Members

BioProduction Engineering Lab Members (Sci., Technol. and Innov.) Christopher John Vavricka Jr.

Associate Professor
Christopher John Vavricka Jr.

Education and Experience

2000-2004
B.S. Student, Virginia Tech
2005-2009
Ph.D. Researcher, Virginia Tech
Oct. 2009
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Microbiology, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Oct. 2012
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing Institutes of Life Sciences, Associate Professor
Oct. 2014
Okayama University, Faculty of Agriculture, JSPS Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Nov. 2016
Kobe University Graduate School of Science, Technology and Innovation, Assistant Professor
Mar. 2020-present
Kobe University Graduate School of Science, Technology and Innovation, Associate Professor

Awards

  • 荣获2013年度中国科学院病原微生物与免疫学重点实验室利德曼杯年度科研成就奖 (2013)
  • 《Nature Communications》杂志上的论文"Influenza Neuraminidase Operates via a Nucleophilic Mechanism and can be Targeted by Covalent Inhibitors"荣获2013 年度“泽平优秀论文奖”(2013)
  • 中科院北京生命科学研究院科研论文奖励 (2013)
  • 中国科学院病原微生物与免疫学重点实验室周家炽病毒学论文奖 (2013)
  • GENEWIZ 金唯智论文奖 (2013)
  • 中国科学院病原微生物与免疫学重点实验室周家炽病毒学论文奖 (2011)
  • 中国科学院病原微生物与免疫学重点实验室度“强耀优秀论文奖”颁奖 (2011)
  • Most Courageous Award, Bishop Eustace High School Varsity Wrestling (2000)

Publications

  1. Vavricka, CJ., Takahashi, S., Watanabe, N., Takenaka, M., Matsuda, M., Yoshida, T., Suzuki, R., Kiyota, H., Li, J., Minami, H., Ishii, J., Tsuge, K., Araki, M., Kondo, A., Hasunuma, T. (2022/03) Machine learning discovery of missing links that mediate alternative branches to plant alkaloids, Nature Communications, 13, 1405
  2. Kato, Y., Oyama, T., Inokuma, K., Vavricka, CJ., Matsuda, M., Hidese, R., Satoh, K., Oono, Y., Chang, JS., Hasunuma, T., Kondo, A. (2021/04) Enhancing carbohydrate repartitioning into lipid and carotenoid by disruption of microalgae starch debranching enzyme, Communications Biology, 4: 450
  3. Takenaka, M., Yoshida, T., Hori, Y., Bamba, T., Mochizuki, M., Vavricka, CJ., Hattori, T., Hayakawa, Y., Hasunuma, T.*, Kondo, A. (2021/01) An ion-pair free LC-MS/MS method for quantitative metabolite profiling of microbial bioproduction systems, Talanta, 222, 121625
  4. Watanabe, N., Murata, M., Ogawa, T., Vavricka, CJ., Kondo, A., Ogino, C., Araki, M. (2020/02) Exploration and evaluation of machine learning-based models for predicting enzymatic reactions, Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling, 60(3), 1833-1843
  5. Vavricka, CJ., Matsumoto, T., Hiromasa K. (2020/01) Towards improvement of covalent neuraminidase inhibitors with anomeric substitution, Trends in Glycoscience and Glycotechnology, 32(185), E1-E5
  6. Vavricka, CJ., Hasunuma, T., Kondo, A. (2020/01) (Review) Dynamic metabolomics for engineering biology: Accelerating learning cycles for bioproduction, Trends in Biotechnology, 38(1), 68-82
  7. Hasunuma, T.*, Takaki, A., Matsuda, M., Kato, Y., Vavricka, CJ., Kondo, A. (2019/10) Single-stage astaxanthin production enhances the nonmevalonate pathway and photosynthetic central metabolism in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, ACS Synthetic Biology, 8(12), 2701-2709
  8. Vavricka, CJ., Yoshida, T., Kuriya, Y., Takahashi, S., Ogawa, T., Ono, F., Agari, K., Kiyota, H., Li, J., Ishii, J., Tsuge, K., Minami, H., Araki, M.*, Hasunuma, T.*, Kondo, A. (2019/05) Mechanism-based tuning of insect 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde synthase for synthetic bioproduction of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids, Nature Communications, 10, 2015
  9. Kato, Y., Fujihara, Y., Vavricka, CJ., Chang, JS., Hasunuma, T.*, Kondo, A. (2019/02) Light/dark cycling causes delayed lipid accumulation and increased photoperiod-based biomass yield by altering metabolic flux in oleaginous Chlamydomonas sp., Biotechnology for Biofuels, 12: 39
  10. Ota, R., Okamoto, Y., Vavricka, CJ., Oka, T., Matsunaga, E., Takegawa, K., Kiyota, H., Izumi, M. (2019/01) Chemo-enzymatic synthesis of p-nitrophenyl β-D-galactofuranosyl disaccharides from Aspergillus sp. fungal-type galactomannan, Carbohydrate Research, 473, 99-103
  11. Takaishi, T., Wakisaka, K., Vavricka, CJ., Kiyota, H., Izumi, M. (2018/12) Multigram-scale and column chromatography-free synthesis of L-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid for the synthesis of nicotianamine and its derivatives, Heterocycles, 96, 2126-2134
  12. Hasunuma, T.*, Matsuda, M., Kato, Y., Vavricka, CJ., Kondo, A. (2018/07) Temperature enhanced succinate production concurrent with increased central metabolism turnover in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, Metabolic Engineering, 48, 109-120
  13. Oladejo, BO., Bi, Y., Vavricka, CJ., Li, C., Chai, Y., Xu, K., Li, L., Lu, Z., Li, J., Wong, G., Mohan, S., Pinto, BM., Jiang, H., Qi, J., Gao, GF., Tien, P., Wu, Y. (2018/01) Structural insight into the mechanism of neuraminidase inhibitor-resistant mutations in human-infecting H10N8 Influenza A virus, BioRxiv, 378075
  14. Kato, Y., Ho, SH., Vavricka, CJ., Chang, JS., Hasunuma, T., Kondo, A. (2017/12) Evolutionary engineering of salt-resistant Chlamydomonas sp. strains reveals salinity stress-activated starch-to-lipid biosynthesis switching, Bioresource Technology, 245(Part B), 1484-1490
  15. Wu, YB., Wang, YZ., Ni, ZY., Qing, X., Shi, QW., Sauriol, F., Vavricka, CJ., Gu, YC., Kiyota, H. (2017/09) Xylomexicanins I and J: limonoids with unusual B/C rings from xylocarpus granatum, Journal of Natural Products, 80(9), 2547-2550
  16. Vavricka, CJ., Muto, C., Hasunuma, T., Kimura, Y., Araki, M., Wu, Y., Gao, GF., Ohrui, H., Izumi, M., Kiyota, H. (2017/08) Synthesis of sulfo-sialic acid analogues: potent neuraminidase inhibitors in regards to anomeric functionality, Scientific Reports, 7(1): 8239
  17. Osada, T., Maeda, M., Tanabe, C., Furuta, K., Vavricka, CJ., Sasaki, E., Okano, M., Kimura, Y. (2017/08) Glycoform of a newly identified pollen allergen, Cha o 3, from Chamaecyparis obtusa (Japanese cypress, Hinoki), Carbohydrate Research, 448, 18-23
  18. Qing, X., Yan, HM., Ni, ZY., Vavricka, CJ., Zhang, ML., Shi, QW., Gu, YC., Kiyota, H. (2017/07) Chemical and pharmacological research on the plants from genus Ajuga, Heterocyclic Communications, 23(4), 245
  19. Maeda, M., Ebara, N., Tani, M., Vavricka, CJ., Kimura, Y. (2017/04) Occurrence of complex type free N-glycans with a single GlcNAc residue at the reducing termini in the fresh-water plant, Egeria densa, Glycoconjugate Journal, 34(2), 229-240, doi: 10.1007/s10719-016-9758-z.
  20. Wu, Y., Gao, F., Qi, J., Bi, Y., Fu, L., Mohan, S., Chen, Y., Li, X., Pinto, BM., Vavricka CJ., Tien, P., Gao, GF. (2016/11) Resistance to Mutant Group 2 Influenza Virus Neuraminidases of an Oseltamivir-Zanamivir Hybrid Inhibitor, Journal of Virology, 90(23): 10693-10700
  21. Maeda, M., Tani, M., Yoshiie, T., Vavricka, CJ., Kimura, Y. (2016/11) Structural features of N-glycans linked to glycoproteins expressed in three kinds of water plants: predominant occurrence of the plant complex type N-glycans bearing Lewis a epitope, Carbohydrate Research, 435, 50-57
  22. Wu, Y., Vavricka, CJ., Wu, Y., Li, Qing., Rudrawar, S., Thomson, RJ., von, Itzstein, M., Gao, GF., Qi, J. (2015/10) Atypical group 1 neuraminidase pH1N1-N1 bound to a group 1 inhibitor, Protein & Cell, 6, 771-773
  23. Sun, X., Li, Q., Wu, Y., Wang, M., Liu, Y., Qi, J., Vavricka, CJ., Gao, GF. (2014/08) Structure of influenza virus N7: the last piece of the neuraminidase "jigsaw" puzzle, Journal of Virology, 88, 9197-207
  24. Abdel-Mageed, WM., Bayoumi, SA., Chen, C., Vavricka, CJ., Li, L., Malik, A., Dai, H., Song, F., Wang, L., Zhang, J., Gao, GF., Lv, Y., Liu, L., Liu, X., Sayed, HM., Zhang, L. (2014/04) Benzophenone C-glucosides and gallotannins from mango tree stem bark with broad-spectrum anti-viral activity, Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 22, 2236-43
  25. Vavricka, CJ., Han, Q., Mehere, PV., Christensen, BM., Li, J. (2014/02) Tyrosine metabolic enzymes in insects and mammals: a comparative perspective, Insect Science, 21(1): 13-19, doi:10.1111/1744-7917.12038
  26. Yan, W., Bi, Y., Vavricka, CJ., Sun, X., Zhang, Y., Gao, F., Yan, J., Zhao, M., Xiao, H., Qin, C., He, J., Liu, W., Yan, J., Gao, GF. (2013/10) Characterization of two distinct neuraminidases from avian-origin human-infecting H7N9 influenza viruses. Cell Research (Front Cover and Top 10 Article), 23, 1347-1355
  27. Li, Q., Qi, J., Wu, Y., Kiyota, H., Tanaka, K., Suhara, Y., Ohrui, H., Suzuki, Y., Vavricka, CJ., Gao, GF. (2013/09) Functional and structural analysis of influenza neuraminidase N3 offers further insight into the mechanisms of oseltamivir-resistance, Journal of Virology, 87, 10016-10024
  28. Wu, Y., Qin, G., Gao, F., Liu, Y., Vavricka, CJ., Qi, J., Jiang, H., Yu, K., Gao, GF. (2013/03) Induced opening of influenza virus neuraminidase N2 150-loop suggests an important role in inhibitor binding, Scientific Reports, 3, 1551
  29. Vavricka, CJ., Liu, Y., Kiyota, H., Sriwilaijaroen, N., Qi, J., Tanaka, Y., Wu, Y., Li, Q., Li, Y., Yan, J., Suzuki, Y., Gao, GF. (2013/02) Influenza neuraminidase operates via a nucleophilic mechanism and can be targeted by covalent inhibitors, Nature Communications, 4, 1491
  30. Li, Q., Sun, X., Li, Z., Liu, Y., Vavricka, CJ., Qi, J., Gao, GF. (2012/11) Structural and functional characterization of the neuraminidase-like molecule N10 derived from bat influenza A virus, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109, 18897-18902
  31. Vavricka, CJ.,, Li, Q., Wu, Y., Qi, J., Wang, M., Liu, Y., Gao, F., Liu, J., Feng, E., Wang, J., Hong, L., Jiang, H., Gao, GF. (2011/10) Structural and functional analysis of laninamivir and its octanoate prodrug reveals group specific mechanisms of influenza NA inhibition, PLoS Pathogens, 7, e1002249
  32. Wang, M., Qi, J., Liu, Y., Vavricka, CJ., Wu, Y., Li, Q., Gao, GF. (2011/08) Influenza A virus neuraminidase N5 has an extended 150-Cavity, Journal of Virology, 85, 8431-8435
  33. Vavricka, CJ. (2011/08) Adventures and lessons of an American biochemist in China, Protein & Cell, 2, 601-603
  34. Vavricka, CJ., Liu, Y., Li, Q., Shi, Y., Wu, Y., Sun, Y., Qi, J., Gao, GF. (2011/06) Special features of the 2009 pandemic swine-origin influenza A H1N1 hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, Chinese Science Bulletin (Front Cover), 56, 1747-1752
  35. Sun, M., Vavricka, CJ., Zhu, B. (2011/04) What job can a bug give? A controversy over the arsenic-guzzling bacterium cultured by NASA, Protein & Cell, 2, 261-263
  36. Vavricka, CJ., Han, Q., Huang, Y., Erickson, SM., Harich, K., Christensen, BM., Li, J. (2011/01) From L-dopa to dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde: a toxic biochemical pathway plays a vital physiological function in insects, PLoS One, 6, e16124
  37. Liu, J., Wu, P., Gao, F., Qi, J., Kawana-Tachikawa, A., Xie, J., Vavricka, CJ., Iwamoto, A., Li, T., Gao, GF. (2010/11) Novel immunodominant peptide presentation strategy: a featured HLA-A*2402 restricted CTL-epitope stabilized by intra-chain hydrogen-bonds from SARS-CoV nucleocapsid protein, Journal of Virology 84, 11849-11857
  38. Mehere, P., Han, Q., Lemkul, JA., Vavricka, CJ., Robinson, H., Bevan, DR., Li, J. (2010/11) Tyrosine aminotransferase: biochemical and structural properties and molecular dynamics simulations, Protein & Cell, 1, 1023-1032
  39. Li, Q., Qi, J., Zhang, W., Vavricka, CJ., Shi, Y., Wei, J., Feng, E., Shen, J., Chen, J., Di, Liu., He, J., Yan, J., Liu, Hong., Jiang, H., Maikun, M., Li, X., Gao, GF. (2010/10) The 2009 pandemic H1N1 neuraminidase N1 lacks the 150-cavity in its active site, Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, 17, 1266-1268
  40. Vavricka, CJ., Christensen, BM., Li, J. (2010/09) Melanization in living organisms: a perspective of species evolution, Protein & Cell (Front Cover), 1, 830-841
  41. Sun, Y., Shi, Y., Zhang, W., Li, Q., Liu, D., Vavricka, C., Yan, J., Gao, GF. (2010/06) In silico characterization of the functional and structural modules of the hemagglutinin protein from the swine-origin influenza virus A (H1N1)-2009, Science China Life Sciences, 53, 633-642
  42. Zhang, W., Qi, J., Shi, Y., Qing, L., Gao, F., Sun, Y., Lu, X., Lu, Q., Vavricka, CJ., Liu, D., Yan, J., Gao, GF. (2010/05) Crystal structure of the swine-origin A (H1N1)-2009 influenza A virus hemagglutinin (HA) reveals similar antigenicity to that of the 1918 pandemic virus, Protein & Cell, 1, 459-467
  43. Vavricka, CJ., Ray, KW., Christensen, BM., Li, J. (2010/04) Purification and N-glycosylation analysis of melanoma antigen dopachrome tautomerase, Protein Journal, 29, 204-12
  44. Li, JS., Vavricka, CJ., Christensen, BM., Li, J. (2007/08) Proteomic analysis of N-glycosylation in mosquito dopachrome conversion enzyme, Proteomics, 7, 2557-2569

Reviews & Commentaries

  1. 蓮沼誠久, Christopher J. Vavricka, 荒木通啓, 新たに設計した代謝経路を用いた大腸菌によるアルカロイド高生産, バイオサイエンスとインダストリー, Vol. 78(1), 32-33 (2020/01)
  2. 清田洋正, Christopher J. Vavricka, シアリダーゼ阻害剤・抗インフルエンザ薬の創出 - スルホシアル酸の展開, 化学, 73, 66-67 (2018/05)