Xiaofeng Cai, Ph.D.
Professor, Ph.D./Master’s Supervisor
Director, Analytical Testing Center, School of Pharmacy
Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST)
Email:caixiaofeng@hust.edu.cn
Address: Room 313, Building 1, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, 13 Hangkong Road, Qiaokou District, Wuhan, China
Research Interests
Discovery, biosynthesis, and synthetic biology of bioactive natural products derived from microorganisms.
Our research group warmly welcomes Ph.D., master’s, and undergraduate students with backgrounds in pharmacy, chemistry, biochemistry, or related fields to join us.
Education
Ph.D. in Biology(2009–2013)
University of Bonn, Germany
Advisor: Prof. Dr. Jörn Piel (Member of the German National Academy of Sciences; now at ETH Zurich, https://micro.biol.ethz.ch/research/piel.html)
M.S. in Microbiology(2006–2009)
Huazhong Normal University, China
Advisor: Prof. Aiying Li (now at State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University)
B.S. in Chemistry Education(2003–2006)
Shanxi University, China
Professional Experience
Professor(Oct 2018–Present)
School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Postdoctoral Researcher(Feb 2014–Oct 2018)
Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany
Advisor: Prof. Dr. Helge B. Bode (Director, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology，https://www.mpi-marburg.mpg.de/962325/Helge-Bode)
Honors and Awards
Teaching Responsibilities
Undergraduate Courses:Biochemistry, Molecular Pharmacognosy, Biochemical and Molecular Biology Experiments
Graduate Courses:Advances in Pharmaceutical Research, Natural Product Biosynthesis, Molecular Pharmacognosy
International Student Courses:Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Student Supervision and Achievements
Supervised1 National-Leveland7 Provincial-LevelUndergraduate Innovation Training Projects.
Gold Award, 2nd Synthetic Biology Competition (Bacterial Competition, 2023) (Students: Jiarui Wang, Xinrou Liu).
Outstanding Poster Award, 34th Annual Conference of the Chinese Chemical Society (Student: Teng Cai).
Professional Memberships
Committee Member,Molecular Pharmacognosy Committee, Chinese Association of Integrative Medicine.
Reviewer forOrganic Letters, Journal of Natural Products, Chemistry: A European Journal, Environmental Microbiology,Communication Biology, etc.
Publications
1. Cai, T., Ding, N., He, Y., Han, T., Wang, Y., Liu, C., He, Q., Liu, C., Li, A., Zhang, P., and Cai, X.* (2024).Molecular networking-guided discovery of a new antitumor pyranonaphthoquinone fromStreptomyces tanashiensisDSM 731: insights from single-molecule stretching assays.ChemBioChem.e202400732. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbic.202400732.
2.Liu, T., Cai, T., Liu, H., Li, A., Yin, M., Mei, Y., Zhou, Y. Fan, S., Lu, Y., Wan, L, You, H.*, andCai, X.*(2024). Force-enhanced sensitive detection of new DNA-interactive agents from microorganisms at the single-molecule level.Nucleic Acids Res.gkae746. 1-11 (*,co-corresponding author)
3. Cai, T, Sun, J., Chen, W., He, Q., Chen B., He, Y., Zhang, P., Wei, Y., Liu, H.*, andCai, X.* (2024).Bioactivity-guided discovery of antiviral templichalasins A‒C from the endophytic fungusAspergillus templicola.Chin. J. Nat. Medicines.22(0): 1-10. DOI: 10.1016/S1875-5364(24)60682-5 (*,co-corresponding author)
4.Shen, L., Wang, Y. Liu, C., Alateng, W., Wang, Y. Zeeck, A., Wang, W., Zhang, P., Wei, Y. *, andCai, X. *(2024). Genome-driven discovery of antiviral atralabdans A–C from the soil-dwellingStreptomyces atratus.J. Nat. Prod.87(7):1735–1745. (*,co-corresponding author)
5. Qiu, H., Xiao, Y., Shen, L., Han, T., He, Q., Li, A., Zhang, P. andCai, X.* (2023).Genome-driven discovery of new serrawettin W2 analogues fromSerratia fonticolaDSM 4576.Org. Biomol. Chem.21, 9029-9036.
6.Tao, Q., Sang, Y., Han, T., Zhou, H., Zhang, P * andCai, X.* (2023).20-nor-Isopimarane and isopimarane diterpenoids produced byAspergillussp. WT03.Org. Biomol. Chem.21(9):1895-1902.(*,co-corresponding author)
7.Cai, X.*,＃Zhao, L.＃and Bode, H.B.* (2023).Engineering of specific single-module nonribosomal peptide synthetases of the RXP type for the production of defined peptides.ACS Synth. Biol.12 (1)：203-212 (*,co-corresponding author, #,co-first author)
8.Xu,J., Lei, Z., Liu, S. Chen J., Gong G.*andCai, X.*(2022).Preparation and characterization of biodegradable electrospinning PHBV/PBAT/TiO2 antibacterial nanofiber membranes.Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics.17:1-13(*,co-corresponding author)
9. Yan, Y., Yu, Z., Zhong, W., Hou, X., Tao, Q., Cao, M., Li Wang, L.,Cai, X., Rao, Y., Huang, Y.*(2022)Characterization of multifunctional and non-stereoselective oxidoreductase RubE7/IstO, expanding the functional diversity of the flavoenzyme superfamily.Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl.61, e202200189.
10.Cai, X.,＃Li, C.,＃Ichinose, K.,＃Jiang,Y., Liu, M., Wang, H., Gong, C., Li, L., Wan, J., Zhao,Y., Yang, Q. and Li, A.* (2021).A single-domain small protein Med-ORF10 regulates the production of antitumour agent medermycin inStreptomyces.Microb. Biotechnol.14(5):1918-1930.(#,co-first author)
11.Cai, X., Taguchi, T.,Wang, H., Yuki, M.,Tanaka, M., Gong, K., Xu, J., Zhao, Y., Ichinose, K.* andLi, A.*(2021). Identification of aC-glycosyltransferase involved in medermycin biosynthesis.ACS Chem. Biol.16 (6), 1059–1069.
12. Neubacher, N., Tobias, N. J., Huber, M.,Cai, X., Glatter, T., Pidot, S. J., Stinear, T. P., Lütticke, A. L.,Papenfort, K., and Bode, H. B.*（2020）.Symbiosis, virulence and natural-product biosynthesis in entomopathogenic bacteria are regulated by a small RNA.Nat. Microbiol.5, 1481–1489.
13.陶巧巧,蔡晓凤*（2020）.诺卡菌来源活性次级代谢产物.中国抗生素杂志.45 (09), 833-849. ( *,通讯作者)
14.Cai, X., Zhao, L. and Bode, H. B.* (2019). Reprogramming promiscuous nonribosomal peptide synthetases for production of specific peptides.Org. Lett.21(7), 2116-2120.
15.Hacker, C.,＃Cai, X.,＃Kegler, C., Zhao, L., A., Weickhmann, A. K., Wurm, J. P., Bode, H. B.* and Wöhnert, J.* (2018).Structure-based redesign of docking domain interactions modulates the product spectrum of a rhabdopeptide-synthesizing NRPS.Nat. Commun.9, 4366.(#, co-first author)
16. Zhao, L.,Cai, X., Kaiser, M., and Bode, H. B. (2018) Methionine-containing rhabdopeptide/xenortide-like peptides from heterologous expression of the biosynthetic gene cluster kj12ABC inEscherichia coli.J. Nat. Prod.81(10), 2292-2295.
17.Cai, X., Nowak, S., Wesche, F., Bischoff, I., Kaiser, M., Fürst, R., and Bode., H.B.* (2017).Entomopathogenic bacteria use multiple mechanisms for bioactive peptide library design.Nat. Chem.9, 379-386.
18.Cai, X.,＃Shi, Y. M.,＃Pöhlmann, N., Revermann, O., Bahner, I., Pidot, S. J., Wesche, F., Lackner, H., Büchel, C., Kaiser, M., Richter, C., Schwalbe, H., Stinear, T.P., Zeeck, A., and Bode, H.B.* (2017).Structure and biosynthesis of isatropolones, bioactive amine scavenging fluorescent natural products fromStreptomycesGö66.Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl.56, 4945-4949. (#, co-first author)
19.Cai, X., Challinor, V. L., Zhao, L., Reimer, D., Adihou, H., Grün, P., Kaiser, M., and Bode., H. B.* (2017). Biosynthesis of the antibiotic nematophin and its elongated derivatives in entomopathogenic bacteria.Org. Lett.19, 806-809.
20.Cai, X., Teta, R., Kohlhaas, C., Crüsemann, M., Ueoka, R., Mangoni, A., Freeman, M. F.,* and Piel, J.* (2013).Manipulation of regulatory genes reveals complexity and fidelity in hormaomycin biosynthesis.Chem. Biol.20, 839-846.
21．Höfer, I; Crüsemann, M; Radzom, M; Geers, B., Flachshaar, D;Cai, X.; Zeeck, A., and Piel, J. *(2011) Insights into the biosynthesis of hormaomycin, an exceptionally complex bacterial signaling metabolite.Chem. Biol.18(3),381-391.
Patents
Xiaofeng Cai; Teng Cai; Qiaoqiao Tao; Aiying Li; Chang Cheng; Peng Zhang:Siderophore Compounds Derived from Nocardia and Methods for Their Isolation and Identification,Application No: 2024115772520
Xiaofeng Cai; Qingyi Tong; Teng Cai; Yang Xiao; Qiaoqiao Tao:Application of Gallium Chelates in the Preparation of Antitumor Drugs,Application No: 2024116745662
Xiaofeng Cai; Teng Cai; Tao Han; Chengxin Liu:Use of Anthraquinone Compound Aloesaponarin II in the Preparation of CVB3 Virus Inhibitors,Application No: 2024109377609
Xiaofeng Cai; Teng Cai; Tao Han; Yanyan Wang:Application of Polyketide Compounds in the Preparation of EV71 Virus Inhibitors,Application No: 2024109377596
Xiaofeng Cai; Yanhong Wei; Ling Shen:Labdane-Type Diterpenoid Compounds for Use in the Preparation of CVB3 Virus Inhibitors,Application No: 2024101482005
Huijuan You;Xiaofeng Cai; Tianyu Liu; Teng Cai:Method for Analyzing Non-Covalent Nucleic Acid Intercalators in Complex Mixed Solutions,Application No: 2023115604624
Aiying Li;Xiaofeng Cai; Ming Liu; Ruijuan Li; Caiyun Li; Youming Zhang:Novel Regulatory Factor Derived from Streptomyces and Construction/Application of Native and Heterologous Expression Engineered Strains,Patent No: ZL202011017856.1
Aiying Li; Huili Wang;Xiaofeng Cai:Construction and Application of a Multi-Gene Co-Expression System for Angolan Sugar Amine Glycosyl Synthase and Glycosyltransferase
Patent No: ZL200910063347.X
Research Grants
Open Project, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology (Shandong University), ¥60,000, No. M2024-16, (2024–2026).
NSFC General Program,National Natural Science Foundation of China, ¥500,000, No.32371496,(2024–2027).
Central Government Special Project,Sustainable Utilization of Precious Medicinal Resources, ¥200,000, No. 2060302-2201-05, (2022–2024).
NSFC General Program,National Natural Science Foundation of China,¥600,000,No.31972852,(2020–2023).
NSFC General Program,National Natural Science Foundation of China, ¥210,000, No. 81903527,(2020–2022).
HUST New Faculty Start-up Research Funding:¥10,000,000 (2018-2021)
Book Contributions
Editorial board member,Molecular Pharmacognosy(14th Five-Year Plan Graduate Textbook). Science Press, 2024. (Written in Chinese)
Editorial board member,Monographs on Natural Medicinal Chemistry(14th Five-Year Plan Graduate Textbook). Science Press, 2024. (Written in Chinese)
