Invited by Prof. Changsheng Zhang, director of Research & Planning Office, Prof. Shu-Ming Li from Philipps-Universität Marburg and Prof. Ya-Zhong Xiao from Anhui University visited our insititute for academic exchange on 5th Sep, 2013. More than eighty faculties and students from CAS key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resources and Ecology (LMB) and other colleges attended the seminar.

　　The seminar was hosted by Prof. Changsheng Zhang. Prof. Shu-Ming Li gave a lecture entitled “Prenyltransferases of the dimethylallyl tryptophan synthase superfamily” In the presentation, he elucidated functions of key prenyltransferases involved in secondary metabolites biosynthesis in great detail. Meanwhile he illustrated the successful approach to artificial evolution of substrate diversity of prenyltransferases. Prof. Ya-Zhong Xiao gave a lecture entitled “Discovery of New enzymes from marine bacteria”. In his report, Prof. Ya-Zhong Xiao introduced the powerful strategy of finding new enzymes from marine bacteria, optimization of enzyme stability by gene engineering and improved enzyme production in a pilot-plant scale fermentation. The speeches inspired warm discussions between the lecturer and attendees.

　　The visit of Prof. Shu-Ming Li and Prof.Ya-Zhong Xiao contributed to in-depth cooperation between our institute and other scientific institutes both at home and abroad. Meanwhile, it may prompt the scientific development of marine microbiology in our institute.