Dr Ming Sun
BSc, MSc, PhD
Professor in Microbiology
Dr. Ming Sun is a microbiology professor in College of Life Science and Technology,
Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China. He mainly works on Bacillus thuringiensis to
develop the related new biopesticides and discovers novel insecticidal genes, and takes
charge of “Microbial pesticide resources discovery and new product development”
Innovation team of the Ministry of Agriculture. Dr. Sun started his college study in major of
microbiology in Wuhan University in 1984, got Master Degree from Huazhong Agricultural
University and became a faculty of this university in 1991, and finished his PhD study in 1995
from this university. He has been a visiting scholar in USA and Canada for many times.
Dr. Sun is the vice of director of State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology,
manages the National Key disciplines of Microbiology, and is the scientific director of
Microbial Genetic Stock Center (MGSC), Huazhong Agricultural University.
Dr. Sun was elected as a member in “Cross century excellent talents cultivation plan” by
the Ministry of Education in 2000 and “Chinese agricultural outstanding scholars” by the
Ministry of Agriculture in 2011.
Dr. Sun has published more than 40 peer reviewed papers in international journals.
Dr. Sun takes the courses of Principles of Gene Manipulation to under students and
Advanced Microbiology to graduate students.
Publications
1) Wang F, Liu Y, Zhang F, Chai L, Ruan L, Peng D, Sun M. (2012) Improvement of crystal
solubility and increasing toxicity against Caenorhabditis elegans by Asparagine
substitution in Block 3 of Bacillus thuringiensis crystal protein Cry5Ba. Appl Environ
Microbiol, 78(20):7197-7204.
2) Zhang F, Peng D, Ye X, Yu Z, Hu Z, Ruan L, Sun M. (2012) In vitro uptake of 140 kDa
Bacillus thuringiensis nematicidal crystal proteins by the second stage juvenile of
Meloidogyne hapla. PLoS One, 7(6):e38534.
3) Ye W, Zhu L, Liu Y, Crickmore N, Peng D, Ruan L, Sun M. (2012) Mining new crystal protein
genes from Bacillus thuringiensis on the basis of mixed plasmid-enriched genome
sequencing and a computational pipeline. Appl Environ Microbiol, 78(14):4795-4801.
4) Deng Y, Zhu Y, Wang P, Zhu L, Zheng J, Li R, Ruan L, Peng D, Sun M. (2011) Complete
genome sequence of Bacillus subtilis BSn5, an endophytic bacterium of Amorphophallus
konjac with antimicrobial activity to plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora subsp.
carotovora. J Bacteriol, 193(8):2070-2071.
5) Luo Y, Ruan L, Zhao C, Wang C, Peng D, Sun M. (2011) Validation of the intact
Zwittermicin A biosynthetic gene cluster and discovery of a complementary resistance
mechanism in Bacillus thuringiensis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 55(9):4161-4169.
6) Peng D, Chai L, Wang F, Zhang F, Ruan L, Sun M. (2011) Synergistic activity between
Bacillus thuringiensis Cry6Aa and Cry55Aa toxins against Meloidogyne incognita.
Microb Biotechnol, 4(6):794-798.
7) Peng D, Qiu D, Ruan L, Zhou C, Sun M. (2011) Protein elicitor PemG1 from
Magnaporthe grisea induces SAR in plants through the salicylic acid and Ca2+-related
signaling pathways. Mol Plant Microbe Interact, 24(10):1239-1246.
8) Peng D, Wang F, Li N, Zhang Z, Song R. Zhu Z, Ruan L, Sun M. (2011) Single cysteine
substitution in Bacillus thuringiensis Cry7Ba1 improves the crystal solubility and
produces toxicity to Plutella xylostella larvae. Environ Microbiol, 13(10):2820-2831.
9) Zhong C, Peng D, Ye W, Chai L, Qi J, Yu Z, Ruan L, Sun M. (2011) Determination of plasmid
copy number reveals the total plasmid DNA amount is greater than the chromosomal
DNA amount in Bacillus thuringiensis YBT-1520. PLoS One, 6(1):e16025.
10) Zhou Z, Peng D, Zheng J, Guo G, Tian L, Yu Z, Sun M. (2011) Two groups of S-layer
proteins, SLP1s and SLP2S, in Bacillus thuringiensis co-exist in the S-Layer and in
parasporal inclusions. BMB Rep, 44(5):323-327.
11) Zhu Y, Shang H, Zhu Q, Ji F, Wang P, Fu J, Deng Y, Xu C, Ye W, Zheng J, Zhu L, Sun
M. (2011) Complete genome sequence of Bacillus thuringiensis serovar. finitimus strain
YBT-020. J Bacteriol, 193(9):2379-2380.
12) Zhu Y, Ji F, Shang H, Zhu Q, Wang P, Xu C, Deng Y,Peng D, Ruan L, Sun M. (2011)
Gene clusters located on two large plasmids determine spore crystal association (SCA) in
Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. finitimus strain YBT-020. 2011. PloS One, 6(11):e27164.
13) Zhou Z, Peng X, Xiao Y, Wang X, Guo Z, Zhu L, Liu M, Jin H, Bi D, Li Z, Sun M.
(2011) Genome sequence of poultry pathogen Riemerella anatipestifer strain RA-YM. J
Bacteriol, 193(5)：1284-1285.
14) Liu X, Ruan L, Hu Z, Peng D, Cao S, Zheng J, Liu Y, Yu Z, Sun M. (2010) Genome wide
screening revealed the genetic determinants of a antibiotic insecticide in Bacillus
thuringiensis. J Biol Chem, 285: 39191-39200.
15) Peng D, Xu X, Ye W, Yu Z, Sun M. (2010) Helicoverpa armigera cadherin fragment
enhances Cry1Ac insecticidal activity by facilitating toxin-oligomer formation. Appl
Microbiol Biotechnol, 85: 1033-1040.
16) Peng D, Xu X, Ruan L, Yu Z, Sun M. (2010) Enhancing Cry1Ac toxicity by expression of the
Helicoverpa armigera cadherin fragment in Bacillus thuringiensis. Res Microbiol, 161:
383-389.
17) Fang S, Wang L, Guo W, Zhang X, Peng D, Luo C, Yu Z, Sun M. (2009) Bacillus thuringiensis
Bel protein synergizes the toxicity of Cry1Ac protein to Helicoverpa armigera larvae by
degrading insect intestinal mucin. Appl Environ Microbiol, 75: 5237–5243.
18) Peng D, Luo Y, Guo S, Zeng H, Ju S, Yu Z, Sun M. (2009) Elaboration of an electroporation
protocol for larger plasmids and wild-type strains in Bacillus thuringiensis. J Appl
Microbiol, 106: 1849–1858.
19) Liu X, Peng D, Luo Y, Ruan L, Yu Z, Sun M. (2009) Construction of an Escherichia coli to
Bacillus thuringiensis shuttle vector for large DNA fragments. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol,
82: 765-772.
20) Ji F, Zhu Y, Ju S, Zhang R, Yu Z, Sun M. (2009) Promoters of crystal protein genes do not
control crystal formation inside exosporium of Bacillus thurin giensis subsp. finitimus
strain YBT-020. FEMS Microbiol Lett, 300: 11-17.
21) Ban H, Chai X, Lin Y, Zhou Y, Peng D, Zhou Y, Zou Y, Yu Z, Sun M. (2009) Transgenic
Amorphophallus konjac expressing synthesized acyl-homoserine lactonase (aiiA) gene
exhibit enhanced resistance to soft rot disease. Plant Cell Rep, 28: 1847-1855.
22) Guo S, Liu M, Peng D, Ji S, Wang P,Yu Z, Sun M. (2008) New strategy for isolating
novel nematicidal crystal protein genes from Bacillus thuringiensis strain YBT-1518.
Appl Environ Microbiol, 74: 6997-7001.
23) Zhao C, Song C, Luo Y, Yu Z, Sun M. (2008) L-2, 3-Diaminopropionate: One of the
building blocks for the biosynthesis of Zwittermicin A in Bacillus thuringiensis subsp.
kurstaki strain YBT-1520. FEBS Letters, 582: 3125-3131.
24) Zhao C, Zeng H, Yu Z, Sun M. (2008) N-acyl homoserine lactonase promotes prevention
of Erwinia virulence with Zwittermicin A-producing strain Bacillus cereus. Biotechnol
Bioeng, 100: 599-603.
25) Song R, Peng D, Yu Z, Sun M. (2008) Carboxy-terminal half of Cry1C can help vegetative
insecticidal protein to form inclusion bodies in the mother cell of Bacillus thuringiensis.
Appl Microbiol Biotechnol, 80:647-654.
26) Liu M, Li S, Hu S, Zhao C, Bi D, Sun M. (2008) Display of avian influenza virus
nucleoprotein on Bacillus thuringiensis cell surface using CTC as a fusion partner. Appl
Microbiol Biotechnol, 78: 669-676.
27) Zhang L, Hu C, Ye W, Zhu D, Yu Z, Zhuo R, Sun M. (2008) The copper-resistant bacterium
ACU isolated from the rhizosphere of Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) increased the
endurance of Potamogeton crispus L. to copper toxicity. J Appl Microbiol, 105:
1034-1043.
28) Peng D, Zhou C, Chen S, Ruan L, Yu Z, Sun M. (2008) Toxicological safety assessment of
genetically modified Bacillus thuringiensis with additional N-Acyl homoserine lactonase
gene. Environ Toxicol Chem, 27: 173-180.
29) Guo G, Zhou Z, Ma Q, Liu J, Zhu L, Yu Z, Sun M. (2008) A new group of parasporal
inclusions encoded by S-layer gene of Bacillus thuringiensis. FEMS Microbiol Lett, 282:
1-7.
30) Liu M, Guo S, Hu S, Xiao Y, Xu Q, Li Z, Bi D, Sun M. (2008) Displaying the protein of
Mycoplasma gallisepticum agglutinin on the cell surface of Bacillus thuringiensis with
the S-layer protein. Vet Microbiol, 130: 99-106.
31) Yu Z, Bai P, Ye W, Zhang F, Ruan L, Yu Z, Sun M. (2008) A novel negative regulatory
factor for nematicidal Cry protein gene expression in Bacillus thuringiensis. J Microbiol
Biotechnol, 18: 1033-1039.
32) Liu X, Zhu S, Ye W, Ruan L, Yu Z, Zhao C, Sun M. (2008) Genetic characterization of two
putative toxin-antitoxin systems on cryptic plasmids from Bacillus thuringiensis strain
YBT-1520. J Microbiol Biotechnol, 18: 1630-1633.
33) Zhang L, Ruan L, Hu C, Wu H, Chen S, Yu Z, Sun M. (2007) Fusion of the genes for AHLlactonase and S-layer protein in Bacillus thuringiensis increases its ability to inhibit soft
rot caused by Erwinia carotovora. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol, 74: 667-675.
34) Peng D, Chen S, Ruan L, Li L, Yu Z, Sun M. (2007) Safety assessment of transgenic Bacillus
thuringiensis with VIP insecticidal protein gene by feeding studies. Food Chem Toxicol,
45: 1179-1185.
35) Zhao C, Luo Y, Song C, Liu Z, Chen S, Yu Z, Sun M. (2007) Identification of three
Zwittermicin A biosynthesis-related genes from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki
strain YBT-1520. Arch Microbiol, 187: 313-319.
36) Huang J, Han D, Yu Z, Sun M. (2007) A novel cryptic plasmid pBMB175 from Bacillus
thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis YBT-1765. Arch Microbiol, 188: 47-53.
37) Huang J, Guo S, Mahillon J, Géraldine A Van der Auwera, Wang L, Han D, Yu Z, Sun M.
(2006) Molecular characterization of a DNA fragment harboring the replicon of
pBMB165 from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis. BMC Genomic, 7: 270.
38) Zhu C, Yu Z, Sun M. (2006) Restraining Erwinia virulence by expression of N-acyl
homoserine lactonase gene pro3A-aiiA in Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. leesis. Biotechno
Bioeng, 95: 526-532.
39) Zhu C, Ruan L, Peng D, Yu Z, Sun M. (2006) Vegetative insecticidal protein enhancing the
toxicity of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki against Spodoptera exigua. Lett Appl
Microbiol, 42: 109-114.
40) Ming Sun (chief editor), National planning textbook 《Gene Engineering》
，2006，Beijing:
Higher Education Press.
Contact details
Ming Sun, PhD, Professor
College of Life Science and Technology
Huazhong Agricultural University
Shizishan Street 1
Wuhan, Hubei 430070
P. R. China
Tel: ++86-27-87283455
Fax: ++86-27-87280670
E-mail: m98sun@mail.hzau.edu.cn