GeHuiming

Huiming received his BS and Ph.D. both from Nanjing University in 2002 and 2007, respectively, where he studied chemistry of natural products with Prof. Renxiang Tan. In 2007, he joined the faculty of Nanjing University as an assistant professor, then promoted to associate professor (2009-2014), and professor (2015-). Meanwhile, after two years’ postdoctoral training with Professor Zhu-Jun Yao at Nanjing University (2010-2012), he moved to the Scripps Research Institute (2012-2015). In December 2015, he returned to Nanjing University. His research interests mostly focus on chemistry & biology of natural products.

Biosynthesis of Natural Products

Microorganisms produce a large variety of biologically active substances representing a vast diversity of important molecular architecture not available in any other systems. We are focusing on the chemistry, biochemistry and genetics of the biosynthesis of these secondary metabolites. Our research includes genome mining for new bioactive small molecule and enzyme discovery, understanding the intriguing enzymology and programming rules underlying natural product biosynthesis, designing pathways toward combinatorial natural product biosynthesis, probing the activity and/or function of natural products, and developing new research toolkits to promote the aforementioned research.

1. Bo Zhang, Kai Biao Wang, Wen Wang, Xin Wang, Fang Liu, Jiapeng Zhu, Jing Shi, Hao Han, Kuang Xu, Hong Yun Qiao, Xiao Zhang, Rui Hua Jiao, Kendall N. Houk*, Yong Liang*, Ren Xiang Tan*, Hui Ming Ge*. Enzyme-catalysed [6+4] cycloadditions in the biosynthesis of natural products. Nature, 2019, 568, 22-126.

2. Jing Shi, Yang Shi, Jian Cheng Li, Wan Qing Wei, Yu Chen, Ping Cheng, Cheng Li Liu, Hao Zhang, Rui Wu, Bo Zhang, Rui Hua Jiao, Shou Yun Yu, Yong Liang*, Ren Xiang Tan*, Hui Ming Ge*. In Vitro Reconstitution of Cinnamoyl Moiety Reveals Two Distinct Cyclases for Benzene Ring Formation. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 17, 7939-7948.

3. Hong Jie Zhu, Bo Zhang, Wan Qing Wei, Shuang He Liu, Lang Xiang, Jia Peng Zhu, Rui Hua Jiao, Yasuhiro Igarashi, Ghader Bashiri, Yong Liang*, Ren Xiang Tan*, Hui Ming Ge*. AvmM catalyses macrocyclization through dehydration/Michael-type addition in alchivemycin A biosynthesis. Nat. Commun. 2022, 13, 4499.

4. Shuang He Liu, Jia Li Sun, Yi Ling Hu, Li Zhang, Xuan Zhang, Zhang Yuan Yan, Xing Guo, Zhi Kai Guo, Rui Hua Jiao, Bo Zhang*, Ren Xiang Tan*, Hui Ming Ge*. Biosynthesis of Sordarin Revealing a Diels-Alderase for the Formation of the Norbornene Skeleton. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 61, e202205577.

5. Yang Zhao, Bo Zhang, Zi Qian Sun, Hao Zhang, Wen Wang, Zi Ru Wang, Zhi Kai Guo, Shou Yun Yu*, Ren Xiang Tan*, Hui Ming Ge*. Biocatalytic C14-Hydroxylation on Androstenedione Enabled Modular Synthesis of Cardiotonic Steroids. ACS. Catal. 2022, 12, 16, 9839-9845.

6. Ling Yu Li, Yi Ling Hu, Jia Lin Sun, Long Bo Yu, Jing Shi, Zi Ru Wang, Zhi Kai Guo, Bo Zhang, Wen Jie Guo, Ren Xiang Tan*, Hui Ming Ge*. Resistance and phylogeny guided discovery reveals structural novelty of tetracycline antibiotics. Chem. Sci. 2022, 13, 12892.

7. Xin Wang, Chun Zhang, Yaoyukun Jiang, Wen Wang, Yuan Zhou, Bo Zhang, Ren Xiang Tan*, Hui Ming Ge*, Zhongyue J. Yang*, Yong Liang*. Influence of Water and Enzyme on the Post-Transition State Bifurcation of NgnD-Catalyzed Ambimodal [6+4]/[4+2] Cycloaddition. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 49, 21003–21009.

8. Fang Wen Jiao, Yi Shuang Wang, Xue Ting You, Wan Qing Wei, Yu Chen, Cheng Long Yang, Zhi Kai Guo, Bo Zhang, Yong Liang*, Ren Xiang Tan*, Rui Hua Jiao*, Hui Ming Ge*. An NADPH-dependent Ketoreductase Catalyses the Tetracyclic to Pentacyclic Skeletal Rearrangement in Chartreusin Biosynthesis. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 6378-26384.

9. Kai Biao Wang, Wen Wang, Bo Zhang, Xin Wang, Yu Chen, Hong Jie Zhu, Yong Liang*, Ren Xiang Tan*, Hui Ming Ge*. A [6+4]-cycloaddition adduct is the biosynthetic intermediate in streptoseomycin biosynthesis. Nat. Commun. 2021, 12, 1, 2092.

10. Hong Jie Zhu, Bo Zhang, Lan Wang, Wen Wang, Shuang He Liu, Yasuhiro Igarashi, Ghader Bashiri, Ren Xiang Tan*, Hui Ming Ge*. Redox Modifications in the Biosynthesis of Alchivemycin A Enable the Formation of Its Key Pharmacophore. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 12, 4751-4757.