Dr Hua Wang

  • Research Fellow (Bacteriology)

Research interests

Pigments of Life Research Laboratory

The ‘Pigments of Life’ are molecules shaped as rings or horseshoes, called tetrapyrroles, that hold in their centre a metal ion. They colour our world and provide vital functions in all living beings. Examples are the green pigment chlorophyll, which captures light for photosynthesis in plants, the red pigment haem, which transports oxygen for respiration in animals, and the red-orange pigment vitamin B12, an essential nutrient in all domains of life.

In nature, cyclic tetrapyrroles are broken down by specialised enzymes that remove the caged metal, leaving behind the tetrapyrrole ‘skeleton’. This skeleton is usually also pigmented: for example, the haem skeleton of haemoglobin colours urine, faeces and eggshells. Moreover, thanks to the tetrapyrrole skeletons found in the fossil record, it is possible to infer the colour of dinosaurs and the environment where ancient algae and bacteria used to live.

Our Chemistry and Microbiology lab introduces the concept of ‘Bacterial Pigments of Life’. We implement a fresh and multidisciplinary perspective to the subject, aiming to contribute to the understanding of bacterial biology and to provide insights on the evolutionary history of life. By studying the role of tetrapyrroles in bacterial diseases, we endeavour to gain new perspectives and achieve scientific breakthroughs to improve human health.

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2012
Number of items: 7.

2023

Wang, H. and de Carvalho, L. P. S. (2023) Metabolomic profiling reveals bacterial metabolic adaptation strategies and new metabolites. Current Opinion in Chemical Biology, 74, 102287. (doi: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.102287) (PMID:36948086)

Wang, H. (2023) Leprosy vaccines: developments for prevention and treatment. In: Christodoulides, M. (ed.) Vaccines for Neglected Pathogens: Strategies, Achievements and Challenges: Focus on Leprosy, Leishmaniasis, Melioidosis and Tuberculosis. Springer: Cham, pp. 47-69. ISBN 9783031243547 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-24355-4_4)

2019

Wang, H. , Federov, A. A., Federov, E. V., Hunt, D. M., Rodgers, A., Douglas, H. L., Garza-Garcia, A., Bonanno, J. B., Almo, S. C. and Sório de Carvalho, L. P. (2019) An essential bifunctional enzyme in Mycobacterium tuberculosis for itaconate dissimilation and leucine catabolism. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 116(32), pp. 15907-15913. (doi: 10.1073/pnas.1906606116) (PMID:31320588) (PMCID:PMC6689899)

2018

Oxford University Innovation Limited (2018) Tunicamycin analogues. .

Dong, Y. Y. et al. (2018) Structures of DPAGT1 explain glycosylation disease mechanisms and advance TB antibiotic design. Cell, 175(4), 1045-1058.e16. (doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.10.037) (PMID:30388443) (PMCID:PMC6218659)

Widdick, D., Royer, S. F., Wang, H. , Vior, N. M., Gomez-Escribano, J. P., Davis, B. G. and Bibb, M. J. (2018) Analysis of the tunicamycin biosynthetic gene cluster of streptomyces chartreusis reveals new insights into tunicamycin production and immunity. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 62(8), e00130-18. (doi: 10.1128/AAC.00130-18)

2012

Wyszynski, F. J., Lee, S. S., Yabe, T., Wang, H. , Gomez-Escribano, J. P., Bibb, M. J., Lee, S. J., Davies, G. J. and Davis, B. G. (2012) Biosynthesis of the tunicamycin antibiotics proceeds via unique exo-glycal intermediates. Nature Chemistry, 4, pp. 539-546. (doi: 10.1038/nchem.1351) (PMID:22717438)

This list was generated on Sun May 28 12:29:53 2023 BST.
Jump to: Articles | Book Sections | Patents
Number of items: 7.

Articles

Wang, H. and de Carvalho, L. P. S. (2023) Metabolomic profiling reveals bacterial metabolic adaptation strategies and new metabolites. Current Opinion in Chemical Biology, 74, 102287. (doi: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.102287) (PMID:36948086)

Wang, H. , Federov, A. A., Federov, E. V., Hunt, D. M., Rodgers, A., Douglas, H. L., Garza-Garcia, A., Bonanno, J. B., Almo, S. C. and Sório de Carvalho, L. P. (2019) An essential bifunctional enzyme in Mycobacterium tuberculosis for itaconate dissimilation and leucine catabolism. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 116(32), pp. 15907-15913. (doi: 10.1073/pnas.1906606116) (PMID:31320588) (PMCID:PMC6689899)

Dong, Y. Y. et al. (2018) Structures of DPAGT1 explain glycosylation disease mechanisms and advance TB antibiotic design. Cell, 175(4), 1045-1058.e16. (doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.10.037) (PMID:30388443) (PMCID:PMC6218659)

Widdick, D., Royer, S. F., Wang, H. , Vior, N. M., Gomez-Escribano, J. P., Davis, B. G. and Bibb, M. J. (2018) Analysis of the tunicamycin biosynthetic gene cluster of streptomyces chartreusis reveals new insights into tunicamycin production and immunity. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 62(8), e00130-18. (doi: 10.1128/AAC.00130-18)

Wyszynski, F. J., Lee, S. S., Yabe, T., Wang, H. , Gomez-Escribano, J. P., Bibb, M. J., Lee, S. J., Davies, G. J. and Davis, B. G. (2012) Biosynthesis of the tunicamycin antibiotics proceeds via unique exo-glycal intermediates. Nature Chemistry, 4, pp. 539-546. (doi: 10.1038/nchem.1351) (PMID:22717438)

Book Sections

Wang, H. (2023) Leprosy vaccines: developments for prevention and treatment. In: Christodoulides, M. (ed.) Vaccines for Neglected Pathogens: Strategies, Achievements and Challenges: Focus on Leprosy, Leishmaniasis, Melioidosis and Tuberculosis. Springer: Cham, pp. 47-69. ISBN 9783031243547 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-24355-4_4)

Patents

Oxford University Innovation Limited (2018) Tunicamycin analogues. .

This list was generated on Sun May 28 12:29:53 2023 BST.

Grants

Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.

  • M-Scent
    Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre
    2023 - 2024
     
  • The pigments of after-life: a novel Mycobacterium tuberculosis innate adaptation and persistence system.
    Academy of Medical Sciences
    2022 - 2024
     
  • An investigation of the Mycobacterial heme paradox
    The Royal Society
    2020 - 2021
     

Professional activities & recognition

Prizes, awards & distinctions

  • 2022: Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (CONVERGE)
  • 2015: The Alan Howe Prize (University of Oxford)

Hua Wang

Visit Dr Wang's research website The Pigments of Life Laboratory