Brief Introduction

Dr. Ruichao Li received his Ph.D degree (2017) from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Then he joined the College of Veterinary Medicine (Institute of Comparative Medicine), Yangzhou University, and selected as the Youth ”One Hundred” program of the University. His research interests include antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and application of novel sequencing technologies (such as Oxford Nanopore Technologies), focusing on molecular mechanisms of resistance, MDR plasmids and microbial genomics. He was responsible for eight research projects covering nanopore sequencing application and AMR research. Dr. Li has published more than seventy papers in leading international journals (such as mSystems, GigaScience,J Antimicrob Chemother and Antimicrob Agents Chemother), one of which was selected as ESI Hot and Highly Cited Paper. He is also the peer reviewer for several journals like Engineering, J Antimicrob Chemother and Antimicrob Agents Chemother, and the guest editor in Frontiers in Microbiology and Genes.

Editorial Activity

Review editor for: Frontiers in Microbiology, Genes

Reviewer for: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Emerging Microbes & Infections, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, BMC Genomics, Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, Science of the Total Environment, etc..

Research Summary

1. Emerging ESBLs in Vibrio parahaemolyticus: We used different molecular tools to characterize AMR, especially the ESBLs genes in the important foodborne pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Through our research, we found some ESBLs-bearing conjugative plasmids shared by Vibrip parahaemolyticus and Enterobacteriaceae. Some multi-drug resistance plasmids were found limited in Vibrio species and had an increasing prevalence recently. The evolution of MDR plasmids in Vibrio parahaemolyticus is our one research focus.

2. Transmission mechanism of mobile colistin resistance gene mcr-1: The recently discovered mcr-1 poses a great potential public health threat globally. With the help of third-generation sequencing (PacBio) technology, we conducted a comprehensive comparative study of mcr-1-bearing plasmids in E.coli. We found the mcr-1 has the ability to transfer between different genetic loci among plasmids and chromosomes. Most importantly, the transfer was completed with themcr-1 positive transposon Tn6330 by a circular intermediate through excision process. Details of this transfer process warrants further study.

3. Comparative genomics of Salmonella Derby: Salmonella Derby is one of high prevalence Salmonella serotypes in China. Through comparative genomics of strains isolated from different sources, we found two obviously different clades. Furthermore characterization is being performed.

4. Application of nanpore sequencing in AMR tracking: With the improvement of portable MinION sequencing device, we are now trying to utilize this long reads sequencing tool to resolve the MDR plasmids which are difficult to obtain complete sequences with NGS data. Other applications are being developed.

Publications

 1. Wang Q, Peng K, Liu Y, Xiao X, Wang Z, Li R. 2021. Characterization of TMexCD3-TOprJ3, an RND-type efflux system conferring resistance to tigecycline in Proteus mirabilis, and its associated Integrative Conjugative Element. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.

2. Qin S, Peng J, Deng R, Peng K, Yan T, Chen F, Li R. 2021. Identification of two plasmids co-harboring carbapenemase genes and tmexCD1-toprJ1 in clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae ST2667. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.

3. Liu M, Zhang W, Peng K, Wang Z, Li R. 2021. Identification of a novel plasmid-mediated carbapenemase-encoding gene blaVMB-2 in Vibrio diabolicus. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.:AAC0020621.

4. Li R, Peng K, Xiao X, Wang Y, Wang Z. 2021. Characterization of novel ISAba1-bounded tet(X15)-bearing composite transposon Tn6866 in Acinetobacter variabilis. J. Antimicrob. Chemother.

5. Li R, Peng K, Xiao X, Liu Y, Peng D, Wang Z. 2021. Emergence of a multidrug resistance efflux pump with carbapenem resistance gene blaVIM-2 in a Pseudomonas putida megaplasmid of migratory bird origin. J. Antimicrob. Chemother.

6. Li R, Du P, Zhang P, Li Y, Yang X, Wang Z, Wang J, Bai L. 2021. Comprehensive Genomic Investigation of Coevolution of mcr genes in Escherichia coli Strains via Nanopore Sequencing. Glob Chall 5:2000014.

7. Yang X, Peng K, Zhang Y, Liu L, Li R. 2020. Characterization of a Novel mcr-8.2-Bearing Plasmid in ST395 Klebsiella pneumoniae of Chicken Origin. Infect Drug Resist 13:1781-1784.

8. Lu X, Xiao X, Liu Y, Huang S, Li R, Wang Z. 2020. Widespread Prevalence of Plasmid-Mediated Colistin Resistance Gene mcr-1 in Escherichia coli from Pere David's Deer in China. mSphere 5.

9. Liu Z, Xiao X, Liu Y, Li R, Wang Z. 2020. Recombination of NDM-5-producing plasmids mediated by IS26 among Escherichia coli. Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents 55:105815.

10. Li R, Xie M, Liu L, Huang Y, Wu X, Wang Z, Chan EWC, Chen S. 2020. Characterisation of a cointegrate plasmid harbouring blaNDM-1 in a clinical Salmonella Lomita strain. Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents 55:105817.

11. Li R, Peng K, Li Y, Liu Y, Wang Z. 2020. Exploring tet(X)-bearing tigecycline-resistant bacteria of swine farming environments. Sci. Total Environ. 733:139306.

12. Li R, Lu X, Peng K, Liu Z, Li Y, Liu Y, Xiao X, Wang Z. 2020. Deciphering the Structural Diversity and Classification of the Mobile Tigecycline Resistance Gene tet(X)-Bearing Plasmidome among Bacteria. mSystems 5.

13. Li R, Lu X, Peng K, Liu Y, Xiao X, Wang Z. 2020. Reorganization of mcr-1-bearing large MDR plasmids resolved by nanopore sequencing. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 75:1645-1647.

14. Li R, Lu X, Liu Z, Liu Y, Xiao X, Wang Z. 2020. Rapid detection and characterization of tet(X4)-positive Escherichia coli strains with nanopore sequencing. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 75:1068-1070.

15. Li R, Cheng J, Dong H, Li L, Liu W, Zhang C, Feng X, Qin S. 2020. Emergence of a novel conjugative hybrid virulence multidrug-resistant plasmid in extensively drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae ST15. Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents 55:105952.

16. Zhang P, Bai L, Li Y, Wang Z, Li R. 2019. Loss of mcr Genes Mediated by Plasmid Elimination and ISApl1. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 63.

17. Yang X, Liu L, Wang Z, Bai L, Li R. 2019. Emergence of mcr-8.2-bearing Klebsiella quasipneumoniae of animal origin. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 74:2814-2817.

18. Li R, Zhang P, Yang X, Wang Z, Fanning S, Wang J, Du P, Bai L. 2019. Identification of a novel hybrid plasmid coproducing MCR-1 and MCR-3 variant from an Escherichia coli strain. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 74:1517-1520.

19. Li R, Liu Z, Peng K, Liu Y, Xiao X, Wang Z. 2019. Cooccurrence of Two tet(X) Variants in an Empedobacter brevis Strain of Shrimp Origin. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 63.

20. Li R, Chen K, Chan EW-C, Chen S. 2019. Characterization of the stability and dynamics of Tn6330 in an Escherichia coli strain by nanopore long reads. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 74:1807-1811.

21. Li R, Yu H, Xie M, Chen K, Dong N, Lin D, Chan EW-C, Chen S. 2018. Genetic basis of chromosomally-encoded mcr-1 gene. Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents 51:578-585.

22. Li R, Xie M, Dong N, Lin D, Yang X, Wong MHY, Chan EW-C, Chen S. 2018. Efficient generation of complete sequences of MDR-encoding plasmids by rapid assembly of MinION barcoding sequencing data. Gigascience 7:1-9.

23. Li R, Xie M, Chan EWC, Chen S. 2018. Rapid resolution of multi-drug resistance bacterial genome harbouring mcr-1 and bla(CMY-2) using MinION sequencing platform. Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents 52:303-304.

24. Li R, Chen K, Chan EWC, Chen S. 2018. Resolution of dynamic MDR structures among the plasmidome of Salmonella using MinION single-molecule, long-read sequencing. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 73:2691-2695.

25. Li R, Ye L, Zheng Z, Chan EWC, Chen S. 2017. Genetic Characterization of Broad-Host-Range IncQ Plasmids Harboring blaVEB-18 in Vibrio Species. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 61.

26. Li R, Ye L, Wong MHY, Zheng Z, Chan EWC, Chen S. 2017. Evolution and comparative genomics of pAQU-like conjugative plasmids in Vibrio species. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 72:2503-2506.

27. Li RC, Chiou JC, Chan EWC, Chen S. 2016. A Novel PCR-Based Approach for Accurate Identification of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Frontiers in Microbiology 7:44.

28. Li R, Ye L, Zheng Z, Chan EW, Chen S. 2016. Genetic Characterization of a blaVEB-2-carrying plasmid in Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 60:6965-6968.

29. Li R, Xie M, Lv J, Wai-Chi Chan E, Chen S. 2016. Complete genetic analysis of plasmids carrying mcr-1 and other resistance genes in an Escherichia coli isolate of animal origin. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 72:696-699.

The complete publication list can also be found in my Google Scholar wetbiste (https://scholar.google.com.hk/citations?user=TSFUjE0AAAAJ&hl=EN)