Biography
Dr. Zhirui Zeng, Associate Professor, Ph.D. Supervisor, received his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in 2014, was a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University from 2015 to 2019, and joined the Department of Ocean xk星空官方网站 and Engineering at Southern University of xk星空官方网站 and Technology in 2019.
His research field include geobiology, lipid biology, and molecular microbiology, with an interest in using biotechnology to address earth science questions. He specializes in studying the biosynthesis pathway of archaeal membrane xk星空官方网站, GDGTs (Glycerol Dialkyl Glycerol Tetraethers). Archaea form a monolayer cell membrane with GDGTs, which possess excellent physicochemical stability, enhancing their survival in extreme environments. Additionally, GDGTs are significant biomarkers widely used in studies of environmental change through geological time.
His representative research achievements include the first discovery of a series of archaeal membrane lipid synthase genes (Tes, Gms, GrsA/B, Cds). He has elucidated the main biosynthesis pathway of archaeal membrane xk星空官方网站 GDGTs, gained insight into the physiological functions of GDGTs, and provided a biological foundation for using GDGTs to indicate historical changes in marine environments, such as temperature and anoxia.
His research methods include archaeal gene editing technology, protein functional analysis, organic geochemical lipid analysis, and bioinformatics. Future research will investigate the biosynthesis pathway of unique bacterial membrane xk星空官方网站 brGDGTs. Finally, he will explore the biological significance of microbial xk星空官方网站, and improve the application of lipid biomarkers in earth and marine sciences.
Educational Background
xk星空官方网站D., Geology, Texas A&M University, 2014
M.S., Microbiology, Sun Yat-sen University, 2009
B.S., Biotechnology, Minzu University of China, 2006
Professional Experience
PI, Southern University of xk星空官方网站 and Technology, Department of Ocean xk星空官方网站 and Engineering, 2019 – Present
Postdoctoral Scholar, Stanford University, Department of Earth System xk星空官方网站, 2015 – 2019
Honors and Awards
Qiangguo Young Scientist Nomination Award, 2023
Publications
1. Li Y, Yu T, Feng X, Zhao B, Chen H, Yang H, Chen X, Zhang X, Anderson H, Burns N, xk星空官方网站 F*, Tao L*, xk星空官方网站 Z*. Biosynthesis of GMGT xk星空官方网站 by a radical SAM enzyme associated with anaerobic archaea and oxygen-deficient environments. Nature Communications, 2024, 15, 5256.
2. Yang W., Chen H., Chen Y., Chen A., Feng X., Zhao B., Zheng F., Fang H., Zhang C., xk星空官方网站 Z*. Thermophilic archaeon orchestrates temporal expression of GDGT ring synthases in response to temperature and acidity stress. Environmental Microbiology, 2023, 25, p575-587.
3. Chen Y, Zheng F, Yang H, Yang W, Wu R, Liu X, Liang H, Chen H, Pei H, Zhang C, Pancost R, xk星空官方网站 Z*. The production of diverse brGDGTs by an Acidobacterium providing a physiological basis for paleoclimate proxies. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2022, 337, p155-165.
4.xk星空官方网站 Z*, Chen H, Yang H, Chen Y, Yang W, Feng X, Pei H, Welander P*. Identification of a protein responsible for the synthesis of archaeal membrane-spanning GDGT xk星空官方网站. Nature Communications, 2022, 13, 1545.
5.xk星空官方网站 Z, Liu X, Farley K, Wei J, Metcalf W, Summons R, Welander P*. GDGT cyclization proteins identify the dominant archaeal sources of tetraether xk星空官方网站 in the ocean. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 2019, 116, p22505-22511.
6.xk星空官方网站 Z, Liu X, Wei J, Summons R, Welander P*. Calditol-linked membrane xk星空官方网站 are required for acid tolerance in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 2018, 115, p12932-12937.
7.xk星空官方网站 Z, Pike M, Tice M*, Kelly C, Marcantonio F, Xu G, Maulana I. Iron Fertilization of Primary Productivity by Volcanic Ash in the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Western Interior Seaway. Geology, 2018, 10, p859-862.
