Jeffery Q. Shen

Associate Professor

Ph.D. Washington University, St. Louis

Bioinformatics; Molecular Genetics

jeffery.shen@unlv.edu

My research focus on development of databases and bioinformatics tools for genome analyses and gene annotations, predictions of genes responsive to environmental/developmental cues, and predictions of gene functions (subcellular localization, and protein motifs). Another focus of my research is the molecular mechanism controlling plant responses to abiotic stresses, seed dormancy and germination. I am also interested in the mechanism underlying tissue-specific and developmentally-regulated gene expression.

Selected Publications

• Xie, Z., Zhang, Z.L., Zou, X.L., Yang, G.X., Komatsu, Setsuko and Shen, Q.J.: Interactions of two abscisic-acid induced WRKY genes in repressing gibberellin signaling in aleurone cells. Plant J., 2006. 46: 231-242.
• Ross C.A. and Shen, Q.J.: Computational prediction and experimental verification of HVA1-like abscisic acid responsive promoters in rice (Oryza sativa)., Plant Mol. Biol. 2006, in press.
• Shen, Q.J. and Wang J.: Engineering for drought tolerance in horticultural and ornamental plants: lessons from the studies with model plants. In Journal of Crop Improvement, Edited by Yi Li and Yan Pei, Haworth Press, Inc, Binghamton, NY. 2006, In press.
• Xie, Z., Zhang, Z.L., Zou, X.L., Huang, J., Ruas, P., Thompson, D., and Shen, Q.J.: Annotations and functional analyses of the rice WRKY gene superfamily reveal positive and negative regulators of abscisic acid signaling in aleurone cells. Plant Physiol., 2005. 137: 176-189.
• Xie, Z., Ruas, P. and Shen, Q.J.: Regulatory networks of phytohormone abscisic acid. In Vitamins and Hormones, Edited by Gerald Litwack, Academic Press/Elsevier Science. 2005. 72: 235-269.
• Zou, X., Seemann, J.R., Neuman, D., and Shen, Q.J.: A WRKY gene from creosote bush encodes an activator of the ABA signaling pathway. J. Biol. Chem. 2004. 279: 55770-55779.
• Zhang, Z.L., Xie, Z., Zou, X.L., Casaretto, J.A, Ho, T.H.D. and Shen, Q.J.: A rice WRKY gene encodes a transcriptional repressor of the gibberellin signaling pathway in aleurone cells. Plant Physiol. 2004. 134: 1500-1513.
• Zhang, Z.L., Cook, E., Zhao, H.Y., Song, Y.R. and Shen, Q.J.: Symmetrical directional cloning: an efficient method to prepare hairpin RNA interference constructs. Progress in Natural Science, 2004. 14: 1053-1059.
• Zhao, H.Y., Shen, Q.J., and Song, Y.R.: Characterization of three rice CCoAOMT genes. Chinese Science Bulletin. 2004. 49: 1602-1606.
• Shen, Q.J., Casaretto, J.A., Zhang, P. and Ho, T.H.D.: Functional definition of ABA response complexes, the promoter units necessary and sufficient for ABA induction of gene expression in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Plant Mol. Biol. 2004. 54: 111-124.