Morphogenic Signaling Molecules
More and more examples show that bacterially produced small molecules contribute to the host’s fitness and development by acting as biological information carrier to maintain and modulate the multilateral interaction network. But fully characterized examples are still rare, and the mode-of-actions of those molecules are often not well understood.
Model System Hydractinia echinata
We are investigating the model system Hydractinia echinata, a marine hydroid polyp, to identify key metabolites that induce biofouling.
The life cycle of the marine hydroid polyp H. echinata has a motile (larvae) and sessil reproductive phase (polyp). The irreversible morphogenesis from the motile larvae to the sessile primary polyp is induced by specific molecules from Pseudoalteromonas spp. But the structure determination and and mode of action of the signaling molecules has been so far elusive. We use a broad range of molecular biology methods to identify the bacterial cues and the receptor in the marine hydroid polyp to understand the interaction mechanisms in more detail.
The Life Cycle
(2017) Total synthesis and functional analysis of microbial signalling molecules. Chem Soc Rev 46(20), 6330-6344. (Review) Details PubMed
(2017) Bakterien-induzierte Morphogenese mariner Eukaryoten Wissenschaft BIOSpektrum 2017(6), 634-637. (Review) Details Open Access Code
(2015) Genome Sequences of Three Pseudoalteromonas Strains P1-8, P1-11 and P1-30 Isolated from the Marine Hydroid Hydractinia echinata Genome Announc. 3(6), e01380-15. Details PubMed
(2015) Draft Genome Sequences of Six Pseudoalteromonas sp. Strains P1-7a, P1-9, P1-13-1a, P1-16-1b, P1-25 and P1-26, which Induce Larval Settlement and Metamorphosis in Hydractinia echinata Genome Announc. 3(6), e01477-15. Details PubMed
