Reprogramming and Industrialization of Non-Model Microbial Strains

Title

Reprogramming and Industrialization of Non-Model Microbial Strains

Speaker

Prof. Shihui Yang (Hubei University)

Host

Dr. Jinjin Diao (ChE, GTIIT)

Time and Location

Wednesday, 04/09/2025, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm (Beijing time), 10:00 am – 11:00 am (Israel time), E2-105, South Campus

Zoom

https://gtiit.zoom.us/j/95142151050?pwd=SBNmhSxKig3AuznR74g5eM9e9tlBc4.1

Passcode: 732766

Abstract

Synthetic biomanufacturing contributes to environmental protection and the achievement of carbon neutrality goals, serving as a key driver for sustainable bioeconomy development. Industrial microbial strains, enzymes, and bioprocess engineering technologies/equipment form the three pillars of biomanufacturing, among which the design, construction, and application of industrial strains with independent intellectual property rights are critical to success. Despite advances in systems and synthetic biology that have enhanced our understanding of chassis cells and enabled cell factory engineering, significant challenges remain in developing robust industrial strains with high yield and stability. This presentation will take Zymomonas mobilis — a non-model industrial ethanologenic bacterium with unique advantages — as an example to address key challenges in reprogramming and applying high-performance strains. Topics will include: Foundational requirements for strain reprogramming, such as fundamental biological knowledge, standardized genetic elements, and efficient genome editing tools (e.g., multi-omics data integration). We will also use anaerobic production of bulk platform chemicals from diverse feedstocks via engineered Z. mobilis as a case study to provide insights into the rational design of next-generation microbial cell factories for sustainable manufacturing.

合成生物制造有助于环境保护与双碳目标的实现，也是实现生物经济可持续发展的重要驱动力。工业微生物菌种、酶、生物过程工程技术和装备是生物制造的三大支柱，而其中具有自主知识产权工业菌株的设计、构建与应用是合成生物制造成功的关键。尽管系统与合成生物学的发展推动了底盘细胞的理解及细胞工厂的构建与应用，高产稳产工业菌株构建依然面临诸多挑战。本报告将以具有独特优势的非模式天然乙醇生产工业菌株运动发酵单胞菌为例，探讨高产稳产工业菌株重编程优化及应用过程需要解决的问题；包括实现重编程优化所需的信息基础、元件基础及高效基因组编辑工具的建立与应用；也将讨论改造运动发酵单胞菌使其利用多种原料厌氧生产大宗平台化合物的进展。

Bio

Shihui Yang, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Professor (Second Level) and Doctoral Supervisor at the College of Life Sciences, Hubei University. He is a recipient of the State Council Special Allowance for Experts, a candidate supported by the National High-level Overseas Talent Program, a Distinguished Professor under the Hubei Provincial Key Talent Program, a key expert in Hubei Province, and an entrepreneurial talent under the “Optics Valley 3551 Talent Program.” He serves as a council member of the China Association for Bio-fermentation Industry, a member of the Biochemical Engineering Committee of the Chinese Chemical Society, a member of the Molecular Microbiology and Bioengineering Committee of the Chinese Society for Microbiology, and a member of the Second Subcommittee of General Rules under the National Standardization Technical Committee for Technological Product Files. Additionally, he is the Vice President and Secretary-General of the Hubei Synthetic Biology Society and a council member of the Hubei Society of Bioengineering.

Dr. Yang obtained his bachelor’s degree in Biology from Hubei University in 1993, earned his master’s degree in Microbiology from Wuhan University in 2000, and received his Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of California, Riverside in 2005. He has held positions as a Research Associate at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (2007–2011) and as a Staff Scientist at the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (2011–2016).

Since joining the College of Life Sciences at Hubei University at the end of 2016, his research has focused on microbial metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and bioenergy and green biomanufacturing. As a principal investigator, he has led numerous national and provincial projects, including key R&D Programs in synthetic biology sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology and projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Dr. Yang has published over 120 papers in high-impact journals such as Nature Biotechnology, Nature Communications, PNAS, Nucleic Acids Research, and Trends in Biotechnology. His work has been cited more than 5700 times with H-index of 43. He holds 9 granted invention patents in the United States, 28 granted invention patents in China, and has transferred 17 patents. Additionally, he serves as co-editor-in-chief of Biodesign Research and as an editor or editorial board member for journals including Trends in Biotechnology, Synthetic Biology, and Chinese Journal of Biotechnology.

杨世辉，博士，二级教授，博士生导师，湖北大学生命科学学院，享受国务院政府特殊津贴专家、国家高层次留学人才项目资助人选、湖北省重点人才计划特聘教授、湖北省重点联系专家，“光谷3551人才计划”创业人才；中国生物发酵产业协会理事会理事、中国化工学会生物化工专委会委员、中国微生物协会分子微生物学及生物工程专业委员会委员、全国技术产品文件标准化技术委员会第二届通用规则分技术委员会委员，湖北省合成生物学学会副理事长兼秘书长，湖北省生物工程学会理事会理事；毕业于湖北大学（生物学学士，1993年），武汉大学（微生物学硕士，2000年），及美国加州大学河滨分校（微生物学博士，2005年）。曾先后任职美国能源部橡树岭国家实验室副研究员（Research Associate，2007-2011）及美国国家可再生能源实验室研究员（Staff Scientist，2011-2016）。2016年底加入湖北大学生命科学学院，主要从事微生物代谢工程、合成生物学、以及生物能源与绿色生物制造等方面研究；作为项目负责人主持包括科技部合成生物学重点研发计划、自然科学基金面上与联合项目等多项国家及省部级项目；先后在Nature Biotechnology、Nature Communications, PNAS、Nucleic Acids Research、Trends in Biotechnology等期刊发表论文 120多篇，引用5700余次，H-index 43。获美国授权发明专利9项、中国发明专利授权28项、专利转让17项。担任Biodesign Research共同主编及Trend in Biotechnology、《合成生物学》与《生物工程学报》等期刊编辑或编委。