Hongwei Li

Assistant Professor

Department of Microbiology
University of Hawai'i
2538 The Mall
Snyder 302
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-5518, Fax: 808-956-5339
hli@hawaii.edu

Postgraduate Researcher (2001-2006)

Department of Plant Pathology
University of California - Riverside

Ph.D.

2001
National University of Singapore
Department of Biological Sciences

M.Sc.

1992
Harbin Normal University, China
Department of Biology

B.Sc.

1989
Harbin Normal University, China,
Department of Biology

Research Interests

Molecular virus-host interactions

RNA interference (RNAi) is a small RNA-mediated gene regulatory mechanism that is conserved in most eukaryotic organisms. Small RNAs, including microRNAs and small interfering RNAs, silence gene expression by either cleavage or translational repression of the target mRNA in a sequence-specific manner. In plants and invertebrate fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, RNAi acts as a natural antiviral immunity. Our research interests are mainly focusing on the molecular interaction between replicating virus and RNAi pathway in animal cells.

The role of RNAi in dengue virus-mosquito interactions

Emerging and resurging of mosquito-borne viral diseases have become increasing threats to human health in tropical and subtropical regions. Dengue virus is the pathogen responsible for dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever, and transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Understanding of the interaction between Dengue virus and mosquito is the prerequisite for development of effective strategies for vector control. The purpose of this study is to investigate the molecular mechanism of RNAi induction and suppression by dengue virus in Aedes mosquito cells. The long term goal is to further characterize the RNAi-based immunity in mosquitoes.

Suppression of RNAi by viral proteins and its correlation with viral pathogenesis

RNAi machinery plays important roles in many biological processes, such as developmental control, physiological regulation and stress responses. Suppression of RNAi by viral proteins in infected cells may affect host gene expression by disrupting RNAi pathway. We are trying to study the mechanism of RNAi suppression by animal viral proteins and its possible correlations with viral virulence and viral pathogenesis.

RNAi-based antiviral mechanism in shrimp

Viruses are major shrimp pathogens causing large economic losses in the world. However, little is known about how shrimp copes with virus infection and what the innate immunity against viruses is. Using Taura syndrome virus (TSV) as a tool, we are investigating the role of RNAi in virus-shrimp interactions by analyzing induction and suppression of antiviral RNAi in TSV-infected shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei.

Lab Members

Graduate Students

Barry, Beverly Annie

Hua, Charles

Lee, Deborah

Representative Publications

Wang XH, Aliyari R, Li WX, Li HW, Kim K, Carthew R, Atkinson P and Ding SW. (2006) RNA interference directs innate immunity against viruses in adult Drosophila. Science. 312:452-4.
Li HW and Ding SW (2005) Antiviral silencing in animals. FEBS Lett. 579: 5965-73.
Lu R, Maduro M, Li F, Li HW, Broitman-Maduro G, Li WX, Ding SW. (2005) Animal virus replication and RNAi-mediated antiviral silencing in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nature. 436:1040-1043.
Ding SW, Li HW, Lu R, Li F and Li WX. (2004) RNA silencing: a conserved antiviral immunity of plants and animals. Virus Res. 102(1):109-15.
Lu R, Li HW, Li WX and Ding SW (2004) RNA-based immunity in insects. In Microbe-vector interactions in vector-borne diseases (Society for General Microbiology Symposium no.63), pp.63-74. Edited by S.H. Gillespie, G.L. Smith and A. Osbourn. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Li,WX*, Li HW*, Lu R*, Li F, Dus M, Atkinson P, Brydon EW, Johnson KL, Garcia-Sastre A, Ball LA, Palese P and Ding SW (2004) Interferon antagonist proteins of influenza and vaccinia viruses are suppressors of RNA silencing. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A. 101(5):1350-5. (featured in Nat. Rev. Immunol. 4: 163 and in Scientist 18:32-35). (*Li WX, Li HW & Lu R contributed equally to this work.)
Markarian N., Li HW, Ding SW and Semancik JS (2004) RNA silencing as related to viroid induced symptom expression. Arch Virol. 149(2):397-406.
Li HW, Li WX and Ding SW (2002) Induction and suppression of RNA silencing by an animal virus. Science. 296:1319-1321. (front cover of Science; featured in molecular cell 9:925-927).
Li HW, Lucy AP, Guo HS, Li WX, Ji LH, Wong SM and Ding SW (1999) Strong host resistance targeted against a viral suppressor of plant gene silencing defense mechanism. EMBO J. 18:2683-2691.