Publications

Journals (Google Scholar Profile)

(After joining UofSC, * denotes corresponding author, ^‖denotes co-first author)

52. Xue, J.; Han, Z.; Li, G.; Emmanuel, K. A.; McManus, C. L.; Sui, Q.*; Ge, D.*; Gao, Q.; Cai, L.* Synthesis of monophosphorylated lipid A precursors using 2-naphthylmethyl ether as a protecting group. Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry 2020, 16, 1955-1962.

51. Li, Z.; Li, F.; Cai, L.; Chen, Z.; Qin, L.; Gao, X. One-pot multienzyme synthesis of rare ketoses from glycerol. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry 2020, 5, 1347-1353.

50. Li, J.; Li, Z.; Duan, X.; Qin, K.; Dang, L.; Sun, S.; Cai, L.; Hsieh-Wilson, L. C.; Wu, L.; Yi, W. An isotope-coded photocleavable probe for quantitative profiling of protein O-GlcNAcylation. ACS Chemical Biology 2019, 14, 4-10.

49. Zheng, Z.; Han, Z.; Cai, L.*; Zhou, D.; Chavis, B. R.; Li, C.; Sui, Q.; Jiang, K.; Gao, Q.* Highlyregioselective dehexanoylation in fully hexanoylated flavonoids. Tetrahedron Letters 2018, 59, 4442-4447.

48. McManus, C. L.; Emmanuel, K. A.; Cai, L.* Investigating caffeine content in major Chinese tea types. Chemical Educator 2018, 23, 198-202. [PDF]

47. Han, Z.; Zheng, Z.; Cai, L.*; Zhou, D.; Li, C.; Sui, Q.; Liu, S.; Gao, Q.* Synthesis of flavonoid 2-deoxyglucosides via the Mitsunobu reaction. Tetrahedron Letters 2018, 59, 3773-3776.

46. Tang, C.; Cai, L.*; Liu, S.; Zheng, Z.; Li, G.; Chen, J.; Sui, Q.* Crystal structure of tebipenem pivoxil. Acta Crystallographica 2018, E74, 1215-1217.

45. Li, A.; Cai, L.; Chen, Z.; Wang, M.; Wang, N.; Nakanishi, H.; Gao, X.; Li, Z. Recent advances in the synthesis of rare sugars using DHAP-dependent aldolases. Carbohydrate Research 2017, 452, 108-115.

44. Zhao, Y.; Cai, L.*; Sui, Q.; Lin, F.; Jiang, W.; Chen, J.; Lu, W.*; Gao, Q.* Facile synthesis of acacetin and its derivatives. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2016, 26, 3577-3580.

43. Li, X.^‖; Rao, X.^‖; Cai, L.^‖; Liu, X.; Wang, H.; Wu, W.; Zhu, C.; Chen, M.; Wang, P. G.; Yi, W. Targeting tumor cells by natural anti-carbohydrate antibodies using rhamnose-functionalized liposomes. ACS Chemical Biology 2016, 11, 1205-1209.

42. Li, Z.; Gao, X.; Cai, L.* Synthesis of rare pentoses using microbial and enzymatic reactions. Current Organic Chemistry 2016, 20, 1456-1464. [PDF]

41. Zhao, X.; Cai, L.; Adogla, E. A.; Guan, H.; Lin, Y.; Wang, Q. Labelling of enveloped virus via metabolic incorporation of azido sugars. Bioconjugate Chemistry 2015, 26, 1868-1872.

40. Li, Z.; Wu, X.; Cai, L.; Duan, S.; Liu, J.; Yuan, P.; Nakanishi, H.; Gao, X. Enzymatic synthesis of rare sugars with L-rhamnulose-1-phosphate aldolase from Thermotoga maritime MSB8. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2015, 25, 3980-3983.

39. Li, Z.; He, B.; Gao, Y.; Cai, L.* Synthesis of D-sorbose and D-psicose by recombinant Escherichia coli. Journal of Carbohydrate Chemistry 2015, 34, 349-357.

38. Wei, M.; Li, Z.; Li, T.; Wu, B.; Liu, Y.; Qu, J.; Li, X.; Li, L.; Cai, L.; Wang, P. G. Transforming flask reaction into cell-based synthesis: production of polyhydroxylated molecules via engineered Escherichia coli. ACS Catalysis 2015, 5, 4060-4065.

37. Li, Z.; Qiao, Y.; Cai, L.; Nakanishi, H.; Gao, X. Characterization of glycerol phosphate oxidase from Streptococcus pneumoniae and its application for ketose synthesis. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2015,25, 504-507.

36. Cai, L.*; Rufty, C.; Liquois, M. Solvent-free per-O-acetylation of carbohydrates. Asian Journal of Chemistry 2014, 26, 4367-4369. [PDF]

35. Cai, L.* Thin layer chromatography. Current Protocols Essential Laboratory Techniques 2014, 6.3.1-6.3.18. [PDF]

34. Li, Z.; Gao, Y.; Nakanishi, H.; Gao, X.*; Cai, L.* Biosynthesis of rare hexoses using microorganisms and related enzymes. Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry 2013, 9, 2434-2445.

33. Cai, L.*; Rufty, C. Solvent-free pyridine-free peracetylation of glucose: An organic chemistry experiment. Chemical Educator 2013, 18, 96-98. [PDF]

32. Zou, Y.; Xue, M.; Wang, W.; Cai, L.; Chen, L.; Liu, J.; Wang, P. G.; Shen, J.; Chen, M. One-pot three-enzyme synthesis of UDP-Glc, UDP-Gal and their derivatives. Carbohydrate Research 2013, 373, 76-81.

31. Duan, X.; Cai, L.*; Lee, L. A.; Chen, H.; Wang, Q.* Incorporation of azide sugar analogue decreases tumorigenic potential of breast cancer cells by reducing cancer stem cell population. Science China Chemistry 2013, 56, 279-285. [Cover Story]

30. Washington-Hughes, C. L.; Cheng, Y.; Duan, X.; Cai, L.; Lee, L. A.; Wang, Q. In vivo virus-based macrofluorogenic probes target azide-labeled surface glycans in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Molecular Pharmaceutics2013, 10, 43-50.

29. Cai, L.* An alternative method for balancing redox reactions. Chemical Educator 2012, 17, 172-174. [PDF]

28. Han, W.^‖; Cai, L.^‖; Wu, B.; Li, L.; Xiao, Z.; Cheng, J.; Wang, P. G. The wciN gene encodes an α-1,3-galactosyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of the capsule repeating unit of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 6B. Biochemistry 2012, 51, 5804-5810.

27. Li, Z.; Cai, L.*; Wei, M.; Wang, P. G.* One-pot four-enzyme synthesis of ketoses with fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolases from Staphylococcus carnosus and rabbit muscle. Carbohydrate Research 2012, 357, 143-146.

26. Cai, L.* Recent progress in enzymatic synthesis of sugar nucleotides. Journal of Carbohydrate Chemistry 2012, 31, 535-552. [PDF]

25. Zou, Y.; Wang, W.; Cai, L.; Chen, L.; Xue, M.; Shen, J.; Chen, M. Substrate specificity of galactokinase from Streptococcus pneumoniae TIGR4 towards galactose, glucose, and their derivatives. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2012, 22, 3540-3543.

24. Han, W.; Wu, B.; Li, L.; Zhao, G.; Woodward, R.; Pettit, N.; Cai, L.; Thon, V.; Wang, P. G. Defining function of lipopolysaccharide O-antigen ligase WaaL using chemoenzymatically synthesized substrates. Journal of Biological Chemistry 2012, 287, 5357-5365.

23. Li, Z.; Cai, L.*; Qi, Q.; Wang, P. G.* Enzymatic synthesis of D-sorbose and D-psicose with aldolase RhaD: Effect of acceptor configuration on enzyme stereoselectivity. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2011, 21, 7081-7084.

(Working during undergraduate, M.S. and Ph.D., ^‖ denotes co-first author)

22. Ban, L.; Pettit, N.; Li, L.; Stuparu, A. D.; Cai, L.; Chen, W.; Guan, W.; Han, W.; Wang, P. G.; Mrksich, M. Discovery of glycosyltransferases using carbohydrate arrays and mass spectrometry. Nature Chemical Biology2012, 8, 769-773.

21. Li, Y.; Yu, H.; Chen, Y.; Lau, K.; Cai, L.; Cao, H.; Tiwari, V. K.; Qu, J.; Thon, V.; Wang, P. G.; Chen, X. Substrate promiscuity of N-acetylhexosamine 1-kinases. Molecules 2011, 16, 6396-6407.

20. Cai, L.^‖; Ban, L.^‖; Guan, W.^‖; Mrksich, M.; Wang, P. G. Enzymatic synthesis and properties of uridine-5'-O-(2-thiodiphospho)-N-acetylglucosamine. Carbohydrate Research 2011, 346, 1576-1580.

19. Wang, W.; Li, L.; Jin, C.; Niu, Y.; Li, S.; Ma, J.; Li, L.; Liu, Y.; Cai, L.; Zhao, W.; Wang, P. G. Enzymatic synthesis of a 6-sialyl lactose analogue using a pH-responsive water-soluble polymer support. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2011, 21, 5041-5044.

18. Guan, W.; Ban, L.; Cai, L.; Li, L.; Chen, W.; Liu, X.; Mrksich, M.; Wang, P. G. Combining carbochips and mass spectrometry to study the donor specificity for the Neisseria meningitidis β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase LgtA. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2011, 21, 5025-5028.

17. Li, Z.^‖; Cai, L.^‖; Qi, Q.; Styslinger, T. J.; Zhao, G.; Wang, P. G. Synthesis of rare sugars with L-fuculose-1-phosphate aldolase (FucA) from Thermus thermophilus HB8. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2011, 21, 5084-5087.

16. Pettit, N.^‖; Cai, L.^‖; Han, W.; Zha, L.; Guan, W.; Wang, P. G. C₂-Carbon isostere of N-acetylglucosamine as substrate for bacterial polysaccharide remodeling. American Journal of Biomedical Sciences 2011, 3, 107-115.

15. Chen, W.; Gu, L.; Zhang, W.; Motari, E.; Cai, L.; Styslinger, T.; Wang, P. G. L-Rhamnose antigen: a promising alternative to α-Gal for cancer immunotherapies. ACS Chemical Biology 2011, 6, 185-191.

14. Guan, W.^‖; Cai, L.^‖; Wang, P. G. Highly efficient synthesis of UDP-GalNAc/GlcNAc analogues with promiscuous recombinant human UDP-GalNAc pyrophosphorylase AGX1. Chemistry - A European Journal 2010, 16, 13343-13345.

13. Yu, H.; Thon, V.; Lau, K.; Cai, L.; Chen, Y.; Mu, S.; Li, Y.; Wang, P. G.; Chen, X. Highly efficient chemoenzymatic synthesis of β1-3-linked galactosides. Chemical Communications 2010, 46, 7507-7509.

12. Chen, W.; Xia, C.; Cai, L.; Wang, P. G. Efficient synthesis of galactosylceramide analogues for iNKT cell stimulation. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2010, 20, 3859-3862.

11. Cai, L.; Guan, W.; Chen, W.; Wang, P. G. Chemoenzymatic synthesis of uridine 5'-diphospho-2-acetonyl-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucose as C₂-carbon isostere of UDP-GlcNAc. Journal of Organic Chemistry 2010, 75, 3492-3494.

10. Woodward, R.; Yi, W.; Li, L.; Zhao, G.; Eguchi, H.; Perali, R. S.; Guo, H.; Song, J. K.; Motari, E.; Cai, L.; Kelleher, P.; Liu, X.; Han, W.; Zhang, W.; Ding, Y.; Li, M.; Wang, P. G. In vitro bacterial polysaccharide biosynthesis: Defining the functions of Wzy and Wzz. Nature Chemical Biology 2010, 6, 418-423.

9. Zhao, G.^‖; Guan, W.^‖; Cai, L.^‖; Wang, P. G. Enzymatic route to preparative-scale synthesis of UDPGlcNAc/GalNAc, their analogues and GDP-fucose. Nature Protocols 2010, 5, 636-646.

8. Fang, J.; Guan, W.; Cai, L.; Gu, G.; Liu, X.; Wang, P. G. Systematic study on the broad nucleotide triphosphate specificity of the pyrophosphorylase domain of the N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase from Escherichia coli K12. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2009, 19, 6429-6432.

7. Guan, W.^‖; Cai, L.^‖; Fang, J.; Wu, B.; Wang, P. G. Enzymatic synthesis of UDP-GlcNAc/UDP-GalNAc analogs using N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU). Chemical Communications 2009, 6976-6978.

6. Cai, L.^‖; Guan, W.^‖; Wang, W.; Zhao, W.; Kitaoka, M.; Shen, J.; O’Neil, C.; Wang, P. G. Substrate specificity of N-acetylhexosamine kinase towards N-acetylgalactosamine derivatives. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2009, 19, 5433-5435.

5. Cai, L.^‖; Guan, W.^‖; Kitaoka, M.; Shen, J.; Xia, C.; Chen, W.; Wang, P. G. A chemoenzymatic route to N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate analogues: substrate specificity investigations of N-acetylhexosamine 1-kinase. Chemical Communications 2009, 2944-2946.

4. Mei, H.; Xing, L.; Cai, L.; Jin, H.; Zhao, P.; Yang, Z.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, L.-H. Studies on the synthesis of neamine-dinucleosides and neamine-PNA conjugates and their interaction with RNA. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2008, 18, 5355-5358.

3. Cai, L.; Ren, B.; Zhang, F.; Yang, Z.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, L.-H. Synthesis and biological evaluation of neamine analogues for RNA binding. Journal of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences 2008, 17, 129-133. [PDF]

2. Cai, L.; Li, Q.; Ren, B.; Yang, Z.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, L.-H. Synthesis of aminodisaccharide-nucleoside conjugates for RNA binding. Tetrahedron 2007, 63, 8135-8144.

1. Ren, B.; Cai, L.; Zhang, L.; Yang, Z.; Zhang, L.-H. Selective deacetylation using iodine-methanol reagent in fully acetylated nucleosides. Tetrahedron Letters 2005, 46, 8083-8086.

Published Abstracts

1. Zhao, Y.; Cai, L.; Gao, Q. Facile two-component synthesis of acacetin. 2016 Southeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society 2016, 43.

2. Cai, L.; Wang, Q. Examples of metabolic labeling of cancer cell and virus glycans with azido sugars. Abstracts of Papers: 251st American Chemical Society National Meeting 2016, 30-CARB.

3. Cai, L.; Rufty, C.; Liquois, M. Solvent-free per-O-acetylation of carbohydrates. 2013 Southeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society 2013, 177.

4. Wang, P. G.; Li, Z.; Wei, M.; Wu, B.; Cai, L. Production of chiral organic molecules through synthetic biology. Abstracts of Papers: 244th American Chemical Society National Meeting 2012, 244, 88-CARB.

5. Cai, L.; Li, Z.; Wang, P. G. Synthesis of rare sugars by in vitro and in vivo aldolase reactions. Abstracts of Papers: 243rd American Chemical Society National Meeting 2012, 243, 70-CARB.

6. Cai, L.; Guan, W.; Wang, P. G. Chemoenzymatic route to uncommon sugar nucleotides. Abstracts of Papers: 240th American Chemical Society National Meeting 2010, 240, 410-MEDI.

7. Cai, L.; Yang, Z.; Ren, B.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, L.-H. Aminoglyco-nucleosides targeting RNA: synthesis and biological evaluation. The 25th Chinese Chemical Society Congress Abstracts 2006, 510.

Theses

Cai, L. 2011. A Chemoenzymatic Route to Unnatural Sugar Nucleotides and Their Applications & Enzymatic Synthesis of Rare Sugars with Aldolases In vitro and In vivo. Ph.D. Dissertation, The Ohio State University.
Cai, L. 2007. Aminoglyco-Nucleoside Conjugates Targeting RNA: Synthesis and Biological Evaluation. M.S. Thesis, Peking University.

Non-Refereed Publications

1. Bell, A. C.; Cai, L. Learning organic chemistry reactions as a nursing student. University of South Carolina Salkehatchie - Faculty Forum 2013, 19:1-9. [PDF] This article was later peer-reviewed and published in Caravel, the USC Undergraduate Research Journal, Fall 2014. [Article Link]

2. Cai, L. Editorial: Towards the enzymatic synthesis of carbohydrates. Organic Chemistry Current Research 2012, 1, e103. [PDF]