How does a bacterium build large protein machines, how do these machines work and what do they cost the cell?
We study these questions with four models: the flagellum, the injectisome, the conjugation system and anti-phage defence systems. We work with Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli and Vibrio species and combine genetics, microscopy, structural biology and biophysical modelling.
FlagellaAssembly, protein export and rotation of the bacterial flagellum
Phage defence5:2 rotary motors in motility and anti-phage defence
InjectisomeExpression and substrate targeting of the SPI-1 injectisome
Host and pathogenCosts and benefits of motility during infection
ConjugationDNA transfer by the conjugative type-IV secretion system
Image analysisImage analysis tools for single-cell microscopyFlagella
The flagellum is a rotary motor with a filament several times longer than the cell. Most of its subunits are exported by a type-III secretion system and assemble outside the cytoplasm.
Current projects
Phage defence
The Zorya anti-phage defence system contains ZorAB, a membrane complex with the architecture of the flagellar stator unit. We study how Zorya detects phage infection and inactivates phage DNA.
Current projects
Injectisome
Salmonella injects effector proteins into host cells through the injectisome, a virulence-associated type-III secretion system (vT3SS). We study which cells express it and how its substrates reach the export apparatus.
Current projects
Host and pathogen
Flagella cost the cell energy and protein, and the immune system recognises them. We measure under which conditions motility is beneficial for Salmonella.
Current projects
Conjugation
Conjugation transfers plasmids between bacteria and spreads antibiotic resistance genes. We study how the type-IV secretion system (T4SS) translocates DNA.
Current projects
Image analysis
Single-cell experiments generate large time-lapse data sets. We develop software for automated segmentation, tracking and quantification of bacteria.
Current projects
Our work is funded by the European Research Council (ERC Consolidator Grant BacNanoMachine) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (research grants, the priority programmes SPP 2225, SPP 2330 and SPP 2389, and the ANR-DFG project BacCellFactory). Further funding comes from the Einstein Foundation Berlin, the Berlin University Alliance and the Max Planck Society (Max Planck Fellow programme at the Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens). Earlier funding came from the Helmholtz Association, the Marie Curie programme, the VolkswagenStiftung and the Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation.
The project BacNanoMachine has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. 864971).
