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Ph.D. Utrecht University, the Netherlands 

Research Areas: 

Molecular Cell Biology, Developmental Genetics, Evolutionary Developmental (Evo-Devo) Biology, Stem Cell Biology, Bioimaging. 

Research Interests: 

My research interests lie in the understanding of how a multicellular organism can grow and develop from a single cell and how the appropriate cell types are specified in the right place in an organism. I aim to gain a deep insight into the basic principles of cell polarity and pattern formation during plant development, using root systems of two model plants: the eudicot plant Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) and the monocot crop Oryza sativa (Rice).

• Schematic representation of the Arabidopsis (left) and rice (right) root meristem

 Research Projects: 

1) Environmental and developmental regulation of root architecture in plants
2) Cellular and molecular mechanisms of regeneration in plants
3) Polar auxin transport and pattern formation in plants 

Publications: 

1. Willemsen, V., Bauch, M., Bennett, T., Campilho, A., Wolkenfelt, H., Xu, J., Haseloff, J. and Scheres, B. (2008) The NAC domain transcription factors FEZ and SOMBRERO control the orientation of the cell division plane in Arabidopsis root stem cells. Dev Cell 15, 913-922.

2. Dhonukshe, P., Tanaka, H., Goh, T., Ebine, K., Mahonen, A. P., Prasad, K., Blilou, I., Geldner, N., Xu, J., Uemura, T., Chory, J., Ueda, T., Nakano, A., Scheres, B. and Friml, J. (2008) Generation of cell polarity in plants links endocytosis, auxin distribution and cell fate decisions. Nature 456, 962-966.

3. Grieneisen, V.A., Xu, J., Maree, A.F.M., Hogeweg, P. and Scheres, B. (2007) Auxin transport is sufficient to generate a maximum and gradient guiding root growth. Nature 449, 1008-1013.

4. Scheres, B. and Xu, J. (2006) Polar auxin transport and patterning: grow with the flow. Genes Dev. 20, 922-926.

5. Wisniewska, J., Xu, J., Seifertova, D., Brewer, P.B., Ruzicka, K., Blilou, I., Benkova, E., Scheres, B. and Friml, J. (2006) Polar PIN Localization Directs Auxin Flow in Plants. Science 312, 883.

6. Xu, J., Hofhuis, H., Heidstra, R., Sauer, M., Friml, J. and Scheres, B. (2006) A molecular framework for plant regeneration. Science 311, 385-388. (Featured in Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 7, 154, and Nature Reviews Genetics 7, 157.)

7. Xu, J. and Scheres, B. (2005) Cell Polarity: ROPing the ends together. Curr Opin Plant Biol. 8, 613-618.

8. Li, L., Xu, J., Xu, Z.H. and Xue, H.W. (2005) Brassinosteroids Stimulate Plant Tropisms Through Modulation of Polar Auxin Transport in Brassica and Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 17, 2738-2753.

9. Fiers, M., Golemiec, E., Xu, J., van der Geest, L., Heidstra, R., Stiekema, W. and Liu, C.M. (2005) The 14-Amino Acid CLV3, CLE19, and CLE40 Peptides Trigger Consumption of the Root Meristem in Arabidopsis through a CLAVATA2-Dependent Pathway. Plant Cell 17, 2542-2553.

10. Xu, J. and Scheres, B. (2005) Dissection of Arabidopsis ADP-RIBOSYLATION FACTOR 1 Function in Epidermal Cell Polarity. Plant Cell 17, 525-536.

11. Blilou, I., Xu, J., Wildwater, M., Willemsen, W., Paponov, I., Friml, J., Heidstra, R., Aida, M., Palme, K. and Scheres, B. (2005) The PIN auxin efflux facilitator network controls growth and patterning in Arabidopsis roots. Nature 433, 39-44.

12. Casamitjana-Martinez, E., Hofhuis, H.F., Xu, J., Liu, C.M., Heidstra, R. and Scheres, B. (2003) Root-specific CLE19 overexpression and the sol1/2 suppressors implicate a CLV-like pathway in the control of Arabidopsis root meristem maintenance. Curr Biol. 13, 1435-1441.

13. Grebe, M., Xu, J., Mobius, W., Ueda, T., Nakano, A., Geuze, H.J., Rook, M.B. and Scheres, B. (2003) Arabidopsis sterol endocytosis involves actin-mediated trafficking via ARA6-positive early endosomes. Curr Biol. 13, 1378-1387.

14. Grebe, M., Xu, J. and Scheres, B. (2001) Cell axiality and polarity in plants--adding pieces to the puzzle. Curr Opin Plant Biol. 4, 520-526.

15. Yang, W.C., Ye, D., Xu, J. and Sundaresan, V. (1999) The SPOROCYTELESS gene of arabidopsis is required for initiation of sporogenesis and encodes a novel nuclear protein. Genes Dev. 13, 2108-2117.