Professor

Tel: +86-0510-95918176

Email: liqi@jiangnan.edu.cn

Web: http://biotech.jiangnan.edu.cn/info/1014/1052.htm

2017 – present           Doctoral Supervisor, Corresponding Professor,   Director of  Synergetic Innovation Center Officer, Jiangnan University,   PRC

2009   – 2017            Doctoral Supervisor, Corresponding   Professor，Vice-dean of  School   of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University，PRC

2008   – 2009             Assiatant to the Dean,   School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University，PRC

2006   – 2008             Professor, Research   Director, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University，PRC

2001   – 2006             Associate Professor,   School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University，PRC

1999   – 2001             Leturer, School of   Biotechnology, Wuxi Institute of Light Industry，PRC

1995   – 1998             PhD Candidate, School   of Biotechnology, Wuxi Institute of Light Industry，PRC

1993   – 1995             Ms Candidate, School of   Biotechnology, Wuxi Institute of Light Industry，PRC

1989   – 1993             Undergraduate Student,   Department of Fermentation, Wuxi Institute of Light Industry, Wuxi, PRC

1.    The   stabilization mechanism of protein Z from malt on beer foam. Beer foam as one   important factor can directly reflect the quality of beer. There are many   factors influencing the quality of beer foam, protein as the most important   factor has effects on beer foam. As one of the detected protein in beer,   protein Z has been proved to owing high surface viscosity and elasticity.   Protein Z can resist the high temperature and enzymolysis during the brewing   process, and it has the ability to maintain beer foam stability eventually.

2.          The thermostability of 1,3-1,4-β-glucanase from Bacillus   species. 1,3-1,4-β-glucanase is an important industrial enzyme, which could   hydrolyze high molecular weight β-glucans into oligosaccharides by strictly   cutting 1,4-β-glycosidic bonds. In the brewing industry, the addition of   β-glucanases into Congress mashing can increase the yield of extract and the   filtration rate of wort, thus enhancing the non-biological stability of the   finished beer. In the animal feed industry, β-glucanases can eliminate the   effect of ‘anti-nutritional factor’, increase the digestibility of   cereal-based diets and reduce sanitary problems. However, the wild-type   β-glucanases show low thermostability and catalytic properties, which are   soon inactivated in the malting, mashing and animal-feed pelleting processes.   Therefore, the thermostability and catalytic properties of mesophilic   β-glucanases need to be improved to meet the industrial application standard.   In this thesis, a highly thermostable β-glucanase was successfully   constructed by rational/semi-rational strategies including lysine-based   mutagenesis, disulfide bonds engineering and spatial compartmentalization of   mutational hotspots. The high thermostable β-glucanase was heterogously   expressed in Bacillus subtilis WB600 and applied in Congress mashing   processes.

3.    The   biotechnology of traditional fermented foods, including soybean paste, chili   paste, fruit beverages, and so on.

1.   Niu Chengtuo, Fan Zihao, Zheng Feiyun, Li Yongxian, Liu Chunfeng, Wang Jinjing,   Li Qi. 2018. Isolation and identification of gas-producing spoilage microbes   in fermented broad bean paste. Food Control, 84: 8-16.

2.   Niu Chengtuo, Han Yupeng, Wang Jinjing, Zheng Feiyun, Liu Chunfeng, Li Yongxian,   Li Qi. 2017. Comparative analysis of the effect of protein Z4 from barley   malt and recombinant Pichia pastoris on beer foam stability: role of   N-glycosylation and glycation. International   Journal of Biological Macromolecules, Doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.08.001

3.   Niu Chengtuo, Liu Chunfeng, Li Yongxian, Zheng Feiyun, Wang Jinjing, Li Qi.   2017. Production of a thermostable 1,3-1,4-β-glucanase mutant in Bacillus   subtilis WB600 at a high fermentation capacity and its potential application   in the brewing industry, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, Doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.08.   139.

4. Chengtuo   Niu, Linjiang Zhu, Xin Xu, Qi Li. 2016. Rational design of thermostability in   bacterial 1,3-1,4-β-glucanases through spatial compartmentalization of   mutational hotspots. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, doi: 101(3):   1085-1097.

5. Chengtuo   Niu, Linjiang Zhu, Annie Hill, R. Alex Speers, Qi Li. 2017. Construction of a highly   thermostable 1,3-1,4-β-glucanase by combinational mutagenesis and its   potential application in the brewing industry. Biotechnology Letters, 39(1):   113-122.

6.   Chengtuo Niu, Linjiang Zhu, Xin Xu, Qi Li. 2016. Rational design of disulfide   bonds increases thermostability of a mesophilic 1,3-1,4-β-glucanase from   Bacillus tequilensis. Plos One, 11(4): e0154036.

7.   Yupeng Han, Jinjing Wang, Yongxian Li, Xueliang Wang, Qi Li.2016.   Heterologous expression of Hordeum vulgare protein Z4 in Pichiapastoris shows   increased structural stability. Process Biochemistry, 51: 828-837.

8.   Yupeng Han, Jinjing Wang, Yongxian Li, Hao Li, and Qi Li. 2016. Purification   and Structural Characterization of Protein Z4. J. Am. Soc. Brew. Chem.,   74(2): 145-153.

9.   Chengtuo Niu, Linjiang Zhu, Pei Zhu, and Qi Li. 2015. Lysine-Based   Site-Directed Mutagenesis Increased Rigid β-Sheet Structure and   Thermostability of Mesophilic 1,3−1,4-β-Glucanase. J. Agric. Food Chem., 63:   5249-5256.

10.   Yili Ruan, Linjiang Zhu, Qi Li. 2015. Improving the electro-transformation   efficiency Improving the electro-transformation efficiency of Corynebacterium   glutamicum by weakening its cell wall and increasing the cytoplasmic membrane   fluidity. Biotechnol. Lett., 37: 2445-2452.

11.   Zhu L, Ma T, Li YX, Li Q. 2015. Permeability analysis of high-adjunct-ratio   spent grain layer in the high-gravity wort separation process. Process   Biochemistry, 50: 846–852.

12.   Yupeng Han, Jinjing Wang, Yongxian Li, Yu Hang, Xiangsheng Yin, Qi Li. 2015. Circular   dichroism and infrared spectroscopic characterization of secondary structure   components of protein Z during mashing and boiling processes. Food Chemistry,   188: 201-209.