Main Content

Bacterial adaptation to the abiotic and biotic environment

Microorganisms have conquered almost every habitat on Earth. A key to this success is their ability to sense environmental changes and initiate appropriate cellular responses. Microbes have evolved complex sensing and regulatory networks that monitor extra- and intracellular conditions and govern the adaptation programs.

We study the adaptation of bacteria to stress conditions in their habitats. Systems investigated are e.g., survival strategies of soil- and leaf-dwelling bacteria, the symbiosis between alphaproteobacterial rhizobia and leguminous plants, and the Klebsiella pneumoniae-host interaction. Our studies focus on regulatory mechanisms of gene expression, RNA-based regulation, and post-translational control mechanisms.

Research aims:

• Discover and understand signaling and regulatory mechanisms (e.g., involving quorum sensing signal molecules and nucleotide second messengers)
• Understand regulation of production of extracellular polysaccharides and intracellular storage polymers in resource management and interaction with a host
• Understand the role of spatial cellular organization in sensing and regulation