Yaoqin Hong
- yaoqin.hong@jcu.edu.au
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4408-2648- Lecturer, Microbiology
Projects
0
Publications
26
Awards
0
Contact Details
Biography
Dr Yaoqin Hong is a lecturer and microbiology researcher at James Cook University, based in Townsville, Australia. His work explores how bacteria build and maintain their complex cell envelopes—structures that are central to microbial survival, adaptation, and pathogenicity.
Yaoqin completed his PhD in 2014 at the University of Sydney under the mentorship of Professor Peter Reeves (FAA), where he uncovered how bacteria enforce substrate fidelity during the synthesis of lipid-linked oligosaccharides—laying the groundwork for understanding the evolutionary diversity of surface polysaccharides. He then undertook postdoctoral research in bacterial lipid metabolism with Professor John Cronan (NAS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, before developing his independent research program at QUT with Associate Professor Makrina Totsika. His current research focuses on the biosynthesis and integrity of the Gram-negative cell envelope, with particular interest in biofilm formation and novel antimicrobial strategies that target bacterial membranes, lipids, and polysaccharide assembly pathways. He has published over 25 papers in high-impact journals including PNAS, Molecular Microbiology, EcoSal Plus, iScience, and several ASM /SGM society journals.
Yaoqin maintains active collaborations across Australia and internationally, working with teams from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (USA), the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (Germany), the National University of Singapore, and several institutions in China, including the South China Agricultural University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
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