Name: CHE Yongsheng

Department: Microbial Metabolic Engineering

Tel: (8610)63011043

Email: ysche@imb.cams.cn

Education

Ph.D. in Natural Products Chemistry, University of Iowa, May, 2000

M.S. in Organic Chemistry, Clarkson University, June, 1995

B.S. in Polymer Chemistry, Nankai University, July, 1989

Research Experience

2018.11–present Professor and Principal Investigator, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; Head, Department of Microbial Metabolic Engineering (2019.03–); Deputy Director (2019.11–)

2014.12–2017.12 Head, Department of Natural Products Chemistry, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology

2010.08–2018.07 Professor and Principal Investigator, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology &Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology

2005.02–2010.07 Professor, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2002.03–2005.01 Research Scientist II, Givaudan Flavors, Cincinnati, OH, USA

2000.03–2002.08 Research Scientist, Sr. Research Scientist, OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (now Astellas), Tarrytown, NY, USA

Research Field

Discovery and generation of microbial drug leads using hypothesis-driven rational approach.

Research Interests

Our research interests include discovery of bioactive natural products from microorganisms (mainly fungi) of unique ecological niches, biosynthesis of fungal natural product leads, and generation of the targeted lead compounds using various techniques including synthetic biological approach.

Selected Publications

1. Yan YY,† Sun J,† Wang K,† Wang HQ, Wu S, Bao LL, He WQ, Wang D, Zhu AR, Zhang T, Gao RM, Dong B, Li JR, Yang L, Zhong M, Lv Q, Qin FF, Zhuang Z, Huang XF, Yang XY, Li YH,* Che Y,* Jiang JD.* Repurposing CFDA-approved drug carrimycin as an antiviral agent against human coronavirsues, including the currently pandemic SARS-CoV-2. Acta Pharm Sin B. 2021, DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.02.024.

2. Li E, Hou B, Gao Q, Xu Y, Zhang C, Liu XZ, Jiang XJ,* Che Y.* Disulfide cleavage in a dimeric epipolythiodioxopiperazine diminishes its apoptosis-inducing effect but enhances autophagy in tumor cells. J Nat Prod. 2020, 83(3): 601–609.

3. Zhai YN, Li Y, Zhang J, Zhang Y, Ren F, Zhang X, Liu G, Liu XZ,* Che Y.* Identification of the gene cluster for bistropolone-humulene meroterpenoid biosynthesis in Phoma sp. Fungal Genet Biol. 2019, 129: 7–15.

4. Zhu S, Ren F, Guo Z, Liu J, Liu XZ, Liu G, Che Y.* Rogersonins A and B, imidazolone N-oxide-incorporating indole alkaloids from a verG disruption mutant of Clonostachys rogersoniana.  J Nat Prod. 2019, 82(2): 462–468.

5. Ren F, Chen S, Zhang Y, Zhu S, Xiao JH, Liu XZ, Su RB,* Che Y.* Hawaiienols A–D, highly oxygenated p-terphenyls from an insect-associated fungus Paraconiothyrium hawaiiense. J Nat Prod. 2018, 81(8): 1752–1759.

6. Pan Y,# Liu L,# Li E, Guan F, Su Y, Li J, Che Y,* Liu G.* Characterization of a prenyltransferase for the biosynthesis of iso-A82775C in Pestalotiopsis fici and generation of new congeners of chloropestolides. ACS Chem Biol. 2018, 13(3): 703–711.

7. Yan S,# Liu L,# Ren F, Gao Q, Xu S, Hou B, Jiang X,* Che Y.* Sunitinib induces genomic instability of renal carcinoma cells through affecting the interaction of LC3-II and PARP-1. Cell Death Dis. 2017, 8: e2988.

8. Liu L, Han Y, Xiao JH, Li L, Guo LD, Jiang XJ, Kong LY,* Che Y.* Chlorotheolides A and B, spiroketals generated via Diels–Alder reactions in an endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis theae. J Nat Prod. 2016, 79: 2616–2623.

9. Wang L,# Feng Y,# Tian J, Xiang M, Sun J, Ding J, Yin W, Stadler M, Che Y,* Liu XZ.* Farming of a defensive fungal mutualist by an attelabid weevil. The ISME J. 2015, 9: 1793–1801.

10. Niu S, Yuan D, Jiang X,* Che Y.* 11'-Deoxyverticillin A (C42) promotes autophagy through K-Ras/GSK3 signaling pathway in HCT116 cells. Protein Cell. 2014, 5(12): 945–949.

11. Xiao Z, Li L, Li Y, Zhou W,* Cheng J, Liu F, Zheng P, Zhang Y,* Che Y.* Rasfonin, a novel 2-pyrone derivative, induces ras-mutated Panc-1 pancreatic tumor cell death in nude mice. Cell Death Dis. 2014, 5: e1241.

12. Yuan Y,# Feng Y,# Ren F, Niu S, Liu XZ, Che Y.* A botryane metabolite with a new hexacyclic skeleton from an entomogenous fungus Hypocrea sp. Org Lett. 2013, 15(23): 6050–6053.

13. Liu, L.; Li, Y.; Li, L.; Cao, Y.;* Guo, L.; Liu, G.; Che, Y.* Spiroketals of Pestalotiopsis fici provide evidence for a biosynthetic hypothesis involving diversified Diels-Alder reaction cascades. J Org Chem. 2013, 78(7): 2992–3000.

14. Ren J,# Zhang F,# Liu X, Li L, Liu G,* Liu, XZ, Che Y.* Neonectrolide A, a unique oxaphenalenone spiroketal from the fungus Neonectria sp. Org Lett. 2012, 14(24): 6226–6229.

15. Li E, Zhang F, Niu S, Liu XZ, Liu G, Che Y.* 2012. A spiro[chroman-3,7’-isochromene]-4,6’(8’H) -dione from the Cordyceps-colonizing fungus Fimetariella sp. Org Lett. 2012, 14(13): 3320–3323.

16. Li J, Li L, Si Y, Jiang X, Guo LD, Che Y.* Virgatolides A–C, benzannulated spiroketals from the plant endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis virgatula. Org Lett. 2011, 13 (10): 2670–2673.

17. Zhang N, Chen Y, Jiang R, Li E, Chen X, Xi Z, Guo Y, Liu XZ, Zhou Y, Che Y,* Jiang X.* PARP and RIP1 are required for autophagy induced by 11'-deoxyverticillin A, which precedes caspase-dependent apoptosis. Autophagy. 2011, 7(6): 598–612.

18. Liu L,# Bruhn T,# Guo LD, Götz DCG, Brun B, Stich A, Che Y,* Bringmann G.* Chloropupukeanolides C–E, cytotoxic pupukeanane chlorides with a spiroketal skeleton from Pestalotiopsis fici. Chem Eur J. 2011, 17(9): 2604–2613.

19. Wang Y, Niu S, Liu S, Guo LD, Che Y.* The first naturally occurring thiepinols and thienol from an endolichenic fungus Coniochaeta sp. Org Lett. 2010, 12(21): 5081–5083.

20. Liu L, Niu S, Lu X, Chen X, Zhang H, Guo LD, Che Y.* Unique metabolites of Pestalotiopsis fici suggest a biosynthetic hypothesis involving a Diels-Alder reaction and then mechanistic diversification. Chem Commun. 2010, 46(3): 460–462.

Academic Appointments

Vice President, the Mycological Society of China (2011−2017); Chair, Division of Fungal Natural Products Chemistry (2008−2017); Board Member (2008−)

Advisory Committee, State Key Laboratory of Mycology (2011−2017)

Editorial Advisory Board Member, Journal of Natural Products (2018−)

Editorial Board Member, Chin J Nat Medicines (2008–), Nat Prod Bioprospect (2011–)

Associate Editor, Mycosystema (2009–), Mycology (2010–)

Awards and Honors

2009 National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (NSFC)

2014 National Award for Excellence in Science and Technology

2016 Tai Fung-Lan Research Achievement Award, the Mycological Society of China

2014– Most Cited Chinese Researchers (selected by Elsevier; 2014-2020)