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Location: Home > Scientist > Faculty and Staff
Faculty and Staff
Details of the Faculty or Staff
Name  
 Yansheng Zhang
Title  
    Professor
Highest Education  
    Ph.D
Adress  
    The Wuhan Botanical Garden,The Chinese Academy of Science,430074
Phone  
    027-87700848
Zip Code  
    430074
Fax  
    027-87510251
Email  
    zhangys@wbgcas.cn

Education and Appointments：

04/2010-present Professor/Principal Investigator, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Moshan, Wuhan, 430074, China

04/2008-03/2010 Research Associate, National Research Council Canada, Plant Biotechnology Institute, Sasakatoon, SK, S7NOW9, Canada

04/2006-03/2008 Postdoctoral fellow, National Research Council Canada, Plant Biotechnology Institute, Sasakatoon, SK, S7NOW9, Canada

04/2005-03/2006 Postdoctoral fellow, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO, 63132, United States

09/2001-03/2005 Ph.D, Department of molecular and developmental biology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Research Interest：
Introduction 

There is a fantastic resource of medicinal plants in china, many compounds extracted from these plant materials show great pharmacological activities, unfortunately, the supplies of some high value plant metabolites are very limited in natural plant hosts. Cell cultures and chemical synthesis approaches have been applied to the productions of these compounds with a very limited success, especially for the compound with a complicated structure, classical examples are anti-cancer drug “taxol” and anti-malarial drug “artemisinin”, both of them are biosynthesized at a very low level in plants, cell culture systems are disappointing for the productions and chemical synthesis with too many steps are time-consuming and give a overall low yield. Our lab focuses on solving the supply problem through plant molecular biology and synthetic biology.

Gene discovery and natural product biosynthesis 

For gene discovery, we firstly create genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic datasets that will guide us to dig up the genes involved in natural product biosynthesis. For example, we prepare cDNA samples from the specialized cells in which the compounds of interest are produced, create thousands of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) by sequencing cDNAs, and compare the omics data (transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) from the targeted cell types that are non-treated and treated by elicitors which trigger the biosynthesis of interested compounds. Through the ESTs coupled with omics data, we identify the cDNA candidates that may encode enzymes of interests. We test the cDNA candidates in biochemistry through expressing the candidates heterologously in E.coli and yeast cells, or test their functions in native plant hosts using artificial RNAi technologies. After isolating all the genes in a pathway, we will metabolically engineer the biosynthesis of plant derived drugs in yeast through the stepwise reconstitution of biosynthetic genes in yeast cells, which we called synthetic biology. For the metabolic engineering, there are two major points we need to consider: (1) optimize plant biosynthetic genes and enzymes to facilitate highly expressions of plant natural product biosynthetic pathway in yeast cells, (2) to engineer a yeast platform that can efficiently produce plant derived drugs with potentially commercial applications. We usually synthesize plant biosynthetic genes based on a yeast preferred codon usage and rationally mutate plant biosynthetic enzymes for the applications in yeast cells. We propose to develop a yeast strain that maximize the precursor supply and highly secrete plant derived drugs biosynthesized. We will utilize an in silico analysis to identify gene deletions and gene overexpressions that can enhance precursor supply based on a yeast genome-scale metabolic network model, and then genetically modify the yeast strain based on the analysis results. We also will try to enhance the secretions of plant natural products from yeast cells by genetically engineering yeast metabolite efflux pumps such as ABC transporters.

Currently, we are investigating the genes involved in the biosynthesis of isoflavonoids and triterpenoids in several chinese medicinal plant species and metabolically engineering the production of a sesquiterpene (dihydroartemisinic acid originated from artemisia annua plant) in yeast cells at a lab-scale.
Public Services：

Honors：
Seleted Publications：

1.  Xin Wang, Changfu Li, Chen Zhou, Jia Li, Yansheng Zhang*, Molecular characterization of the C-glucosylation for puerarin biosynthesis in Pueraria lobata, Plant Journal, 90: 535-546, 2017 (IF=5.901). 

2. Gou, Junbo; Hao, Fuhua; Huang, Chongyang; Kwon, Moonhyuk; Chen, Fangfang; Li, Changfu; Liu, Chaoyang; Ro, Dae-Kyun; Tang, Huiru; Zhang, Yansheng*, Discovery of a non-stereoselective cytochrome P450 catalyzing either 8 α- or 8 β-hydroxylation of germacrene A acid from the Chinese medicinal plant, Inula hupehensis, Plant Journal, doi: 10.1111/tpj.13760, 2017 (IF=5.901).

3. Jia Li, Jia shen, Zhiqiang Sun, Jing Li, Changfu Li, Xiaohua Li and Yansheng Zhang*, Discovery of several novel targets that enhance beta-carotene production in Sacchromyces cerevisiae, Frontiers in Microbiology, 8:1116, 2017 (IF=4.076). 

4. Guo H, Yang Y, Xue F, Zhang H, Huang T, Liu W, Liu H, Zhang F, Yang M, Liu C, Lu H, Zhang Y*, Ma L*, Effect of flexible linker length on the activity of fusion protein 4-coumaroyl-CoA ligase::stilbene synthase,  Mol Biosyst, 13(3):598-606, 2017 (IF=2.781). 

5. Yuanjun Li, Fangfang Chen, Zhenqiu Li, Changfu Li, Yansheng Zhang*，Identification and Functional Characterization of Sesquiterpene Synthases from Xanthium strumarium，Plant and Cell Physiology, 57 (3): 630-641, 2016 (IF=4.760). 

6. Yuanjun Li, Junbo Gou, Fangfang Chen, Changfu Li, and Yansheng Zhang*, Comparative transcriptome analysis identifies putative genes involved in the biosynthesis of xanthanolides in Xanthium strumarium L., Frontiers in Plant Science, 7:1317, 2016 (IF=4.760).  

7. Jia Li, Changfu Li, Junbo Gou, Xin Wang, Rongyan Fan, and Yansheng Zhang*, An alternative pathway for formononetin biosynthesis in Pueraria lobata, Frontiers in Plant Science, 7:861, 2016 (IF=4.760).  

8. Jia Li, Changfu Li, Junbo Gou, and Yansheng Zhang*, Molecular cloning and functional characterization of a novel isoflavone 3'-O-methyltransferase from Pueraria lobata, Frontiers in Plant Science, 7:793, 2016 (IF=4.760).  

9. Junbo Gou, Zhenqiu Li, Changfu Li, Fangfang Chen, Shiyou Lv, and Yansheng Zhang*, Molecular cloning and functional analysis of a 10-epi-junenol synthase from Inula hupehensis, Plant physiology and Biochemistry, 10:288-294, 2016 (IF=2.928).  

10. Xin Wang, Rongyan Fan, Jia Li, Changfu Li, Yansheng Zhang*, Molecular cloning and functional characterization of a novel (iso)flavone 4',7-O-diglucose transferase from Pueraria lobata, Frontiers in Plant Science, 7:387, 2016 (IF=4.760).  

11. Chen Zhou, Jing Li, Changfu Li, and Yansheng Zhang*, Improvement of betulinic acid biosynthesis in yeast using multiple strategies, BMC Biotechnology, 16:59, 2016 (IF=2.452).  

12. Xin Wang, Chen Zhou, Xianpeng Yang, Di Miao, Yansheng Zhang*, De novo transcriptome analysis of Warburgia ugandensis to identify genes involved in terpenoids and unsaturated fatty acids biosynthesis, Plos One, 10(8): e0135724, 2015 (IF=3.057).  

13. Jing Li, Yansheng Zhang*, Modulating betulinic acid production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by managing the intracellular supplies of the co-factor NADPH and oxygen, Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 119(1): 77-81, 2015 (IF=1.964).  

14. Rongyan Fan, Yuanjun Li, Changfu Li, Yansheng Zhang*, Differential microRNA analysis of glandular trichomes and young leaves in Xanthium strumarium L. reveals their putative roles in regulating terpenoid biosynthesis,  Plos One, 10(9): e0139002, 2015 (IF=3.057).  

15. Xin Wang, Shutao Li, Jia Li, Changfu Li, Yansheng Zhang*, De novo transcriptome sequencing in Pueraria lobata to identify putative genes involved in isoflavones biosynthesis, Plant Cell Rep., 34: 733-743, 2015 (IF=3.088).  

16. Zhiqiang Sun, Hailing Meng, Jing Li, Jianfeng Wang, Yong Wang, Yansheng Zhang*, Identification of Novel Knockout Targets for Improving Terpenoids Biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Plos One, 9 (11): e112615, 2014 (IF=3.057).  

17. Changfu Li, Fangfang Chen, Yansheng Zhang*, GA3 and other signal regulators (MeJA and IAA) improve xanthumin biosynthesis in different manners in Xanthium strumarium L., Molecules, 19, 12898-12908, 2014 (IF=2.465).  

18. Jing Li, Yansheng Zhang*, Increase of betulinic acid production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by balancing fatty acids and betulinic acid forming pathways, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 98: 3081-3089, 2014 (IF=3.376).  

19. Jia Li, Zhaobo Li, Changfu Li, Junbo Gou, Yansheng Zhang*, Molecular cloning and characterization of an isoflavone 7-O-glucosyltransferase from Pueraria lobata, Plant Cell Reports, 33:1173-1185, 2014 (IF=3.088).  

20. Zhaobo Li, Changfu Li, Jia Li, Yansheng Zhang*, Molecular cloning and functional characterization of two divergent 4-coumarate: coenzyme A ligases from kudzu (Puearia lobata), Biol. Pharm . Bull., 37(1):113-122, 2014 (IF=1.574).  

21. Fangfang Chen, Fuhua Hao, Changfu Li, Junbo Gou, Dayan Lu, Fujun Gong, Huiru Tang*, and Yansheng Zhang*, Identifying three ecological chemotypes of Xanthium strumarium glandular trichomes using a combined NMR and LC-MS method, Plos One, 8(10):e76621, 2013 (IF=3.057).  

22. Qian Li, Zhiqiang Sun, Jing Li, Yansheng Zhang*, Enhancing beta-carotene production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by metabolic engineering, FEMS Microbiology Letters, 345: 94-101, 2013 (IF=1.858). 

23. C. J. Paddon, P. J. Westfall, ….,Y. Zhang, …..,N. S. Renninger, J. D. Newman, High-level production of semi-synthetic artemisinin, a potent antimalarial, Nature, 496(7446): 528-532, 2013 (IF=38.138).  

24. Lili Huang, Hong Wang, Hechun Ye, Zhigao Du, Yansheng Zhang*, Ludger Beerhues, Benye Liu*, Differential expression of benzophenone synthase and chalcone synthase in Hypericum sampsonii, Natural Product Communication, 7: 1615-1618, 2012 (IF=0.884).  

25. Lili Huang, Jia Li, Hechun Ye, Changfu Li, Hong Wang, Benye Liu, Yansheng Zhang*, Molecular characterization of the pentacyclic triterpenoid biosynthetic pathway in Catharanthus roseus, Planta, 236: 1571-1581, 2012 (IF=3.239).  

26. Yansheng Zhang, Goska Nowak, Darwin Reed, Patrick Covello, The production of artemisinin precursors in tobacco, Plant Biotechnology Journal, 9: 445-454, 2011 (IF=6.090). 

27. Jianchun Qin, Lin Zhu, Mingjun Gao, Xian Wu, Hongyu Pan, Yansheng Zhang*, Xiang Li*, Cloning and functional characterization of a chalcone isomerase from Trigonella foenum-graecum L., Planta Medica, 77: 765-770, 2011 (IF=1.990).  

28. Lies Maes1, Filip Nieuwerburgh1, Yansheng Zhang1, Darwin Reed, Jacob Pollier, Sofie R. F. Vande Casteele, Dirk Inze, Patrick Covello, Dieter L. D. Deforce and Alain Goossens*, Dissection of the phytohormonal regulation of trichome formation and biosynthesis of the antimalarial compound , New Phytologist, 189: 176-189, 2011 (1 co-first author) (IF=7.210).  artemisinin in Artemisia annua plants

29. Yechun Wang, Coralie Halls, Juan Zhang, Michiyo Matsuno, Yansheng Zhang, Oliver Yu*, Stepwise increase of resveratrol biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by metabolic engineering,  Metabolic engineering, 13: 455-463, 2011 (IF=8.201).  

30. Hao Zhang, Guangzhi Sun, Xiang Li, Hongyu Pan*, and Yansheng Zhang*, A new geldanamycin analogue from Streptomyces hygroscopicus, Molecules, 15: 1161-1167, 2010 (IF=2.465). 

31. Devin Polichuk1, Yansheng Zhang1, Darwin Reed, Janice Schmidt, Patrick Covello*, A glandular trichome-specific monoterpene alcohol dehydrogenase from Artemisia annua, Phytochemistry, 71: 1264-1269, 2010 (1 co-first author) (IF=2.779).  

32. Yansheng Zhang, Keat Teoh, Darwin Reed, Patrick Covello*, Molecular cloning and characterization of Dbr1, a 2-alkenal reductase from Artemisia annua, Botany, 87: 643-649, 2009 (IF=1.54).  

33. Yansheng Zhang, Keat H. Teoh, Darwin W. Reed, Lies Maes, Alain Goossens, Douglas J.F. Olson, Andrew R.S. Ross, and Patrick S. Covello*, The molecular cloning of artemisinic aldehyde Δ 11(13) reductase and its role in glandular trichome-dependent biosynthesis of artemisinin in Artemisia annua. J. Biol. Chem., 283: 21501-21508, 2008 (IF=4.258).  

34. Zhang J., Subramanian S., Zhang Y., Yu O*, Flavone synthases from Medicago truncatula are flavanone-2-hydroxylases and are important for nodulation, Plant Physiology, 144(2): 741-751, 2007 (IF=6.456).  

35. Zhang Y, Liu ZH, Jia L, Peng ZL, Jaworski J, Wang XM, Jez J., Chen F, Yu O* , Using unnatural protein fusions to engineer resveratrol biosynthesis in yeast and mammalian cells. Journal of American Chemical Society, 128: 13030-13031, 2006 (IF=13.038).  

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