Biography

2008 - 2012 B.S. in Biological Science

Department of Life Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

2012 - 2017 Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China

2017 - 2022 Postdoctoral Researcher in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA

2022 - 2024 Senior Research Scientist in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA

2024 - Present Professor in Taikang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, China

Research

Cholesterol constitutes about 20% of the lipids in the plasma membrane, playing a key role in maintaining the integrity, fluidity, and functionality of cell membranes. Cholesterol is also a precursor for the synthesis of steroid hormones, bile acids, and vitamin D, and its metabolic balance affects a diverse range of biochemical and physiological processes within the cell. Our research group focuses on the structural and functional studies of cholesterol metabolism. By employing structural biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology techniques, we aim to explore the molecular mechanisms regulating cholesterol homeostasis and identify new regulatory components, providing novel insights and approaches for treating related diseases.

Representative  Publications

1. Long, T. #, Li, D. #, Vale, G., Jiang, Y., Schmiege, P., Yang, Z., McDonald, J., Li, X. (2024) Molecular insights into human phosphatidylserine synthase 1 reveal its inhibition promotes LDL uptake. Cell, in press. (#co-first author)

2. Long, T. #, Zhang, Y. #, Donnelly, L., Li, H., Pien, Y.C., Liu, N., Olson, E.N. and Li, X. (2023) Cryo-EM structures of Myomaker reveal a molecular basis for myoblast fusion. Nat Struct Mol Biol, 30, 1746-1754. (#co-first author)

3. Long, T.*, Debler, E.W. and Li, X. * (2022) Structural enzymology of cholesterol biosynthesis and storage. Curr Opin Struct Biol, 74, 102369. (*corresponding author)

4. Long, T., Liu, Y., Li, X. (2021) Molecular structures of human ACAT2 disclose mechanism for selective inhibition. Structure, 29, 1410-1418.e1414.

5. Long, T. #, Liu, Y. #, Qin, Y., DeBose-Boyd, R.A. and Li, X. (2021) Structures of dimeric human NPC1L1 provide insight into mechanisms for cholesterol absorption. Sci Adv, 7. (#co-first author)

6. Sun, Y. #, Wang, J.#*, Long, T. #, Qi, X. #, Donnelly, L., Elghobashi-Meinhardt, N., Esparza, L., Cohen, J.C., Xie, X.S., Hobbs, H.H. et al. (2021) Molecular basis of cholesterol efflux via ABCG subfamily transporters. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A., 118. (#co-first author)

7. Long, T. #, Sun, Y.#, Hassan, A., Qi, X. and Li, X. (2020) Structure of nevanimibe-bound tetrameric human ACAT1. Nature, 581, 339-343. (#co-first author)

8. Liu, R.J. #, Long, T. #, Li, H., Zhao, J., Li, J., Wang, M., Palencia, A., Lin, J., Cusack, S. and Wang, E.D. (2020) Molecular basis of the multifaceted functions of human leucyl-tRNA synthetase in protein synthesis and beyond. Nucleic Acids Res, 48, 4946-4959. (#co-first author)

9. Long, T., Qi, X., Hassan, A., Liang, Q., De Brabander, J.K. and Li, X. (2020) Structural basis for itraconazole-mediated NPC1 inhibition. Nat Commun, 11, 152.

10. Long, T., Hassan, A., Thompson, B.M., McDonald, J.G., Wang, J. and Li, X. (2019) Structural basis for human sterol isomerase in cholesterol biosynthesis and multidrug recognition. Nat Commun, 10, 2452.