Zhiyong Li

Tenured Professor

Education and Research Experience

  • Prof. Li obtained his Ph.D degree from South China University of Technology (SCUT) in 1998, and conducted his postdoctoral research at the State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST) from July 1998 to July 2000. Dr. Li joined Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) as an associated professor of biological engineering in July 2000, and was promoted to professor in December 2005, and tenured professor in 2017. From December 2007 to December 2008, Prof. Li visited Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California, San Diego, USA as a visiting professor.
  •     Prof. Li is the founder and head of Marine Biotechnology Laboratory at SJTU and a PI at the State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, China. Prof. Li was awarded the New Century Excellent Talents in University by Chinese Ministry of Education in 2006, the Excellent University Young Teacher, Shanghai, China in 2008, and the Rising Star of Science & Technology, Shanghai, China in 2004.
  •     Prof. Li is the director of the Branch of Marine Microbiology, Microbiology Society of Shanghai, and a member of the Fellowship Council of the Branch of Marine Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Society of China, and the fellow of the Branch of Marine Microbiology, Microbiology Society of China.
  •     Prof. Li is the associate editor of Frontiers in microbiology, and the editorial board member of Scientific Report, and Chinese Marine Drugs Journal. 
  •    Please go to http://mbl.sjtu.edu.cn/eng/homepage.php for details.

Research Interests

Marine microbial symbionts

Prof. Li's major research interest is marine microbial symbionts in sponges and corals. The marine biosphere is well-endowed with symbioses. As one of the oldest multicellular animals, i.e. more than 600 million years old, marine sponges (phylum Porifera) probably represent one of the most complex symbioses on the earth. Corals (more than 500 million years old) also harbor abundant and diverse microbial symbionts. Marine microbial symbionts are suggested to play an important role in the host's chemical defense, nutrients and energy transfer as well as the marine C/N/P cycle, and are important resources for marine natural products and functional genes. The present research includes:
1. Marine natural products and enzymes from marine microbial symbionts, biosynthesis and fermentation.
2. Symbiotic microbiome: community structure and functions of marine microbial symbionts in sponge holobiont/coral holobiont, interaction between the host and its microbial symbionts.
3. Response and adaption of sponge holobiont and coral holobiont to environment and climate changes.

Selected Publications

  • •  

    Zhiyong Li. ed. Symbiotic Microbiomes of Coral Reefs Sponges and Corals. Springer Nature, 2019

    PDF SUPP INOF
    •  

    Analysis of functional gene transcripts suggests active CO2 assimilation and CO oxidation by diverse bacteria in marine sponges. FEMS Microbiology Ecology. 2019, 95,fiz087

    PDF SUPP INOF
    •  

    Symbiochlorum hainanensis gen. et sp. nov. (ulvophyceae, Chlorophyta) isolated from bleached corals living in the South China Sea. Journal of Phycology. 2018, 54, 811-817

    PDF SUPP INOF
    •  

    New Genomic Insights into “Entotheonella” Symbionts in Theonella swinhoei: Mixotrophy, Anaerobic Adaptation, Resilience, and Interaction. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2016, 7,1333.

    PDF SUPP INOF
    •  

    Metagenomic analysis of genes encoding nutrient cycling pathways in the microbiota of deep-sea and shallow-water sponges. Marine Biotechnology. 2016,18, 659-671

    PDF SUPP INOF
  • •  

    Pezizomycotina dominates the fungal communities of South China Sea Sponges Theonella swinhoei and Xestospongia testudinaria. FEMS Microbiology Ecology. 2014, 90, 935-945.

    PDF SUPP INOF
    •  

    Functional transcripts indicate phylogenetically diverse active ammonia-scavenging microbiota in sympatric sponges. Marine Biotechnology. 2018, 20,131–143

    PDF SUPP INOF
    •  

    New Metabolites From the Co-culture of Marine-DerivedActinomycete Streptomyces rochei MB037 and Fungus Rhinocladiellasimilis 35. Front. Microbiol. 2019,10, 915.

    PDF SUPP INOF
    •  

    Biosynthesis in vitro of bacillamide intermediate-heterocyclic AlaCysthiazole by heterologous expression of nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS). Journal of Biotechnology. 2019, 292:5-11

    PDF SUPP INOF
    •  

    Engineered Streptomyces lividans strains for optimal identification and expression of cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2018, 9, 3042

    PDF SUPP INOF