Sensing of and cellular responses to changes in osmotic pressure and ectoine availability (D07 (A01))

• Subject Area: Biochemistry
• Term: from 2012 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 192445154

Our project focuses on the compatible solutes ectoine and 5-hydroxyectoine and examines their roles as osmostress protectants and as nutrients. Enhanced synthesis and uptake of ectoines occurs as an adaptive response to a raise in the external osmolarity. We would like to understand the molecular determinants allowing microorganisms to perceive osmotic stress and how they genetically process this environmental cue into enhanced ectoine/hydroxyectoine synthesis and import to achieve heightened osmostress resistance. Ectoines are not only remarkable effective stress protectants but they also serve as nutrients for a considerable number of bacteria. We study the import and subsequent catabolism of ectoines and would like to understand genetically how microorganisms perceive the presence of these compounds in the environment to induce the expression of the ectoine/hydroxyectoine import and catabolic genes.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 987: Microbial Diversity in Environmental Signal Response
• Applicant Institution: Philipps-Universität Marburg
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Erhard Bremer