Professor, Doctoral Supervisor
Educational Background:
2007.08-2014.06 Ph.D., University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Study Abroad Experience：
2007.08-2014.06 Ph.D., Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
2014.11-2015.02 Visiting Scholar, Department of Plant Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
2015.08-2015.09, Visiting Scholar, Department of Plant Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
Research Focus:
Our research bridges microbiology, synthetic biology, and natural product chemistry, with a focus on harnessing the functional potential of tea-associated microbes, decoding the specialized metabolism of tea plants, and deciphering the interactions between tea plants and microbes. The detailed projects are as follows:
· Bioprospecting of tea-associated microbes and synthetic biology-driven engineering of bioactive components
· Tea specialized metabolism and regulation
· Chemical ecology of tea-microbe interactions
Selected Publications:
1.Du, Z., Zhou, Y., Guo, S., Dong, Y., Xu, Y., and Yu, X. (2025). Triterpenoid saponins in tea plants: A spatial and metabolic analysis using UPLC-QTOFMS, molecular networking, and DESI-MSI. Food Chemistry, 475, 143323. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.143323.
2.Wang, S., Sun, S., Du, Z., Gao, F., Li, Y., Han, W., Wu, R., and Yu, X. (2024). Characterization of CsUGT73AC15 as a multifunctional glycosyltransferase impacting flavonol triglycoside biosynthesis in tea plants. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 72(23), 13328-13340. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c03824.
3.Du, Z., Gao, F., Wang, S., Sun, S., Chen, C., Wang, X., Wu, R., and Yu, X. (2024). Genome-wide investigation of oxidosqualene cyclase genes deciphers the genetic basis of triterpene biosynthesis in tea plants. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 72(18), 10584-10595. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c00346.
4.Peng, Y.#, Du, Z.#, Wang, X.#, Wu, R., Zheng, C., Han, W., Liu, L., Gao, F., Liu, G., Liu, B., Hao, Z.*, and Yu, X*. (2023). From heat to flavor: Unlocking new chemical signatures to discriminate Wuyi rock tea under light and moderate roasting. Food Chemistry. 431, 137148. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.137148.
5.Yu, X.#, Xiao, J.#, Chen, S.#, Yu, Y., Ma, J., Lin, Y., Li, R., Lin, J., Fu, Z., Zhou, Q., Chao, Q., Chen, L.*, Yang, Z.*, and Liu, R*. (2020). Metabolite signatures of diverse Camellia sinensis tea populations. Nature Communications. 11, 5586. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-19441-1.
Research Projects:
NSFC Youth Program Project, 32002093, Molecular mechanisms underlying UDP-glycosyltransferase-mediated biosynthesis and accumulation of flavonol glycosides in tea plant (Camellia sinensis) leaves, January 2021 to December 2023, CNY 240,000, Completed, Host.
Email:xmyu0616@fafu.edu.cn