Xiucong Bao, Ph.D. Professor E-mail: baoxc@xmu.edu.cn

Education

B.S.    Biological Sciences, Nankai University, 2011;

Ph.D.  Chemical Biology, The University of Hong Kong, 2016.

Professional Experience

Postdoctoral Fellow, Faculty of Science, The University of Hong Kong, 2016-2021;

Research Assistant Professor, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 2021-2025;

Professor, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, 2025.

Research Area

As the basic "elements" of the living system, biological macromolecules (proteins, nucleic acids, glycolipids, etc.) are always chemically modified with variable modification sites and types, spatiotemporal specificity, and bidirectional reversibility. The dynamic properties of chemical modifications of biological macromolecules often play a key role in both physiological activities and pathological processes. Among them, proteins are the main executors of life activities. The study of the spatiotemporal dynamics of protein posttranslational modifications  (PTMs) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks is the key to analyzing the physiological or pathological processes of the body. Our research focuses on the intersection of chemical biology and proteomics to develop chemical biology tools for studying protein PTMs and PPI networks, to decipher the biological functions of protein PTMs and their regulatory mechanisms, and to explore cell-to-cell communication and PPI mechanisms in the microenvironment, aiming to discover new targets for disease treatment and translate basic biomedical discoveries into effective therapies for human diseases.

We are actively recruiting postgraduate students, research assistants, and postdocs to join our lab. Please email Dr. Xiucong Bao (baoxc@xmu.edu.cn) directly for potential projects.

Selected Publications (*Corresponding author, #co-first author)

1.S. Huang^#, Q. Ran^#, X. M. Li, X. Bao^*, C. Zheng^*, X. D. Li^*. MACSPI enables tissue-selective proteomic and interactomic analysis in multicellular organisms. PNAS. 2024 May 21;121(21):e2319060121.
2.J. Lee, X. Bao^*. Comparative Review on Cancer Pathology from Aberrant Histone Chaperone Activity. Int J Mol Sci. , 2024 Jun 10;25(12):6403.
3.J. Lin^#, Y. Wu^#, G. Tian^#, D. Yu^#, E. Yang, W. H. Lam, Z. Liu, Y. Jing, S. Dang, X. Bao^*, J. W. H. Wong^*, Y. Zhai^*, X. D. Li^*. Menin "reads" H3K79me2 mark in a nucleosomal context. Science. 2023 Feb 17;379(6633):717-723.
4.J. Lin, X. Bao^*, X. D. Li^*. Chemoproteomic approach for mapping binding sites of post-translational-modification-mediated protein-protein interactions. Trends Biochem Sci. 2021 Dec;46(12):1030-1031.
5.Q. Wang^#, X. Bao^#, S. Chen, H. Zhong, Y. Liu, L. Zhang, Y. Xia, F. Kragler, M. Luo, X. D. Li, H. M. Lam, S. Zhang^*. AtHDA6 functions as an H3K18ac eraser to maintain pericentromeric CHG methylation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Nucleic Acids Res. 2021. Sep 27;49(17):9755-9767.
6.J. Lin, X. Bao^*, X. D. Li^*. A tri-functional amino acid enables mapping of binding sites for posttranslational modification-mediated protein-protein interactions. Mol Cell. 2021 Jun 17;81(12):2669-2681.e9.
7.X. Bao. Study on the cellular regulation and function of lysine malonylation, glutarylation and crotonylation. Springer Theses. 2020. ISBN 978-981-15-2509-4.
8.X. Bao, Z. Liu, W. Zhang, K. Gladysz, Y. M. E. Fung, G. Tian, Y. Xiong, J. W. H. Wong^*, K. W. Y. Yuen^*, X. D. Li^*. Glutarylation of histone H4 lysine 91 regulates chromatin dynamics. Mol Cell. 2019 Nov 21;76(4):660-675.e9.
9.X. Bao, Y. Xiong, X. Li, X. D. Li^*. A chemical reporter facilitates the detection and identification of lysine HMGylation on histones. Chem Sci. 2018 Aug 28;9(40):7797-7801.
10.X. Bao^#, Y. Wang^#, X. Li^#, X. M. Li^#, Z. Liu, T. Yang, C. F. Wong, J. Zhang, Q. Hao^* and X. D. Li^*. Identification of 'erasers' for lysine crotonylated histone marks using a chemical proteomics approach. eLife. 2014, Nov 4:3:e02999.
11.X. Bao^#, Q. Zhao^#, T. Yang, Y. M. E. Fung^* and X. D. Li^*. A chemical probe for lysine malonylation. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. , 2013, Apr 26; 52(18), 4883-4886.
12.V. Gray, W Chen, R. Tan, T Teo, Z. Huang, C. Fong, T. Law, Z. Ye, S. Yuan, X. Bao, I. Hung, K. Tan^*, C. Lee^*, G. Ling^*. Hyperglycemia-triggered lipid peroxidation destabilizes STAT4 and impairs anti-viral Th1 responses in Type 2 Diabetes. Cell Metab. 2024 Oct 25:S1550-4131(24)00400-5.
13.J. Yan, Y. Zeng, Z. Guan, Z. Li, S. Luo, J. Niu, J. Zhao, H. Gong, T. Huang, Z. Li, A.Deng, Q. Wen, J. Tan, J. Jiang, X. Bao, S. Li, G. Sun, M. Zhang, M. Zhi^*, Z. Yin^*, W.Y. Sun^*, Y.F. Li^*, R.R. He^*, G. Cao^*. Inherent preference for polyunsaturated fatty acids instigates ferroptosis of Treg cells that aggravates high-fat-diet-related colitis. Cell Rep. 2024 Aug 16;43(8):114636.
14.M. Zhang^#, D. Li^#, J. Zhu, H. Zhang, J. Wu, S. Wang, A. Deng, Q. Wen, J. Tan,  X. Bao, J. Lu, Q. Yang, H Yang^*,  G. Cao^*, Z. Yin^*, Q. Wang^*. IL-27 disturbs lipid metabolism and restrains mitochondrial activity to inhibit γδ T17 cell-mediated skin inflammation. Cell Death Dis. 2024 Jul 9;15(7):491.
15.L. Zhu^#, X. Xia^#, G. Li^#, C. Zhu^#, Q. Li, B. Wang, N.X. Shi, Z. Lei, S. Yang, Z. Zhang, H. Li, J. Ta, Z. Liu, Q. Wen, H. Zhong, X.J. Lin, G. Sun, X. Bao, Q.  Wang^*, L. Deng^*, L.  Bin^*, G. Cao^*, Z. Yin^*. SLC38A5 aggravates DC-mediated psoriasiform skin inflammation via potentiating lysosomal acidification. Cell Rep. 2023 Aug 29;42(8):112910.
16.X. Li, Y. Wu, G. Tian, Y. Jiang, Z. Liu, X. Meng, X. Bao, L. Feng, H. Sun, H. Deng, X. D. Li^*. Chemical proteomic profiling of bromodomains enables the wide-spectrum evaluation of bromodomain inhibitors in living cells. J Am Chem Soc. 2019 Jul 24;141(29):11497-11505.
17.Y. Jing, Z. Liu, G. Tian, X. Bao, T. Ishibashi, X. D. Li^*. Site-specific installation of succinyl lysine analog into histones reveals the effect of H2BK34 succinylation on nucleosome dynamics. Cell Chem Biol. 2018 Feb 15;25(2):166-174.e7.
18.X. Xie, X. M. Li, F. Qin, J. Lin, G. Zhang, J. Zhao, X. Bao, R. Zhu, H. Song, X. D. Li^*, P. R. Chen^*. Genetically encoded photoaffinity histone marks. J Am Chem Soc. 2017 May 17;139(19):6522-6525.
19.T. Yang, X. M. Li, X. Bao, Y. M. E. Fung and X. D. Li^*. Photo-lysine captures proteins that bind lysine post-translational modifications. Nat Chem Biol. 2016 Feb;12(2):70-2.
20.T. Wen, Y. Li, M. Wu, X. Chen, L. Han, X. Bao, Z. Wang, K. Wang, Y. Hu, X. Zhou, Z. Wu, P. Wang, Z. Hong, L. Zhao, Q. Wang^*, Z. Yin^*. A novel tylophorine analog NK-007 ameliorates colitis through inhibition of innate immune response. Int Immunopharmacol. 2012 Dec;14(4):487-94.
21.T. Wen, Y. Li, M. Wu, X. Sun, X. Bao, Y. Lin, J. Hao, L. Han, G. Cao, Z. Wang, Y. Liu, Z. Wu, Z. Hong, P. Wang, L. Zhao, Z. Li, Q. Wang^*, Z. Yin^*. Therapeutic effects of a novel tylophorine analog, NK-007, on collagen-induced arthritis through suppressing tumor necrosis factor α production and Th17 cell differentiation. Arthritis Rheum. 2012 Sep;64(9):2896-906.