The "Microbial Interactions and Processes" research group studies bacterial communities with the aim of quantitatively recording, predicting and influencing biological degradation processes, in particular, from aromatic hydrocarbons. Using isolated bacteria it has been possible to identify novel degradation processes, to characterize proteins and to localize the genes responsible. In our natural environment, however, degradation processes occur through complex interaction between various microorganisms, of which only a small fraction can be isolated as a pure culture. In order to characterize degradation processes under real environment circumstances it is necessary to have methods that do not depend on cultivation. Furthermore, since the coded genes for degradation enzymes are often located on mobile genetic elements, describing a degradation potential cannot be done by describing the bacterial community and, instead, needs to include a quantification and in-depth analysis of the activities themselves, or, the respective genes involved. To this end, a number of methods have been developed and used to analyze different contaminated environments. This permitted, on the one hand, insights into the degradation processes at work, and on the other hand, characterizations of novel enzymes and gene variants adapted to the respective environmental conditions.
In future, the work group intends to investigate a further bacterial community; namely, the bacteria that live in our digestive tract. The anaerobic degradation processes in the stomach and intestines – and especially the secondary and tertiary products resulting from the digestion of a number of vegetable foodstuffs – have a considerable influence on human health.
You can find more information on the research group in these press releases.
