Yi-Qiang (Eric) Cheng Assistant Professor Ph.D., Michigan State University, 1999 Postdoctoral Research University of California - Davis, 1999-2001 University of Wisconsin - Madison, 2001-2003	Office: Lapham 131C Phone: 414-229-4739 FAX: 414-229-3926 Email: ycheng@uwm.edu
Microbiology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Bio-/Chem-informatics, Drug Discovery and Development

Research Interests

Microorganisms, notably actinomycetes and filamentous fungi, are prolific producers of natural products, many of which have been used as antibiotics, anticancer drugs, immunosuppressant agents, or other types of medicines. Metabolic engineering of natural product biosynthetic pathways to produce novel chemical entities offers new momentum for drug discovery and development. We strive to develop new methods and platforms for the discovery and engineering of pharmaceutically relevant microbial natural products as drugs or drug leads. Three specific areas of research are as follows: 1) Cloning and characterization of the biosynthetic gene clusters of promising natural products and engineering of their metabolic pathways for novel products with improved therapeutic properties. Current objects are valinomycin (antiviral), FK228 (depsipeptide; antitumor) and A54556 factors (acyldepsipeptides; antibacterial). 2) Microbial biodiversity in the Great Lakes and natural product discovery from freshwater microorganisms.   3) Bio-/Chem-informatics-guided natural product discovery from genome-sequenced microorganisms. Key words: valinomycin, FK228, A54556, depsipeptide, natural product biosynthesis, gene cluster cloning and characterization, metabolic pathway engineering, heterologous expression, natural product drug discovery and development.

Learning and Research Opportunities

Students with an interest in microbiology, biochemistry, genetic engineering, or drug discovery and development are welcome to apply to our graduate programs. Please visit the Graduate School website (www.uwm.edu/Dept/Grad_Sch/academic/) and the Department of Biological Sciences website (www.uwm.edu/Dept/Biology/) for admission requirements. Undergraduate trainee opportunities are preferably given to junior students with a major in microbiology or biochemistry. Visiting scholars with fellowships can be accommodated at anytime. Postdoctoral research associate positions may be available depending on research funding. All applicants should send a cover letter and curriculum vitae (by e-mail to: ycheng@uwm.edu) for initial evaluation.

Selected Publications

(* indicates equal contribution) (A full list of publications, patent info and presentations can be viewed by this link [pdf]) Cheng, Y.-Q., Yang, M. and Matter, A.M. (2007) Characterization of a gene cluster responsible for the biosynthesis of anticancer agent FK228 in Chromobacterium violaceum no. 968. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 73:3460-3469 (e-published on 03/30/2007) [pdf] Tang, G.-L., Cheng, Y.Q. and Shen, B. (2006) Polyketide chain skipping mechanism in the biosynthesis of the hybrid nonribosomal peptide-polyketide antitumor antibiotic leinamycin in Streptomyces atroolivaceus S-140. Journal of Natural Products. 69:387-393. [pdf] Cheng, Y.-Q. (2006) Deciphering the Biosynthetic Codes for the Potent Anti-SARS-CoV Cyclodepsipeptide Valinomycin in Streptomyces tsusimaensis ATCC 15141. ChemBioChem 7:471-477. [pdf] Tang, G.-L*., Cheng, Y.-Q*. and B. Shen. (2004) The biosynthetic gene cluster of the antitumor antibiotic leinamycin from Streptomyces atroolivaceus S-140 revealing unprecedented architectural complexity for a hybrid polyketide synthase and nonribosomal peptide synthetase. Chemistry & Biololgy 11:33-45. [pdf] Cheng, Y.-Q*. Tang, G.-L* and B. Shen. (2003) Type I polyketide synthase requiring a discrete acyltransferase for polyketide biosynthesis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 100:3149-3154. [pdf] Commentary [pdf] Cheng, Y.-Q. Tang, G.-L. and B. Shen. (2002) Identification and localization of the antitumor macrolactam leinamycin biosynthesis gene cluster from Streptomyces atroolivaceous S-140. Journal of Bacteriology. 184:7013-7024. [pdf]