Our Research
Humans are colonized by a plethora of microorganisms; our microbiota. Many of these organisms, so-called commensals, live in symbiosis with us. For example, they can help us with digesting foods or even protect us against infections. The microbiota produces a manifold of biologically active molecules, also called natural products, who can directly influence our health and the course of diseases. In the focus of our research are a specific subclass of natural products, which are often also produced by commensals: ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs). Our group is therefore researching the general effects of RiPPs on the microbiota and on humans. Here, we are trying to identify antimicrobially active substances that act selectively against pathogens and hence could be used for drug development. In addition, we are investigating RiPPs that are produced by pathogens to study the potential roles of these natural products in pathogenicity and virulence.
Our Research
Humans are colonized by a plethora of microorganisms; our microbiota. Many of these organisms, so-called commensals, live in symbiosis with us. For example, they can help us with digesting foods or even protect us against infections. The microbiota produces a manifold of biologically active molecules, also called natural products, who can directly influence our health and the course of diseases. In the focus of our research are a specific subclass of natural products, which are often also produced by commensals: ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs). Our group is therefore researching the general effects of RiPPs on the microbiota and on humans. Here, we are trying to identify antimicrobially active substances that act selectively against pathogens and hence could be used for drug development. In addition, we are investigating RiPPs that are produced by pathogens to study the potential roles of these natural products in pathogenicity and virulence.
Julian Hegemann studied chemistry at the Philipps-Universität in Marburg. In Marburg, he carried out the research for his diploma and PhD theses in the lab of Prof. Mohamed Marahiel and graduated in 2014. After a short postdoc phase to finish ongoing projects, Julian Hegemann joined the group of Prof. Wilfred van der Donk at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2016 and stayed there until 2019. Afterwards, he came back to Germany and became a postdoc at the TU Berlin in the lab of Prof. Roderich Süssmuth. In 2021, Julian Hegemann joined the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS).
Julian Hegemanns research focuses on members of the natural product superfamily of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs). He is interested in studying the underlying biosynthetic principles of these natural products, their roles in nature, their possible application as therapeutics, and their potential as bioengineering scaffolds.
Selected Publications
Baquero F, Beis K, Craik DJ, Li Y, Link AJ, Rebuffat S, Salomón R, Severinov K, Zirah S, Hegemann JD. The pearl jubilee of microcin J25: thirty years of research on an exceptional lasso peptide. Nat Prod Rep. 2024 Jan 2. doi: 10.1039/d3np00046j.
Hegemann JD, Birkelbach J, Walesch S, Müller R. Current developments in antibiotic discovery: Global microbial diversity as a source for evolutionary optimized anti-bacterials: Global microbial diversity as a source for evolutionary optimized anti-bacterials. EMBO Rep. 2023;24(1):e56184. doi:10.15252/embr.202256184
Chen PH, Sung LK, Hegemann JD, Chu J. Disrupting Transcription and Folate Biosynthesis Leads to Synergistic Suppression of Escherichia coli Growth. ChemMedChem. 2022;17(10):e202200075. doi:10.1002/cmdc.202200075
Makarov MV, Hayat F, Graves B, et al. Chemical and Biochemical Reactivity of the Reduced Forms of Nicotinamide Riboside. ACS Chem Biol. 2021;16(4):604-614. doi:10.1021/acschembio.0c00757
Hegemann JD, Jeanne Dit Fouque K, Santos-Fernandez M, Fernandez-Lima F. A Bifunctional Leader Peptidase/ABC Transporter Protein Is Involved in the Maturation of the Lasso Peptide Cochonodin I from Streptococcussuis. J Nat Prod. 2021;84(10):2683-2691. doi:10.1021/acs.jnatprod.1c00514