Yaoqin Hong
- yaoqin.hong@jcu.edu.au
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4408-2648- Lecturer, Microbiology
Projects
0
Publications
24
Awards
0
Biography
Yaoqin Hong is a lecturer and researcher in the field of bacteriology at James Cook University in Townsville. Yaoqin completed his PhD in 2014 in bacterial glycobiology with Prof Peter Reeves (FAA) at the University of Sydney, Australia. His doctoral thesis led to establishing the paradigm of substrate recognition specificity of lipid-linked oligosaccharides and how this shapes the landscape of bacterial surface polysaccharide diversity. Yaoqin continued his postdoctoral training with Professor John Cronan (NAS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (USA) on the study of lipid metabolism and bacterial membrane physiology. In 2018, he worked with Associate Professor Makrina Totsika (FASM) at QUT, through which he developed independent research topics in Gram-negative cell surface and membrane biogenesis.
The current research of Yaoqin involves the elucidation of the bacterial cell envelope and antimicrobial tactics targeting it. Hong has authored over 20 publications in PNAS, EcoSal Plus, Molecular Microbiology, and society publications such as ASM journals.
Collaborative Network: Hong has an extensive collaborative network with leading researchers both nationally and internationally, including in the USA, Germany, Singapore, and China.
Research
Research Interests
Yaoqin Hong's research focuses on the intricate mechanisms underlying bacterial cell envelope biogenesis and its significant implications for antimicrobial resistance and biofilm development. The bacterial cell envelope is a crucial protective structure that facilitates essential functions such as nutrient acquisition and waste expulsion. In Gram-negative bacteria, it comprises an inner phospholipid membrane, a rigid peptidoglycan layer, and an outer membrane. This outer membrane is an asymmetric lipid bilayer consisting primarily phospholipids in the inner leaflet and lipopolysaccharide at the outer leaflet, serves as a formidable barrier against antibiotics, complicating treatment strategies for infections. Additionally, bacterial cell surfaces are encapsulated with polysaccharide networks such as O antigens, capsules, and enterobacterial common antigens. These structures not only shield bacteria from host immune responses and phage predation but also play a role in the intracellular maintenance of the cell envelope. A comprehensive understanding of how this envelope is synthesized, maintained, and coordinated during growth is crucial for developing novel strategies to disrupt its function, enhance susceptibility to treatments, and effectively control bacterial infections. Despite its importance, many aspects of envelope formation and associated cellular processes remain unclear. Through addressing these questions, Hong aims to shed light on the fundamental processes of envelope biogenesis and their impact on bacterial survival and resistance, to advance new antimicrobial strategies.
Key questions to be addressed
(1) Interactions between major components within the bacterial cell envelope, one particular interest lies in the spatial and temporal coordination of lipid synthesis with LPS and protein assembly during bacterial growth.
(2) Functional, metabolic and regulatory networks underlying cell surface polysaccharide encapsulation.
(3) Molecular and functional basis underpinning bacterial cell surface polysaccharide structural diversity