Education

Degree	Date	Affiliation	Major
PhD	2002/01	Institute of Biophysics, CAS	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Master	1998/06	Shandong University	Physical chemistry
Bachelor	1995/06	Shandong University	Physics

Research Experience

Date	Affiliation	Position
2006/09-	State Key lab of Microbial Technology, Shandong University	Professor/PI
2002/08-2006/06	Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University	Research associate/Postdoc

Research Interests

The purpose of research in our lab is to understand the molecular mechanism of bacterium biofilm formation and drug resistance by using structural biology, biochemicstry or microbiology techniques. In the last few years, using Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a model system we have systematically characterized many proeins involved in regulation of biofilm development. Most of these proteins are enzymes which synthesize or degrade the central second messenger c-di-NMPs or their receptors. The most significant discoveries include: 1)BrlR from Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a receptor for both cyclic di-GMP and pyocyanin which regulatesmulti-drugefflux pump expression. (Nature comm. 2018). 2)PslG, a self-produced glycosyl hydrolase triggers biofilm disassembly by disrupting exopolysaccharide matrix.. This finding provides a new method to treat biofilm infection with high drug resistence (Cell Research. 2015).

Research Projects

1) Molecular mechanisms of biofilm with drug resistance

2) Molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions

3) Discovery and engineering of anti-biofilm proteins

Representative Publications

Zenglin Yuan, Fei Gao, Kun Yin and Lichuan Gu*,NrnC, an RNase D-Like Protein From Agrobacterium, Is a Novel Octameric Nuclease That Specifically Degrades dsDNA but Leaves dsRNA Intact. Front Microbiol. 2019,9:3230

Yongzhen Xia, Kai Li, Jingjing Li, Tianqi Wang, Lichuan Gu* and Luying Xun*,T5 exonuclease-dependent assembly offers a low-cost method for efficient cloning and site-directed mutagenesis.2019,47(3):e15

Feng Wang, Qing He, Jia Yin, Sujuan Xu, Wei Hu* & Lichuan Gu*,BrlR from Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a receptor for both cyclic di-GMP and pyocyanin. Naturecomm., 2018,9:2563.

Feng Wang,Qing He, Kaixuan Su, Tiandi Wei, Sujuan Xu, Lichuan Gu*, Structural and biochemical characterization of the catalytic domains of GdpP reveals a unified hydrolysis mechanism for the DHH/DHHA1 phosphodiesterase, Biochemical Journal, 2018,475(1): 191~205

Huateng Zhang, Jing Su, Yuxin Lin, Haixiu Bai, Jiaxiang Liu, Hui Chen, Lupei Du, Lichuan Gu*, and Minyong Li*.Inhibiting Firefly Bioluminescence by Chalcones. Anal Chem. 2017 Jun 6;89(11):6099-6105.

Wenxiao Wu, Jing Su, Chunchao Tang, Haixiu Bai, Zhao Ma, Tianchao Zhang, Zenglin Yuan, Zhenzhen Li, Wenjuan Zhou, Huateng Zhang, Zhenzhen Liu, Yue Wang, Yubin Zhou, Lupei Du, Lichuan Gu*, Minyong Li*. cybLuc: An Effective Aminoluciferin Derivative for Deep Bioluminescence Imaging. Anal Chem. 2017 May 2;89(9):4808-4816.

Feng Wang, Qing He, Kaixuan Su, Fei Gao, Yan Huang, Zong Lin, Deyu Zhu*, Lichuan Gu*.The PilZ domain of MrkH represents a novel DNA binding motif. Protein Cell. 2016 Oct;7(10):766-772.

Ying Chen, Shiheng Liu, Cuilan Liu, Yan Huang, Kaikai Chi, Tiantian Su, Deyu Zhu, Jin Peng, Zhijie Xia, Jing He, Sujuan Xu, Wei Hu* & Lichuan Gu*.Dcsbis (PA2771) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a highly active diguanylate cyclase with unique activity regulation. Sci Rep. 2016 Jul 8;6:29499.

Bin Zhu, Cuilan Liu, Shiheng Liu, Hengjiang Cong, Lichuan Gu*, Luyan Z. Ma*. Membrane association of SadC enhances its diguanylate cyclase activity to control exopolysaccharides synthesis and biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Environ Microbiol. 2016 Mar 3. doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.13263.

Qing He, Feng Wang, Shiheng Liu, Deyu Zhu, Hengjiang Cong, Fei Gao, Bingqing Li, Hongwei Wang, zong Lin, Jun Liao, Lichuan Gu*. Structural and Biochemical Insight into the Mechanism of Rv2837c from Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a c-di-NMP Phosphodiesterase. J Biol Chem. 2016 Feb 12;291(7):3668-81.

Shan Yu, Tiantian Su, Shiheng Liu, HUijun Wu, Di Wang, Tianhu Zhao, Zengjun JIn, Wenbin Du, Meijun Zhu, Song Lin Chuan, Liang Yang, Deyu Zhu, and Lichuan Gu*, Luyan Ma*. PslG, a self-produced glycosyl hydrolase triggers biofilm disassembly by disrupting exopolysaccharide matrix. Cell Research. 2015; 25(12):1352-6.

Shiheng Liu, Tiantian Su, Ying Xu, Cong Zhang, Deyu Zhu, Wenmao Zhang, Jing Su, Kang Wang, Tiandi Wei, Yan Huang, Liming Guo, Sujuan Xu, Ningyi Zhou and Lichuan Gu* .Crystal Structure of PnpCD, a Two-subunits Hydroquinone 1,2-Dioxygenase, Reveals a Novel Structural Class of Fe2+-dependent Dioxygenases. J. Biol. Chem. 2015;290(40):24547-60.

Tiantian Su, Shiheng Liu, Kang Wang, Kaikai Chi, Deyu Zhu, Tiandi Wei, Yan Huang, Liming Guo, Wei Hu, Sujuan Xu, Zong Lin, Lichuan Gu*. The REC domain mediated dimerization is critical for FleQ fromPseudomonas aeruginosa to function as a c-di-GMP receptor and flagella gene regulator. J. Structural Biology. 2015;192(1):1-13.

Defen Lu, Guijun Shang, Heqiao Zhang, Qian Yu, Xiaoyan Cong,Jupeng Yuan, Fengjuan He, Chunyuan Zhu, Yanyu Zhao, Kun Yin, Yuanyuan Chen, Junqiang Hu, Xiaodan Zhang, Zenglin Yuan, Sujuan Xu,Wei Hu, Huaixing Cang*, Lichuan Gu*.Structural insights into T6SS effector protein Tse3 and Tse3-Tsi3 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa reveal a calcium-dependent and membrane-binding mechanism. Molecular Microbiology Jun;92(5):1092-112.

Shiheng Liu, Conggang Zhang, Tiantian Su, Tiandi Wei, Deyu Zhu, Kang Wang, Yan Huang, Yuhui Dong, Kun Yin, Sujuan Xu, Ping Xu* and Lichuan Gu*.Crystal structure of DszC from Rhodococcus sp. XP at 1.79 Å. Proteins 2014, 82(9):1708-20.

Jing Su, Cong Zhang, Junjie Zhang, Tiandi Wei, Deyu Zhu, Ningyi Zhou*, Lichuan Gu*. Crystal structure of the γ-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas sp. strainWBC-3, a key enzyme involved in para-Nitrophenol degradation. BMC Struct Biol.(2013) Nov 19;13:30.

Guijun Shang, Deyu Zhu, Ning Li, Junbing Zhang, Chunyuan Zhu, Defen Lu, Cuilan Liu, Qian Yu, Yanyu Zhao, Sujuan Xu, Lichuan Gu*. Crystal structures of STING protein reveal basis for recognition of cyclic di-GMP. Nat Struct Mol Biol (2012) 19(7):725-7.10.1038/nsmb.2332.

Wei Cheng, Kun Yin, Defen Lu, Bingqing Li, Deyu Zhu, Yuzhen Chen, Hao Zhang, Sujuan Xu, Jijie Chai, Lichuan Gu*. Structural insights into a unique Legionella pneumophila effector LidA recognizing both GDP and GTP bound Rab1 in their active state. Plos pathogens (2012) Mar;8(3):e1002528.

Ning Li, Conggang Zhang, Bingqing Li, Xiuhua Liu, Yan Huang, Sujuan Xu, Lichuan Gu*. Unique iron coordination in the iron-chelating molecule vibriobactin helps Vibrio cholera evade the mammalian siderocalin-mediated immune response. J. Biol. Chem. (2012), 287(12):8912-9.

Xiuhua Liu, Qian Du, Zhi Wang, Shiheng Liu, Ning Li, Ying Chen, Chunyuan Zhu, Deyu Zhu, Tiandi Wei, Yan Huang, Sujuan Xu, Lichuan Gu*. Crystal Structure of Periplasmic Catecholate-Siderophore Binding Protein VctP from Vibrio cholerae at 1.7 Å Resolution. Febs Letter (2012) , 586(8):1240-4.

Liu Xiuhua, Gong Jing, Wei Tiandi, Wang Zhi, Du Qian, Zhu Deyu, Huang Yan, Xu Sujuan, Gu Lichuan*. Crystal structure of HutZ, a heme storage protein from Vibrio cholerae: A structural mismatch observed in the region of high sequence conservation. BMC Struct Biol. 2012 Sep 26;12:23.

Shiheng Liu, Conggang Zhang, Ning Li, Bei Niu, Mengyuan Liu, Xiuhua Liu, Tiandi Wei, Deyu Zhu, Yan Huang, Sujuan Xu and Lichuan Gu*.Crystal structure of ISC binding ISC domain of VibB from Vibrio cholerae at atomic resolution: a snapshot right before the enzymatic reaction. Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallography (2012), 68(Pt 10):1329-38.

Bingqing Li, Ning Li, Feng Wang, Liming Guo, Yan Huang, Xiuhua Liu, Tiandi Wei, Deyu Zhu, Cuilan Liu, Hongfang Pan, Sujuan Xu, Hong-Wei Wang, Lichuan Gu*. Structural insight of a concentration-dependent mechanism by which YdiV inhibits Escherichia coli flagellum biogenesis and motility. Nucleic acid research(2012),40(21):11073-85.

Guijun Shang, Xiuhua Liu, Defen Lu, Junbing Zhang, Ning Li, Chunyuan Zhu, Shiheng Liu, Qian Yu, Yanyu Zhao, Heqiao Zhang, Junqiang Hu, Huaixing Cang, Sujuan Xu, Lichuan Gu*. Structural insight into functioning of Pseudomonas aeruginosa peptidoglycan-hydolase Tse1 and its immunity protein Tsi1. Biochemical Journal (2012), 448(2):201-11.

Yong Gong, Deyu Zhu, Jingjin Ding, Chuan-Na Dou, Xiaoming Ren, Lichuan Gu, Tao jiang & Dacheng Wang. Crystal structures of aprataxin ortholog Hnt3 reveal the mechanism for reversal of 5′-adenylated DNA. Nat Struct Mol Biol. (2011), 18(11), 1297-9.

Jing Su, Qiang Wang, Jinhong Feng, Cong Zhang, Deyu Zhu, Tiandi Wei, Wenfang Xu, Lichuan Gu*. Engineered Thermoplasma acidophilum factor F3 mimics human aminopeptidase N (APN) as a target for anticancer drug development. Bioorg Med Chem. (2011),19(9), 2991-6.

Xiuhua Liu, Qian Du, Zhi Wang, Deyu Zhu, Yan Huang, Ning Li, Sujuan Xu, Lichuan Gu*. Structural and biochemical analysis of EfeB/YcdB from Escherichia coli O157: Asp235 plays different roles in different enzyme-catalyzed processes. J. Biol. Chem. (2011), 286(17), 14922-31.

Linjie Chen, Huayi Wang, Jie Zhang, Lichuan Gu, Niu Huang, Jian-Min Zhou & Jijie Chai. Structural basis for the catalytic mechanism of phosphothreonine lyase.Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.(2008),15, 101 - 102

Min Hu, Lichuan Gu, Philip D. Jeffrey, and Yigong Shi. Structural basis of competitive recognition of p53 and MDM2 by HAUSP/USP7: implications for the regulation of the p53-MDM2 pathway. PLoS Biol. 2006 Feb;4(2):e27.

Liang Feng#, Suiping Zhou#, Lichuan Gu#, David A. Gell, Joel P. Mackay, Mitchell J. Weiss, Andrew J. Gow and Yigong Shi. Structure of oxidized -haemoglobin bound to AHSP reveals a protective mechanism for haem. Nature. 2005 Jun 2;435(7042):697-701. (#These authors contributed equally).

Nieng Yan#, Lichuan Gu#, David Kokel*, Jijie Chai, Wenyu Li, Aidong Han, Lin Chen, Ding Xue, and Yigong Shi. Structural, Biochemical, and Functional Analyses of CED-9 Recognition by the Proapoptotic Proteins EGL-1 and CED-4. Mol Cell. 2004 Sep 24;15(6):999-1006. (#These authors contributed equally)

Eric N. Shiozaki, Lichuan Gu, Nieng Yan, and Yigong Shi. Structure of the BRCT repeats of BRCA1 bound to a BACH1 phosphopeptide: implications for signaling. Mol Cell. 2004 May 7;14(3):405-12.

Lichuan Gu, Zhiqing Wang, Shiying Song, Yuyan Shu, Zhengjiong Lin. Crystal structures of an acidic phospholipase A(2) from the venom of Naja Kaouthia. Toxicon. (2002) 40(7):917-22.

Lichuan Gu, Hailong Zhang, Shiying Song, Yuancong Zhou, Zhengjiong Lin. Structure of an acidic phospholipase A2 from the venom of Deinagkistrodon acutus. Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallography. (2002) 58(Pt 1):104-10.

Honors and awards

2013:Distinguished Young Scholars, Shandong province

2012: New century talentscholar,Ministry of education

2002: President scholarship, Institute of Biophysics, first prize

1995: Excellent bachelor degree thesis