that are able to limit the infection to a tolerable range.  Genetic variation in the mosquito immune system affects the anti-malaria performance and the vector competence at the population level. I am interested in the genetic basis that determines the susceptibility/resistance. By screening single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in immune genes from natural populations we will be able to characterize the common pattern of genetic variation in natural populations, which will provide a foundation for identifying the variants that affect the vector competence by using genetic association study.

Another related research in my lab is about the host-pathogen interactions using malaria-mosquito as model system. We will characterize the immune signaling pathways that are involved in defense mechanisms to different pathogens by using functional genomics and reverse genetics approaches like RNA interference (RNAi).

Selected Publications:

  • Riehle MM, Markianos K, Niare O, Xu J, Li J, Toure AM, Podiougou B, Oduol F, Diawara S, Diallo M, Coulibaly B, Ouatara A, Kruglyak L, Traore SF, Vernick KD  (2006)  Natural malaria infection in Anopheles gambiaeis regulated by a single genomic control region.  Science 312-577
  • Ma, J., Li, S. & Xu, J (2006)  Molecular identification and phylogeny of the Maculatus Group of Anopheles mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences.  Acta Tropica 99:272
  • Li J, Riehle MM, Zhang Y, Xu J, Oduol F, Gomez SM, Eiglmeier K, Uegerheide BM, Shabanowitz J, Hunt DF, Ribeiro JM, Vernick KD (2006)  Anopheles gambiae genome reannotation through synthesis of ab initio and comparative gene prediction algorithms.  Genome Biol. 7(3):R24
  • Ma, J. & Xu, J (2005)  The Hyrcanus Group of Anopheles (Anopheles) in China (Diptera:  Culicidae):  species discrimination and phylogeny inferred by rDNA ITS2 sequencs.  J. Med. Entomol; 42:610
  • Vernick Kd, Oduol F, Lazzaro BP, Glazebrook J, Xu J, Riehle M, Li J.  (2005)  Molecular genetics of mosquito resistance to malaria parasites.  Curr Top Microbiol Immunol.  295:383
  • Christophides GK, Evgeny C, Barillas-Mury C, Birney E, Blandin S, Blass C, Bray PT, Collins FH, Danielli A, Dimopoulus G, Hetru C, Hoa NT, Hoffmann JA, Kanzok SM, Letunic I, Levashina E, Loukeris TG, Lycett, G, Meister S, Michel K, Noita LF, Mueller H-M, Osta MA, Paskewitz SM, Reichhart J, Rzhetsky A, Troxler L, Vernick KD, Vlachou D, Volz J, von Mering C, Xu J, Zheng L, Bork P, Kafatos FC.  (2002)  Immunity-related genes and gene families in Anopheles gambiae:  A comparative genomic analysis.  Science; 298:159
  • Ma, J., Qu, F., Xu J & Zhen Z.  (2001)  The molecular polymorphism revealed by RAPD markers in Anopheles sinensis populations in China.  Acta Entomol Sinica; 44:33-37
  • Oduol, F., Xu, J., Niare, O., Natarajan, R & Vernick, K.D.  (2000)  Genes identified by an expression screen in the vector mosquito, Anopheles gambiae,display differential molecular immune response to malaria parasites and bacteria.  Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 97:11397
  • Ma, Y., Qu F., Xu, J., Li, X, & Song, G.  (2000)  Differences in sequences of ribosomal DNA second internal transcribed spacer among three members of Anopheles hyrcanus complex from the Republic of Korea.  Entomol Sinica; 7:36
  • Xu, X, Xu, J & Qu, F  (1998)  A diagnostic polymerase chain reaction assay for species A and D of the Anoheles dirus  (Diptera:  Culicidae) species complex based on ribosomal DNA second internal transcribed space sequence. J Am Mosq Control Assoc; 14:385
  • Xu, J & Qu, F  (1997)  Ribosomal DNA difference between species A and D of the Anopheles dirus complex of mosquitoes from China.  Med Vet Entomol; 11:134