Institute of Microbiology
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Datun Rd, Beijing 100101, P. R. China
Tel : 86-10-64807427
E-mail: zhangbr@im.ac.cn

Research Area
The laboratory is mainly interested in Molecular Genetics and Breeding of Yeast.

Education & Professional Experience
Graduated from thespeciality of microbiology of Sichuan University in 1975. Visiting Scholar programs at the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) and University of Washington (UW) from 1989 to 1991.

Current Research

Keywords:Yeasts,Molecular Breeding, Application Exploitation
This group is concerned with the fundamental and applied researches using yeast as material. To develop the new methods and techniques of microbiological breeding, the screening and breeding of yeast strains with applicable value. Major research progresses we made during this year are as follows:
1. Overexpression and co-expression of genes involved in ergosterol biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. According to the regulatory characters of ergosterol biosynthesis in yeast, researches on overexpression and co-expression of genes involved in sterol biosynthesis have been performed. Ergosterol content was increased by 10-20% by overexpression of sterol C-24 methyltransferase (ERG6) and sterol C-8 isomerase (ERG2). Ergosterol content decreased about 40% in yeast cells overexpressing sterol C-22 desaturase (ERG5), but the content of some sterol intermediates increased. Yeast strain with high ergosterol content was constructed by co-expression of ERG4 and ARE2 genes, and the culture conditions were optimized.
2. Cloning and expression of FLON10 gene conferring NewFlo-type flocculation in yeast: A gene FLON10 conferring NewFlo-type flocculation ability in yeast was cloned. The sequence of FLON10 gene has been submitted to GenBank (accession number: EF182714).The 3396 bp ORF encoded a peptide of 1132 amino acids with high identity to Flo1 protein. Sequence comparison revealed that this gene was a derived form of FLO1 gene with two deleted repeated sequences of 675 bp and 540 bp, respectively. The flocculation phenotype of the transformant carrying FLON10 was inhibited by both mannose and glucose, displaying typical NewFlo-type flocculation. The repeats deletion was proposed to cause conversion of flocculation phenotype from Flo1- to NewFlo-type, suggesting intragenic tandem repeats generated functional variability in Flo1 protein. This new gene provides an excellent material to study on the flocculin conformation and the function of repeat sequence in FLO genes.
3. Over-expression of GSH1 gene and disruption of PEP4 gene in self-cloning industrial brewer΄s yeast: By homologous recombination, self-cloning industrial brewing yeast strain was obtained, and its genetic stability was 100%; PCR testified PEP4’s deletion and GSH1’s insertion into chromosome; the fermentation ability was similar to that of the host; proteinase A could not be detected in beer brewed with the strain, and GSH content increased 35%.
Selected publications

1) 张吉娜 何秀萍 郭雪娜 刘 楠 张博润。低双乙酰抗老化啤酒酵母工程菌的构建。生物工程学报，21（6）：942-946，2005。
Jina Zhang, Xiuping He, Xuena Guo and Borun Zhang*. Genetically modified industrial brewing yeast with high-glutathione and low-diacetyl production. Shengwu Gongcheng Xuebao, 21(6):942-946,2005.

2) 曲娜，何秀萍，郭雪娜，刘楠，张博润*。高SO2 产量啤酒酵母工业菌株的构建。微生物学报，2006，46（1）：38-42。
Qu Na, Xiuping He, Guo Xuena,Liu Nan and Borun Zhang*.Construction of high sulphite-producing industrial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Weishengwu Xuebao,46(1):242-46,2006.

3) 蔡鹏丽，何秀萍，张博润*。甾醇C-22去饱和酶高表达对酵母细胞麦角甾醇合成的影响。微生物学报，47（2）：274-279，2007。
Cai Pengli, Xiuping He, Liu Nan and Borun Zhang*.Effect of over-expression of sterol C-22 desaturase on ergosterol production in yeast strains.Weishengwu Xuebao,47(2):274-278,2007.

4)  Zhao-Yue Wang, Guo-Qing He, Hui Ruan, Zhong-Shan Liu, Lu-Fang Yang & Bo-Run Zhang. Construction of proteinase A deficient transformant of industrial brewing yeast. European Food Research and Technology, DOI. 10.1007/s00217-006-0488-5. (2006).

5)  孟云霞，何秀萍，刘楠，张博润*。甾醇C-24甲基转移酶基因在酿酒酵母中的内源表达及工程菌麦角甾醇的
合成生物工程学报，（已接受）2007。
MENG Yun-xia ，HE Xiu-ping*，LIU Nan , GUO Xue-na, ZHANG Bo-run*Endogenesis expression ofsterol C-24 methyltransferase increases ergosterol biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Shengwu Gongcheng Xuebao, 2007. (Accepted).

6)  Xiuping He, Xuena Guo, Nan Liu, Borun Zhang*. Ergosterol production from molasses by genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 75(1):55-60,2007.

7)  Zhao-Yue Wang, Xiu-Ping He, Wei-Hua Li, Nan Liu, Bo-Run Zhang*.  Construction of self-cloning industrial brewing yeast with high-glutathione and low-diacetyl production. International Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2007(Accepted)

8)  Zhao-Yue Wang, Xiu-Ping He, Bo-Run Zhang*. Overexpression of GSH1 gene and disruption of PEP4 gene in self-cloning industrial brewer’s yeast. International Journal of Food Microbiology.2007 (Accepted).

9) Nan Liu, Dongli-Wang, Xiuping-He*, Zhaoyue-Wang and Borun-Zhang*. Genetic basis of flocculation phenotype conversion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. FEMS Yeast Research, 2007.(Accepted).

10) Nan Liu, Dongli-Wang, Xiuping-He*, Zhaoyue-Wang and Borun-Zhang*. Tandem repeats deletion causes flocculation phenotype conversion from Flo- to New Flo-type in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. 2007. (Accepted).

专利(Patents)：
1)   利用微生物秸秆发酵剂生产蛋白饲料的方法。授权号：ZL01102202.7发明人：张博润  何秀萍  铁翠娟 
A method to produce straw-protein feed by microorganism-fermentation on straw. ZL01102202.7
Inventors: Zhang Borun  He Xiuping  Tie Cuijuan

2） 一株高生物量富铁酵母及其发酵方法。授权号：ZL031194303。发明人：张博润，郭雪娜，傅秀辉。
何秀萍。
A brewing yeast with high-biomss and high-Iron contents ant its fenmentation method.
Inventors: Zhang Borun  Guo Xuena  Fu Xiuhui  He Xiuping 

3)   一种啤酒酵母工程菌及其构建方法。申请号：200510077775.X发明人：张博润,曲 娜,何秀萍,郭雪娜,付秀辉
A recombinant yeast strain for brewery and the construction method  No. 200510077775.X
Inventors: Zhang Borun  Qu Na  He Xiuping  Guo Xuena  Fu Xiuhui

4)   啤酒酵母工程菌及其构建方法。申请号：200510077781.5 发明人：张博润  张吉娜  何秀萍  郭雪娜  付秀辉
The recombinant yeast strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the construction method.No. 200510077781.5
Inventors: Zhang Borun Zhang Jiena He Xiuping  Guo Xuena  Fu Xiuhui

5）一种啤酒酵母工程菌及其制备方法与应用.申请号：200610113740.1 发明人：张博润,王肇悦,何秀萍,刘楠,傅秀辉。
The construction and application of a recombinant yeast strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. No. 200610113740.1
Inventors: Zhang Borun Wang Zhaoyue He Xiuping  Liu Nan  Fu Xiuhui

Laboratory Staff： Dr. Xiuping He   Hexp@sun.im.ac.cn Dr. Nan  Liu  Liunan@sun.im.ac.cn M.Sc Xuena Guo  guoxn @sun.im.ac.cn Postdoctoral Fellows： Dr.ZhaoyueWang Wangzhaoyue@126.com

客座研究生（Visiting Scholars ）     Dia Mohamed Hamed Mohamed (Egypt) 蔡  勇 Yong Cai  (四川农业大学) 母  倩 Qian Mu  (四川农业大学)