Name: Yuan Bo
Title: Associate Professor
E-mail: yuanb@tib.cas.cn
Our main research interests are in the areas of biocatalysis, enzyme engineering, enzyme immobilization and synthesis of functional compounds as drug intermediates.
1. Enzyme catalyzed chiral oxidations and reductions. Employing galactose oxidase and other enzymes to catalyze kinetic resolutions, deracemizations of complex molecules.
2. Biocatalysis of axially chiral compounds. Employing enzyme catalyzed cascade reactions to synthesize atropisomers in high optical purity.
3. Nano-materials and enzyme composite catalytic systems. Employing nano-materials as carriers to immobilize enzymes for biocatalysis and large-scale manufacturing of functional compounds.
Education
2002-2006 BSc Degree, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China
2006-2007 MSc Degree, School of Materials, University of Manchester, UK
2007-2011 PhD Degree, School of Chemistry, University of Manchester, UK. Supervisor: Prof. Nicholas J. Turner
Professional Experience
2011-2016 Croda Ltd. UK&China
2016-2020 Lecturer & Associate Professor, Xi’an Jiaotong University
2020-present Associate Investigator, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Tianjin, China
[1] P. Zhang#, Z. Tian, C. Li, R. Meng, B. Zhang, X. Liu, J. Li, G. Qu, N. J. Turner, B. Yuan*, H. Fu*, Z. Sun*, Biocatalytic Atroposelective Synthesis of Axially Chiral Styrenes via Dynamic Kinetic Resolution, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2026, 65, e21538.
[2] P. Zhang#, B. Yuan#, J. Li, C. Li, J. Guo, B. Zhang, G. Qu, H. Su, N. J. Turner, Z. Sun*, Biocatalytic Desymmetrization for the Atroposelective Synthesis of Axially Chiral Biaryls Using an Engineered Imine Reductase, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2025, 64, e202416569.
[3] J. Li#, B. Yuan#, C. Li, Z. Zhao, J. Guo, P. Zhang, G. Qu, Z. Sun*, Stereoselective Synthesis of Oxetanes Catalyzed by an Engineered Halohydrin Dehalogenase, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2024, 63, e202411326.
[4] Z. Zhao#, J. Li, C. Li, G. Qu, B. Yuan*, L. Chen*, Z. Sun*, Engineering Limonene Epoxide Hydrolases for the Enantiocomplementary Synthesis of Chiral 1,3-Diols and Oxetanes, ACS Catal., 2025, 15, 9201–9209.
[5] B. Yuan, D. Mahor, Q. Fei, R. Wever, M. Alcalde, W. Zhang*, F. Hollmann*, Water-Soluble Anthraquinone Photocatalysts Enable Methanol-Driven Enzymatic Halogenation and Hydroxylation Reactions, ACS Catal., 2020, 10, 8277.
[6] B. Yuan*, D. Yang, G. Qu, N. J. Turner*, Z. Sun*, Biocatalytic Reductive Aminations with NAD(P)H-Dependent Enzymes: Enzyme Discovery, Engineering and Synthetic Applications, Chem. Soc. Rev., 2024, 53, 227.
[7] J. Zhou#, X. Wang, Y. Wang, P. Zhang, H. Wang, B. Yuan*, Z. Sun*, Engineering Ene-Reductases for the Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of a Sacubitril Intermediate and Its Derivatives, Org. Lett., 2026, 28, 5377.
[8] P. Liu#, Z. Kang, P. Xie, Z. Zhu, B. Yuan*, Z. Sun*, Chemoenzymatic Cascades by Enzyme Immobilization with TEMPO-Appended Metal-Organic Framework for Ethylene Glycol Oxidation, Mol. Catal., 2025, 584, 115276.
[9] J. Shi#, B. Yuan*, H. Yang*, Z. Sun*, Recent Advances on Protein Engineering for Improved Stability, BioDesign Research, 2025, 7, 100005.
[10] J. Luo#, C. Li, M. Ye, P. Zhang, G. Qu, Z. Cai, C. Wang, B. Yuan*, Z. Sun*, 含吡咯及吲哚基团的N–N轴手性化合物的酶催化合成, 生物工程学报, 2025, 41, 2088–2100.
[11] P. Zhang#, B. Yuan*, Z. Sun*, Biocatalytic Strategies for the Synthesis of Atropisomers, Chem. Eur. J., 2025, 31, e03010.
[12] P. Xie, J. Lan, J. Zhou, Z. Hu, J. Cui, G. Qu, B. Yuan*, Z. Sun*, Co-Immobilization of Amine Dehydrogenase and Glucose Dehydrogenase for the Biosynthesis of (S)-2-Aminobutan-1-ol in Continuous Flow, Bioresour. Bioprocess., 2024, 11, 70.
[13] M. Ye, C. Li, D. Xiao, G. Qu, B. Yuan*, Z. Sun*, Atroposelective Synthesis of Aldehydes via Alcohol Dehydrogenase-Catalyzed Stereodivergent Desymmetrization, JACS Au, 2024, 4, 411.
[14] L. Chen, G. Qu, Z. Cai, B. Yuan*, Z. Sun*, Synthesis of a Sacubitril Precursor by Construction of One-Pot Chemoenzymatic Cascades, Catal. Sci. Technol., 2024, 14, 2817–2824.
[15] X. Li, J. Wang, W. Su, C. Li, G. Qu, B. Yuan*, Z. Sun*, Characterization and Engineering of Cephalosporin C Acylases to Produce 7-Aminocephalosporanic Acid, Mol. Catal., 2023, 550, 113595.
[16] Y. Li, C. Bao, Z. Sun, W. Zhang*, B. Yuan*, Comparison Between Chemoenzymatic and Bienzymatic Cascades Leading to Morita–Baylis–Hillman Adducts, ChemCatChem, 2023, 15, e202201621.
[17] W. Huang, S. Huang, Z. Sun, W. Zhang, Z. Zeng*, B. Yuan*, Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Sterically Hindered Biaryls by Suzuki Coupling and Vanadium Chloroperoxidase-Catalyzed Halogenations, ChemBioChem, 2023, 24, e202200610.
[18] S. Song#, Y. Jiang#, R. Chen, W. Su, W. Liang, D. Yang, J. Li, W. Zhang, S. Gao, B. Yuan*, G. Qu*, Z. Sun*, Whole-Cell Biotransformation of Penicillin G by a Three-Enzyme Co-Expression System with Engineered Deacetoxycephalosporin C Synthase, ChemBioChem, 2022, 23, e202200179.
[19] T. Cui#, B. Yuan#, H. Guo, H. Tian, W. Wang, Y. Ma, C. Li, Q. Fei*, Enhanced Lignin Biodegradation by Consortium of White Rot Fungi: Microbial Synergistic Effects and Product Mapping, Biotechnol. Biofuels, 2021, 14, 162.
[20] B. Yuan, D. Debecker, X. Wu, J. Xiao, Q. Fei*, N. J. Turner*, One-Pot Chemoenzymatic Deracemisation of Secondary Alcohols Employing Variants of Galactose Oxidase and Transfer Hydrogenation, ChemCatChem, 2020, 12, 6191.
[21] B. Yuan, F. Escalettes, N. J. Turner*, Practical Methods for Biocatalysis and Biotransformations 2, Chapter 6.2 & Chapter 6.3, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., 2012.
[22] B. Yuan, A. Page, C. P. Worrall, F. Escalettes, S. C. Willies, J. J. W. McDouall, N. J. Turner*, J. Clayden*, Biocatalytic Desymmetrization of an Atropisomer with Both an Enantioselective Oxidase and Ketoreductases, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2010, 49, 7010.
[23] X. Huang#, M. Xia, H. Dong, X. Ren, G. Fu, B. Yuan, A. Jiang, L. Chen, Z. Sun, S. Qian*, Combinatorial Optimization of Cellular Regulation and Fermentation for High-Efficiency Expression of Cephalosporin C Acylase in Escherichia coli, Process Biochem., 2026, 163, 16–26.
[24] X. Liu#, B. Liu, L. Qi, X. Feng, C. Deng, L. Wang, B. Yuan, S. Li, Y. Zhao, H. Wu*, Stepwise Engineering of AmpR-Based Whole-Cell Biosensors for Broad-Spectrum Detection and High-Throughput Screening of β-Lactam Compounds, Biosens. Bioelectron., 2026, 118686.
[25] X. Ren#, Z. Yang, S. Chen, C. Pu, H. Wang, J. Li, Q. Cao, X. Huang, G. Fu, B. Yuan, J. Luo, Z. Sun, H. Dong, D. Zhang*, Systematic Mining and Engineering of Signal Peptides to Achieve Efficient Secretion of Cephalosporin C Acylase in Escherichia coli, Synth. Syst. Biotechnol., 2026, 13, 508–516.
[26] S. Liu#, J. Wang, B. Yuan, X. Meng, G. Qu, Z. Sun*, Integration of Computational Tools for Rational Design of (R)-ω-Transaminases with Enhanced Asymmetric Catalysis, Mol. Catal., 2025, 579, 115078.
[27] W. Su#, G. Qu#, H. Wu, J. Li, B. Yuan, Z. Sun*, Biocatalytic Synthesis of 7-Aminodesacetoxycephalosporanic Acid with Engineered E. coli Dual Cells and Immobilized Enzymes, ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 2025, 13, 10316–10325.
[28] B. Zhang#, C. Li, P. Zhang, J. Li, B. Yuan, G. Qu, M. T. Reetz, Z. Sun*, In Silico Prediction of a Multimutational Stereoselective Alcohol Dehydrogenase, ACS Catal., 2025, 15, 16633–16642.
[29] X. Zhao#, H. Guo, H. Huang, M. Zheng, Z. Zhang, J. Li, C. Li, B. Yuan, C. Pan, Z. Sun*, Contamination and Biotransformation of Deoxynivalenol (DON) in Common Commercial Foods: Current Status, Challenges and Future Perspectives, Green Synth. Catal., 2025, DOI: 10.1016/j.gresc.2025.04.008.
[30] Z. Zhu#, Z. Qin, B. Yuan, Z. Cai, G. Qu, Z. Sun*, Enhanced Production of Leucine–Leucine Dipeptide by Whole-Cell Catalysis, J. Agric. Food Chem., 2025, 73, 9807–9816.
[31] Z. Qin, B. Yuan, G. Qu*, Z. Sun*, Rational Enzyme Design by Reducing the Number of Hotspots and Library Size, Chem. Commun., 2024, 60, 10451–10463.
[32] Q. Wang, C. Li, B. Yuan, A. Yu, G. Qu*, Z. Sun*, Engineering the Activity of a Newly Identified Arylalkylamine N-Acetyltransferase in the Acetylation of 5-Hydroxytryptamine, ChemBioChem, 2024, e202400069.
[33] Y. Ren, Z. Qin, C. Li, B. Yuan, Y. Yang, G. Qu*, Z. Sun*, Engineering the Activity and Thermostability of a Carboxylic Acid Reductase in the Conversion of Vanillic Acid to Vanillin, J. Biotechnol., 2024, 386, 19–27.
[34] C. Paul, U. Hanefeld, F. Hollmann*, G. Qu, B. Yuan, Z. Sun, Enzyme Engineering for Biocatalysis, Mol. Catal., 2024, 555, 113874.
[35] X. Li, C. Li, G. Qu, B. Yuan, Z. Sun*, Engineering of a Baeyer–Villiger Monooxygenase to Improve Substrate Scope, Stereoselectivity and Regioselectivity, ChemBioChem, 2024, 25, e202400328.
[36] X. Sang, F. Tong, Z. Zeng, M. Wu, B. Yuan, Z. Sun, X. Sheng, G. Qu, M. Alcalde, F. Hollmann, W. Zhang, A Biocatalytic Platform for the Synthesis of Enantiopure Propargylic Alcohols and Amines, Org. Lett., 2022, 24, 4252–4257.
[37] H. Ming, B. Yuan, G. Qu*, Z. Sun*, Engineering the Activity of Amine Dehydrogenase in the Asymmetric Reductive Amination of Hydroxyl Ketones, Catal. Sci. Technol., 2022, 12, 5952.
[38] Y. Li, B. Yuan, Z. Sun, W. Zhang*, C–H Bond Functionalization Reactions Enabled by Photobiocatalytic Cascades, Green Synth. Catal., 2021, 2, 267–274.
[39] S. Staniland, B. Yuan, N. Gimenez-Agullo, T. Marcelli, S. C. Willies, D. M. Grainger, N. J. Turner*, J. Clayden*, Enzymatic Desymmetrising Redox Reactions for the Asymmetric Synthesis of Biaryl Atropisomers, Chem. Eur. J., 2014, 20, 13084.
[40] G. Qu, B. Yuan, Z. Sun, 工业蛋白质理性设计与应用, 生物工程学报, 2022, 38, 4068–4080.
[41] Y. Shang, B. Yuan, Q. Fei, 生物催化轴手性化合物的不对称合成进展, 高校化学工程学报, 2021, 35, 14.
[42] W. Zhang, B. Yuan, G. Qu, Z. Sun, 光促酶催化反应设计及生物合成应用, 生物学杂志, 2021, 38, 1.
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