主要從事水稻重要功能基因，特別是具有重要農藝性狀基因的克隆與分子育種。目前的研究工作包括水稻抗白葉枯病基因的克隆、利用克隆的Xa21基因培育抗白葉枯病雜交稻、水稻和玉米的分子育種。研究工作得到國家重大基礎研究（973）項目、國家高技術研究（863）項目、國家自然基金委項目和中國科學院知識創新工程項目的支持。
近期發表主要論文
1.Jiang L, Zhang W, Xia Z, Jiang G, Qian Q, Li A, Cheng Z, Zhu L, Mao L, Zhai W. A paracentric inversion suppresses genetic recombination at the FON3 locus with breakpoints corresponding to sequence gaps on rice chromosome 11L. Mol Gen Genomics, 2007, 277: 263-272.
2.Baisheng Yu, Zhongwei Lin, Haixia Li, Xiaojiao Li, Jiayang Li, Yonghong Wang, Xia Zhang, Zuofeng Zhu, Wenxue Zhai,Xiangkun Wang, Daoxin Xie, Chuanqing Sun. TAC1, a major quantitative trait locus controlling tiller angle in rice. The Plant Journal,2007, 52: 891-898.
3.Zou J, Chen Z, Zhang S, Zhang W, Li G, Chen Z, Zhai W, Zhao X, Pan X, Xie Q, Zhu L. The rice HIGH-TILLERING DWARF1 encoding an ortholog of Arabidopsis MAX3 is required for negative regulation of the outgrowth of axillary buds. Plant J., 2006, 48: 687-698.
4.Jiang GH, Xia ZH, Zhou YL, Wan J，Li DY, Chen RS, Zhai WX and Zhu L H. Testifying the rice bacterial blight resistance gene xa5 in its function and further analyzing xa5 (Xa5) by comparing with it’s homolog TFIIAγ1. Mol Gen Genomics. 2006, 275: 354-366.
5.Chen X, Shang J, Chen D, Lei C, Zou Y, Zhai W，Liu G, Xu J, Ling Z, Cao G, Ma B, Wang Y, Zhao X, Li S, Zhu L. A B-lectin receptor kinase gene conferring rice blast resistance. Plant J., 2006, 46: 794-804.
6.Chen C, Xiao H, Zhang W, Wang A, Xia Z, Li X, Zhai W, Cheng Z, Zhu L. Adapting rice anther culture to gene transformation and RNA interference. Science in China Series C: Life Sciences, 2006, 49(5):414-428.
7.Zou jh, Chen ZX, Zhang SY, Zhang WP, Jiang GH, Zhao XF, Zhai WX, Pan XB and Zhu LH. Characterizations and fine mapping
of a mutant gene for high tillering and dwarf in rice ( Oryza sativaL.). Planta.2005, 222: 604-612.
8.Luo Q, Zhou K, Zhao X, Zeng Q, Xia H, Zhai W, Xu J, Wu X, Yang H, Zhu L. Identification and fine mapping of a mutant gene for palealess spikelet in rice. Planta, 2005,221: 222-230.
9.Guddeti G, Zhang D, Leseberg C, Kang H, Zhai W, Johns M, Mao L. Molecular evolution of the rice miR395 gene family. Cell Research, 2005, 15(8): 631-638.
10.Li Jiang, Qian Qian, Long Mao, Qingyuan Zhou, Wenxue Zhai. Characterization of the rice floral organ number mutant fon3. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology, 2005, 47(1): 100-106.
11.Wenxue Zhai, Caiyan Chen, Xuefeng Zhu, Xuewei Chen, Dechun Zhang, Xiaobing Li, Lihuang Zhu. Analysis of T-DNA-Xa21 loci and resistance effects of the transgene in transgenic rice. Theor Appl Genet, 2004, 109: 534-542.
12.Xianwu Zheng, Xiaohong Zhang, Jichen Xu, Zhongzhuan Lin, Wenxue Zhai, Lihuang Zhu. Isolation and identification of a gene in response to rice blast resistance in rice. Plant Molecular Biology, 2004, 54: 99-109.
13.Chen X.W, Li S.G, Xu J.C, Zhai W.X, Ling Z.Z, Ma B.T, Wang Y.P, Wang W.M, Cao G, Ma Y.Q, Shang J.J, Zhao X.F, Zhou K.D,Zhu l.h. Identification of two blast resistance genes, Journal of Phytopathology, 2004, 152(2): 77-85.
14.Han Xiao, Yun Wang, Daofeng Liu, Wemming Wang, Xiaobing Li, Xianfeng Zhao, Jichen Xu, Wenxue Zhai and Lihuang Zhu.Functional analysis of the rice AP3 homologue OsMADS16 by RNA interference. Plant Molecular Biology, 2003, 52: 957–966.
15.Zhong YM, Jiang GH, Chen XW, Xia ZH, Li XB, Zhu LH, Zhai WX. Identification and gene prediction of 24kb fragment containing xa5,a recessive bacterial blight resistance gene in rice. Chinese Science Bulletin, 2003, 48(24): 2725-2729.
16.JIANG Guanghuai, LIANG Guohua, ZHAI Wenxue, GU Minghong, LU Runlong, XU Jichen, ZHU Lihuang. Genetic mapping of a new semi-dwarf gene, sd-t(t), in indica rice and estimating of the physical distance of the mapping region. SCIENCE IN CHINA(Series C), 2002,45(4): 388-396.
17.Zhai WX, Wang WM, Zhou YL, Li XB, Zheng XW, Zhang Q, Wang GL, Zhu LH. Breeding bacterial blight resistanct hybrid rice with the cloned bacterial resistance gene Xa21. Molecular Breeding, 2001 (2002), 8(4): 285-293.
18.Jun Yu, Songnian Hu, Jun Wang, Gane Ka-shu Wong, …… Wenxue Zhai,…Xianwu Zheng…, Lihuang Zhu, Longping Yuan, Huanming Yang. A draft sequence of the rice genome (Oryza sativa ssp. indica). Science, 2002,296: 79-92.
19.Ouyang Zhenqian, Wang Shiquan, Zhai Wenxue, Zhu Lihuang: Optical mapping of a rice BAC clone using restriction endonuclease and imaging with fluorescent microscopy at single molecular level. Chinese Science Bulletin, 2002, 47(4):319-312.
20.Wang WM, Zhai WX, Luo M, Jiang G H, Chen X, Li X, Wing RA, Zhu LH. Chromosome landing at the bacterial blight resistance gene Xa4 locus using a deep coverage rice BAC library. Molecular General Genetics, 2001, 265: 118-125.
21.Zheng Xianwu，Zhai Wenxue，Li Xiaobing，Wang Wenjun，Xu Jichen，Liu Guozhen Zhu Lihuang，Studies of NBS-LRR Resistance Gene Homologues in Rice，SCIENCE IN CHINA (Series C), 2001, 44(3): 253-262.
22.Ma BJ, Wang WM, Zhou JH, Liu GQ, Fang J, Zhu LH, Zhai WX. Efficient selection of homozygous lines of hybrid rice restorer with the transgene Xa21 using test cross and PCR. Chinese Science Bulletin, 2001, 46(2):125-128.
