Research group leader in the field of Biocatalysis
Beijing
Joined January 2019
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Our latest work on developing a modular synthetic platform for chiral nitriles has been published in JACS! In this study, we combined chemical assembly strategies with a photoenzymatic decyanation reaction to efficiently access a broad range of chiral building blocks.
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Congratulations to all the students and collaborators who contributed to this work!
pubs.acs.org/jacsat/article-…
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Our group's two most recent studies were published in Angew Chemie and JACS. Congrats to the students who led these projects and to all of our collaborators for their outstanding contributions!! @MarcGBQ @tangjianpku and Lizhi
In our ACIE paper, we developed a reverse enantioselective desaturation platform by engineering the native ene-reductase XenA through iterative rounds of evolution combined with PROSS-guided design, introducing a total of 46 mutations.
Please read: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/…
In our JACS paper, we reported a nonheme iron enzyme-catalyzed asymmetric alkene hydrogenation system that employs NaBH4 as the reductant.
For more details, please read: pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jac…
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Zhen retweeted
One step. Two C–C bonds. Three natural product syntheses. Our auto-tandem catalytic cascade for natural product synthesis is out today in JACS!pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jac…
Zhen retweeted
Our latest work shows how modern total synthesis can enable therapeutically meaningful discovery, uncovering selective anti-C. difficile activity and toxin-protective effects of structurally complex polyether ionophores. Now available on ChemRxiv: chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.264…
We are excited to share our recent work on a biocatalytic atroposelective platform enabled by engineered desaturases: nature.com/articles/s44160-0…
MD-guided directed evolution played a key role in this effort. Congratulations to the whole team—more to come soon!
One reviewer of our aniline paper suggested that the reaction is likely not enzymatic due to the addition of SDS, which is known to denature proteins at certain concentrations. We provide the following reasons to support that it is enzyme-catalyzed:
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Taken together–the above-mentioned points, along with the observed kinetic differences in mutagenesis experiments, the ability to undergo directed evolution, and inhibition by phenol additives–provide strong evidence that the reaction is enzyme-catalyzed.
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Zhen retweeted
“I have four brothers and I’ve jumped into all sorts of things during my life. Learning new things has always been fun for me.”
2018 chemistry laureate @francesarnold received the #NobelPrize for her work using evolution to make better enzymes. Today she celebrates her birthday!
ALT Frances Arnold in the laboratory. She is wearing a blue casual shirt and smiling as she looks at the camera.
Zhen retweeted
Really enjoying #Repartzymes Repurposed and Artificial Enzymes meeting organized by #TomWard of Uni. Basel. Many former group members are here! rep.artzymes.info
Our team has recently published two research papers on Angewandte Chemie. Congrats to my students, Shuangyu Dai and Xiang Zhao, as well as our esteemed collaborators, Prof. Yunfang Yang and Dr. Xiahe Chen. The links are given below. Check these out if you are interested!
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We have developed a biocatalytic system for synthesizing anilines through the enzymatic desaturation of cyclohexanone-derived imines: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/…
In our second paper, we demonstrate that chiral silanols containing Si-stereogenic centers can be prepared enzymatically with high efficiency and enantioselectivity. These structures were previously believed to be labile under aqueous conditions.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/…
