Wei Xu, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Oncology

wxu@oncology.wisc.edu

Lab Website

Trainer in the Following Programs:

  • Endocrinology-Reproductive Physiology
  • Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
  • Cellular and Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Biology Graduate Training Program

Honors and Awards:

  • Shaw Scientist Award - 2008 (description)
  • HHMI postdoctoral fellowship - 2001-2005

Research Description:

Our laboratory is focused on the transcriptional regulation of estrogen receptor (ER) signaling pathways by nuclear receptor co-factors. Our major interest is on a protein arginine (R) methyltransferase CARM1/PRMT4, a nuclear hormone receptor co-activator. Histone H3 methylation by CARM1 potentiates target gene activation by ER. Our ongoing studies include combining biochemical and functional genomic approaches to understand ER-regulated processes controlled by CARM1 and the mechanism by which histone arginine modification contributes to the epigenetic control of cancer cells. We will also employ mice genetics to decipher the significance of histone arginine methylation in tumor prevention, thereby facilitating the rational design of novel chemotherapy drugs by targeting the epigenome in breast cancer.

Selected Publications: Articles on PubMed

  • Zhu Y, Zhu Y, and Xu W. (2008). EzArray: A Web-based Highly Automated Affymetrix Expression Array Data Management and Analysis System. BMC Bioinformatics. 9:46.

  • Higashimoto K, Kuhn P, Desai D, Cheng X, and Xu W. (2007). Phosphorylation-mediated Inactivation of Coactivator-associated Arginine Methyltransferase 1. PNAS USA. 104: 12318-12323.

  • Powell E, Kuhn P, and Xu W. (2007). Nuclear Receptor Cofactors in PPARg-Mediated Adipogenesis and Adipocyte Energy Metabolism. PPAR Res. 2007:53843.

  • Yao T, Song L, Xu W, DeMartino GN, Florens L, Swanson SK, Washburn MP, Conaway RC, Conaway JW, and Cohen RE. (2006). Proteasome Recruitment and Activation of the Uch37 Deubiquitinating Enzyme by Adrm1.  Nat Cell Biol. 8:994-1002.

  • Xu W. (2005). Nuclear receptor coactivators: the key to unlock chromatin. Biochem Cell Bio. 83:1-11. PDF PMID 16094445

  • Xu W, Cho H, Kadam S, Banayo EM, Anderson S, Yates III JR, Emerson BM, and Evans RM. (2004). A Methylation-Mediator Complex in Hormone Signaling. Genes Dev. 18:144-156. PDF PMID 14729568

    Louie MC, Yang HQ, Ma A-H, Xu W, Zou JX, Kung H-J, and Chen H-W. (2003). Androgen-induced Recruitment of RNA Polymerase II to a Nuclear Receptor-p160 Coactivator Complex. PNAS USA. 100:2226-2230. PDF PMID 12589022

    Xu W, Cho H, and Evans RM. (2003). Acetylation and Methylation in Nuclear Receptor Gene Activation. Methods Enzymol. 364:205-223. PMID 14631847

    Demarest SJ, Martinez-Yamout M, Chung J, Chen H, Xu W, Dyson HJ, Evans RM, and Wright PE. (2002). Mutual Synergistic Folding in Recruitment of CBP/p300 by p160 Nuclear Receptor Coactivators. Nature. 415:549-553. PDF PMID 11823864

  • Xu W, Chen H, Du K, Asahara H, Tini M, Emerson BM, Montminy M, and Evans RM. (2001). A Transcriptional Switch Mediated by Co-Factor Methylation. Science. 294:2507-2511. PDF PMID 11701890
Lab Members:
  • Postdoctoral associate: Ken Higashimoto
  • Graduate Students: Peter Kuhn & Emily Powell
  • Research Specialist: Chris Bartley
  • Undergraduate Students: Dhaval Desai, Siang yun Ang
  • Lab volunteer: Yidan Wang

Student availability:

We plan to take 1-2 graduate students per year

 

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