Overview
Background
Dr. Guoquan Liu has more than ten years experience in sorghum tissue culture and genetic transformation. He developed a highly efficient sorghum particle transformation system in 2012. Since then, hundreds of transgenic plants have been regenerated from tens of constructs that are invoved in plant disease resistant genes (e.g. Lr34), report gene (gfp), specific-promoters (e.g. alpha- beta- kafirin, A2, LSG), G proteins etc.. He has trained many students how to transform sorghum including honor students, master students, and PhD students.
He has focused on improving sorghum grain yield and grain quality through biotechnologies including genetic transformation, genome-editing, synthetic biology, and plant apomixis.
Availability
- Dr Guoquan Liu is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Agriculture, Huazhong Agricultural University
- Masters (Research) of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Plant Tissue Culture
Optimize tissue culture system for transformation and genome editing.
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Plant genetic transformation
Investigate and characterize gene function.
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Plant genome editing
Investigate and manipulate gene function for improving grain size and grain quality in sorghum.
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Plany synthetic biology
Design and synthesize genes for plant engineering in sorghum.
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Biofuel
Increase total sugar content and improve plant biomass in sorghum.
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Capture heterosis
The project is proudly funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and predominantly focus on fixing heterosis in sorghum and cowpea.
Research impacts
Highly efficient sorghum tissue culture and particle bombardment transformation system.
Works
Search Professor Guoquan Liu’s works on UQ eSpace
Featured
2021
Journal Article
Stem vacuole-targetted sucrose isomerase enhances sugar content in sorghum
Liu, Guoquan, Zhang, Yan, Gong, Hao, Li, Shan, Pan, Yunrong, Davis, Christopher, Jing, Hai-Chun, Wu, Luguang and Godwin, Ian D. (2021). Stem vacuole-targetted sucrose isomerase enhances sugar content in sorghum. Biotechnology for Biofuels, 14 (1) 53, 1-14. doi: 10.1186/s13068-021-01907-z
Featured
2017
Journal Article
The functionality of α-kafirin promoter and α-kafirin signal peptide
Liu, Guoquan, Lamont, Kyle C., Ahmad, Norazlina, Tomkins, Alison, Mudge, Stephen R., Gilding, Edward K. and Godwin, Ian D. (2017). The functionality of α-kafirin promoter and α-kafirin signal peptide. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture, 128 (1), 133-143. doi: 10.1007/s11240-016-1093-3
Featured
2012
Journal Article
Highly efficient sorghum transformation
Liu, Guoquan and Godwin, Ian D. (2012). Highly efficient sorghum transformation. Plant Cell Reports, 31 (6), 999-1007. doi: 10.1007/s00299-011-1218-4
2025
Journal Article
Identification of the regulatory role of SsMYBS25-4 in salt stress from MYB-related transcription factors in sugarcane (Saccharum spontaneum)
Wu, Songguo, Huang, Xiaojin, Fu, Chunli, Wan, Xincheng, Huang, Ke, Shad, Munsif Ali, Hu, Lihua, Chen, Lingling, Liu, Guoquan and Wang, Lingqiang (2025). Identification of the regulatory role of SsMYBS25-4 in salt stress from MYB-related transcription factors in sugarcane (Saccharum spontaneum). International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 303 140566, 140566-303. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.140566
2025
Journal Article
An accelerated transgene-free genome editing system using microparticle bombardment of sorghum immature embryos
Zhang, Yan, Cheng, Ming, Massel, Karen, Godwin, Ian D. and Liu, Guoquan (2025). An accelerated transgene-free genome editing system using microparticle bombardment of sorghum immature embryos. aBIOTECH, 1-13. doi: 10.1007/s42994-025-00204-9
2025
Journal Article
Lysozyme-coated nanoparticles for active uptake and delivery of synthetic RNA and plasmid-encoded genes in plants
Yong, Jiaxi, Xu, Wang, Wu, Miaomiao, Zhang, Run, Mann, Christopher W. G., Liu, Guoquan, Brosnan, Christopher A., Mitter, Neena, Carroll, Bernard J. and Xu, Zhi Ping (2025). Lysozyme-coated nanoparticles for active uptake and delivery of synthetic RNA and plasmid-encoded genes in plants. Nature Plants, 11 (1) e2106945, 131-144. doi: 10.1038/s41477-024-01882-x
2024
Journal Article
Transgenic, high-protein sorghums display promise in poultry diets in an initial comparison
Macelline, Shemil P., Godwin, Ian D., Liu, Guoquan, Restall, Jemma, Cantor, David I., McInerney, Bernard V., Toghyani, Mehdi, Chrystal, Peter V., Selle, Peter H. and Liu, Sonia Yun (2024). Transgenic, high-protein sorghums display promise in poultry diets in an initial comparison. Poultry Science, 103 (6) 103698, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.103698
2023
Conference Publication
Nanoclay particles for active uptake and systemic delivery of genes into intact plants
Carroll, B. J., Yong, J., Xu, W., Wu, M., Zhang, R., Mann, C. W. G., Liu, G., Mitter, N. and Xu, Z. P. (2023). Nanoclay particles for active uptake and systemic delivery of genes into intact plants. 2023 In Vitro Biology Meeting, Norfolk, VA United States, 10-14 June 2023. Heidelberg, Germany: Springer.
2023
Journal Article
Regioselective stilbene O-methylations in Saccharinae grasses
Lui, Andy C. W., Pow, Kah Chee, Lin, Nan, Lam, Lydia Pui Ying, Liu, Guoquan, Godwin, Ian D., Fan, Zhuming, Khoo, Chen Jing, Tobimatsu, Yuki, Wang, Lanxiang, Hao, Quan and Lo, Clive (2023). Regioselective stilbene O-methylations in Saccharinae grasses. Nature Communications, 14 (1) 3462, 1-15. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-38908-5
2022
Journal Article
Genetic modification of PIN genes induces causal mechanisms of stay-green drought adaptation phenotype
Borrell, Andrew K., Wong, Albert C. S., George-Jaeggli, Barbara, van Oosterom, Erik J., Mace, Emma S., Godwin, Ian D., Liu, Guoquan, Mullet, John E., Klein, Patricia E., Hammer, Graeme L., McLean, Greg, Hunt, Colleen and Jordan, David R. (2022). Genetic modification of PIN genes induces causal mechanisms of stay-green drought adaptation phenotype. Journal of Experimental Botany, 73 (19), 6711-6726. doi: 10.1093/jxb/erac336
2021
Journal Article
An efficient sorghum transformation system using embryogenic calli derived from mature seeds
Wang, Lihua, Gao, Li, Liu, Guoquan, Meng, Ruirui, Liu, Yanlong and Li, Jieqin (2021). An efficient sorghum transformation system using embryogenic calli derived from mature seeds. PeerJ, 9 e11849, e11849. doi: 10.7717/peerj.11849
2021
Journal Article
Manipulating assimilate availability provides insight into the genes controlling grain size in sorghum
Tao, Yongfu, Trusov, Yuri, Zhao, Xianrong, Wang, Xuemin, Cruickshank, Alan W., Hunt, Colleen, van Oosterom, Erik J., Hathorn, Adrian, Liu, Guoquan, Ian, Godwin D., Botella, Jose R., Mace, Emma S. and Jordan, David R. (2021). Manipulating assimilate availability provides insight into the genes controlling grain size in sorghum. The Plant Journal, 108 (1) tpj.15437, 1-13. doi: 10.1111/tpj.15437
2021
Journal Article
Current status and prospects of plant genome editing in Australia
Zhang, Yan, Restall, Jemma, Crisp, Peter, Godwin, Ian and Liu, Guoquan (2021). Current status and prospects of plant genome editing in Australia. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Plant, 57 (4), 1-10. doi: 10.1007/s11627-021-10188-y
2020
Other Outputs
Stem Vacuole-targeted Sucrose Isomerase Enhances Sugar Accumulation in Sorghum
Liu, Guoquan, Zhang, Yan, Gong, Hao, Li, Shan, Pan, Yunrong, Davis, Christopher, Jing, Hai-Chun, Wu, Luguang and Godwin, Ian D. (2020). Stem Vacuole-targeted Sucrose Isomerase Enhances Sugar Accumulation in Sorghum. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-135798/v1
2020
Journal Article
Transgenic expression of flavanone 3‐hydroxylase redirects flavonoid biosynthesis and alleviates anthracnose susceptibility in sorghum
Wang, Lanxiang, Lui, Andy C W, Lam, Pui Ying, Liu, Guoquan, Godwin, Ian D and Lo, Clive (2020). Transgenic expression of flavanone 3‐hydroxylase redirects flavonoid biosynthesis and alleviates anthracnose susceptibility in sorghum. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 18 (11) pbi.13397, 2170-2172. doi: 10.1111/pbi.13397
2020
Conference Publication
How do crops balance water supply and demand when water is limiting?
Borrell, Andrew, George-Jaeggli, Barbara, Oosterom, Erik van, Hammer, Graeme, Mace, Emma, Godwin, Ian, Liu, Guoquan, Wong, Albert, Matiwos, Temesgen, Bantte, Kassahun, Christopher, Jack, Hickey, Lee, Richard, Cecile, Robinson, Hannah and Jordan, David (2020). How do crops balance water supply and demand when water is limiting?. The Third International Tropical Agriculture Conference TropAg 2019 , Brisbane, QLD Australia, 11–13 November 2019. Basel, Switzerland: MDPI. doi: 10.3390/proceedings2019036208
2020
Book Chapter
Biolistic DNA delivery and its applications in Sorghum bicolor
Liu, Guoquan, Massel, Karen, Tabet, Basam and Godwin, Ian D. (2020). Biolistic DNA delivery and its applications in Sorghum bicolor. Biolistic DNA delivery in plants: methods and protocols. (pp. 197-215) New York, NY, United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0356-7_10
2019
Conference Publication
Sterile leucaena becomes a reality?
Mcmillan, Hayley E., Liu, Guoquan, Shelton, H. Max, Dalzell, Scott A., Godwin, Ian D., Gamage, Harshi, Sharman, Cleo and Lambrides, Christopher J. (2019). Sterile leucaena becomes a reality?. International Leucaena Conference (ILC), Brisbane, Australia, 29 October-3 November 2018. Cali, Colombia: Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT). doi: 10.17138/TGFT(7)74-79
2019
Conference Publication
Canopy and root plasticity for drought adaptation in cereals
Borrell, Andrew, George-Jaeggli, Barbara, van Oosterom, Erik, Hammer, Graeme, Mace, Emma, Godwin, Ian, Liu, G., Wong, Albert, Temesgen, M., Kassahun, B., Christopher, Jack, Hickey, Lee, Richard, Cecile, Robinson, Hannah and Jordan, David (2019). Canopy and root plasticity for drought adaptation in cereals. Climate Change Linked Stress Tolerance in Plants (M4) (Keystone Symposia), Herrenhausen Palace, Hannover, Germany, 13-16 May 2019.
2019
Conference Publication
Drought adaptation in sorghum: scaling-up from gene to farmer's field
Borrell, Andrew, George-Jaeggli, Barbara, van Oosterom, Erik, Hammer, Graeme, Godwin, Ian, Liu, G., Wong, Albert, Hunt, Colleen and Jordan, David (2019). Drought adaptation in sorghum: scaling-up from gene to farmer's field. Australian Summer Grains Conference, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 8-10 July 2019.
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Guoquan Liu is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
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Sorghum genome editing
Optimze CRISPR/Cas9 system on sorghum.
Improve sorghum grain yield and grain quality through genome-editing.
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Sorghum as a biofuel crop
Increase sorghum sugar content and sorghum biomass through genetic engineering.
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Capture heterosis
Investigate genes involved in mitosis and meiosis pathway.
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Sorghum transformation
Investigate genes to improve sorghum grain quality and grain yeild.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Control of flowering in pineapple by genome editing.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jimmy Botella, Dr Yuri Trusov
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Guoquan Liu directly for media enquiries about:
- biofuel
- Plant genetic transformation
- Plant genome editing
- Plant tissue culture
- renewable energy
Need help?
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