Our group focuses on effective utilization of  bioresources and production of bioactive substances, such as rare sugar, polyol, polysaccharide, bioactive peptide, and sugar-protein complex. We are using enzyme and biocatalysis engineering technology to develop these functional sugars and bioactive peptides as food additives. We have also contributed structural and functional support to a project of glycated proteins aimed at characterizing important sugar-protein complexes. We are aiming to increase our screening capacity to rare sugar transforming enzyme by traditional method combined with genetic mining. The mission of the lab is to establish the  biocatalysis technical platform for transforming the bioresources into the novel  active substance.

The research is developing the novel functional factors and food for modulating the effect of diet on health and disease. In nearly five years, the more than 60 research papers are published on J. Agric. Food Chem., Protein Cell, Biotech. Bioeng., Appl. Microbiol. Biotech., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. et al. journals, and 23 patents are applied. In the other hand, I have a great deal of management experience in scientific research, and have led natural science fund in the biotechnology and food processing, the some outcome have been used to industrialize. I am also an expert with special government allowance of State Council in 2015, and I am a participant of planning compilation in food processing field with Ministry of Science and Technology, China.

1981-1985　Biological  Department, Harbin NormalUniversity, China

1993-1996    Department of Animal Science, Northeast Agricultural University,  China

1999-2002    Utilization of Bioresources, Ehime University, Japan

2002-2008  Rare  Sugar Research Center, Kagawa University, Kagawa Industry Support Foundation, Japan

                    Postdoctoral Fellow, Visiting Scientist,  Researcher

2008-          Tianjin Institute of Industrial  Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor

I am a principle investigator and a research professor at national industrial enzyme engineering Lab, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, CAS. I obtained my PhD in utilization of bioresources from Ehime University, Japan in 2002; as well as Master in animal genetics from Northeast Agricultural University, China, in 1996. 

1.        J. Zhang, L. Dai, J. Yang, C. Liu, Y. Men, Y. Zeng, Y. Cai, Y. Zhu, Y. Sun*. Oxidation of Cucurbitadienol Catalyzed by CYP87D18 in the Biosynthesis of Mogrosides from Siraitia grosvenorii. 2016, 57(5):1000-1007, Plant and Cell Physiology.      

2.        Y. Zhu, P. Chen, Y. Bao, Y. Men, Y. Zeng, J. Yang, J. Sun, Y. Sun*. Complete genome sequence and transcriptomic analysis of a novel marine strain Bacillus weihaiensis reveals the mechanism of brown algae degradation. 2016, Scientific Reports, In press

3.        Y. Zhou, Y. Zhu, L. Dai, Y. Men, J. Wu, J. Zhang, Y. Sun*. Efficiency analysis and mechanism insight of that whole-cell biocatalyzed production of melibiose from raffinose with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. 2016, Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, In Press.

4.        C. Liu, L. Dai, D. Dou , L. Ma, Y. Sun*. A natural food sweetener with anti-pancreatic cancer properties. 2016, 5, e217; doi:10.1038/oncsis.2016.28, Oncogenesis  

5.        C. Liu, L. Dai, Y, Liu, L. Rong, D. Dou, Y. Sun, L. Ma. Antiproliferative Activity of Triterpene Glycoside Nutrient from Monk Fruit in Colorectal Cancer and Throat Cancer. 2016,8,360,doi:10.3390/nu8060360 Nutrients             

6.         J. Yang, Y. Zhu, Y. Men, S. Sun, Y. Zeng, Y. Zhang, Y. Sun*, Y. Ma.Pathway Construction in Corynebacterium glutamicum and Strain engineering to Produce Rare Sugars from Glycerol. 2016.    Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. In Press.              

7.         L. Dai, C. Liu, Y. Zhu, J. Zhang, Y. Men, Y. Zeng, Y. Sun*. Functional Characterization of Cucurbitadienol Synthase and Triterpene Glycosyltransferase Involved in Biosynthesis of Mogrosides from Siraitia grosvenorii. 2015, 56(6): 1172-1182, Plant and Cell Physiology.

8.        C. Liu, Y. Zeng, L. Dai, T. Cai, Y. Zhu, D. Dou, L. Ma, Y. Sun. Mogrol represents a novel leukemia therapeutic, via ERK and STAT3 inhibition. 2015, 5(4): 1308, American journal of cancer research.

9.        J. Yang, Y. Zhu, J. Li, Y. Men, Y. Sun*, Y. Ma..Biosynthesis of rare ketoses through constructing a simulated-gluconeogenesis pathway in an engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum. 2015, 112(1):168-180, Biotechnology and Bioengineerin.

10.    Y. Zhu, H. Li, P. Liu, J. Yang, X. Zhang, Y. Sun*. Construction of allitol synthesis pathway by multi-enzyme coexpression in Escherichia coli and its application in allitol production. 2015, 42(5): 661-669, Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology.      

11.    J. Li, J. Yang, Y. Men, Y. Zeng, Y. Zhu, C. Dong, Y. Sun*, Y. Ma. Biosynthesis of 2-deoxysugars using whole-cell catalyst expressing 2-deoxy-d -ribose 5-phosphate aldolase 2015, 99(19): 7963-7972, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 

12.    J. Yang, J. Li, Y. Men, Y. Zhu, Y. Zhang, Y. Sun*, Y. Ma. Biosynthesis of L-sorbose/psicose based on C-C bond formation catalyzed by aldolases in an engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum strain. 2015, 81:4284-4294, Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 

13.    C. Dong, Li. Zhang, R. Xu, G. Zhang, Y. Zhou, Xiao. Han, Y. Zhang, Y. Sun*. Structural Characterization and Immunostimulating Activity of a Levan-type Fructan from Curcuma kwangsiensis. 2015, 77: 99-104, International Journal of Biological macromolecules.

14.    Y. Zeng,Y. Zhang, L. Zhang, S. Cui, Y. Sun*. Structural Charactoerization and Antioxidant and Immunomodulaton Activitiea of Polysaccharides from the Spent Rice Substrate of Cordyceps militaris. 2015, 24(5): 1591-1596, Food Science and Biotechnology.

15.    Y. Zeng, D.Dou, Y. Zhang, L. Zhang, Y. Sun*. Rare sugars and antioxidants in Itea virginica, Itea oblonga Hand.-Mazz. and Itea yuananensis Franch leaves. 2015, 18(11): 2549-2560International Journal of Food Properties.

16.    W. Bai, S. Jie, Y. Zhu, Y. Men, Y. Sun*, Y. Ma. Characteristics and Kinetic Properties of L-Rhamnose Isomerase from Bacillus subtilis by Isothermal Titration Calorimetry for the production of D-allose. 2015, 21(1): 13-22, Food Science and Technology Research.

17.    W. Han, Y. Zhu, Y. Men, J. Yang, C. Liu, Y. Sun*. Production of Allitol from D-Psicose by a novel isolated strain of Klebsiella oxytoca G4A4. 2014, 54(10): 1073-1079, Journal of Basic Microbiology.      

18.    CW Tseng, CY Liao, Y. Sun, CC Peng, JT Tzen, RT Guo, JR Liu. Immobilization of Clostridium cellulolyticum D-Psicose 3-Epimerase on Aritificial Oil Bodies. 2014, 62(28): 6771–6776, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

19.    Y. Men, Y. Zhu, Y. Zeng, K. Izumori, Y. Sun*. Y. Ma. Co-expression of D-glucose isomerase and D-psicose 3-epimerase in E. coli and development of an efficient one step conversion of D-glucose to D-psicose. 2014, 64: 1-5, Enzyme and Microbial Technology.

20.    Y. Zeng, Y. Guan, W. Han,Y. Sun*. Antioxidant peptides from freshwater clam extract using enzymatic hydrolysis. 2014, 8(3): 148-154,  African Journal of food Science.               

21.    T. Hishiike1, M. Ogawa1, S. Hayakawa1, D. Nakajima, H. Ooshima, Y. Sun .Transepithelial transports of rare sugar D-Psicose in human intestine. 2013, 61: 7381-7386. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

22.    Y. Men, Y. Zhu, L. Zhang, Z. Kang, K. Izumori, Y. Sun*, Y. Ma. Enzymatic conversion of D-galactose to D-tagatose: Cloning, overexpression and characterization of L-arabinose isomerase from food-grade microorganism Pediococcus pentosaceus. 2013, 169(2): 171-178, Microbiological Research.

23.    Y. Zeng, H. Zhang, Y. Guan, L. Zhang, Y. Sun*.  Comparative study on the effects of D-psicose and D-fructose in the Maillard reaction with β-lactoglobulin. 2013, 22: 341-346. Food Sci. Biotech.

24.    X. Li, Y. Zhu, Y. Zeng, T. Zhang, Y. Sun*.Overexpression D-psicose 3-epimerase from Clostridium cellulolyticum H10 in Bacillus subtilis and its prospect for d-psicose production. 2013, 5: 264-269, Adv. J. Food Sci. Tech.

25.    Hishiike, M. Ogawa, S. Hayakawa, D. Nakajima, T. Ooshima, Y. Sun. Transepithelial transports of rare sugar D-Psicose in human intestine.  2013, 61(30): 381-7386, J. Agric. Food Chem.

26.    Y. Guan, Y. Zeng, W. Bai, Y. Sun*. Utilization of Candida utilis cells for the production of yeast extract：Effects of enzyme types, dosages and treatment time. 2013, 5(5): 551-556,      Advance Journal of Food Science and Technology.  

27.    Y. Zeng, X. Zhang, Y. Guan, Y. Sun*. Enzymatic hydrolysates from tuna backbone and the subsequen t Maillard reaction with different ketohexoses. International. 2012, 47(6): 1293-1301, J. Food Sci. Technol.

28.    H. Chan, Y. Zhu, Y. Hu, T. Ko, C. Huang, F. Ren, C. Chen, Y. Ma, R. Guo, Y.  Sun*. Crystal structures of D-psicose 3-epimerase from Clostridium cellulolyticum H10 and its complex with ketohexose sugars. 2012, 3: 123-131, Protein and Cell.

29.    Y. Zhu, Y. Men, W. Bai, X. Li, Y. Sun*, Y. Ma. Overexpression of D-psicose 3-epimerase from Ruminococcus sp. In Escherichia coli and its prospect for D-psicose production. 2012, 34(10): 1901-1906, Biotechnology Letters.

My research focuses on effective utilization of bioresources and production of bioactive substances, such as low calorie rare sugar, dulcoside, polysaccharide, bioactive peptide and so on. I am using enzyme and biocatalysis engineering technology to develop these functional compounds as food additives. The mission of my research group is to establish a biocatalysis technical platform for transforming the bioresources into the novel natural bioactive substance. Furthermore, the developing functional factors and food influences modulating the effect of diet on health and disease. The long-term goal is to improve the management of obesity, diabetic and cardiovascular diseases by diet throughout life.

We hope that our technologic achievements in food processing could be transformed by cooperating with enterprises and promoted their industrialization. At the same time, we hope to collaborate and exchange in scientific and technology among OWSD members, and to aid developing countries.

已指导学生

张黎丽  02  19586  

李泓漪  02  63228  

李季涛  02  63220  

杨建刚  01  19183  

张江生  02  63228  

戴隆海  01  19294  

现指导学生

孙尚尚  02  19294  

李娇  02  63220  

陈朋  01  19294  

朱萍   02  63220  

田朝玉  01  19294