Enzymatic Modification of Chemical Mediators (B09*)

• Subject Area: Microbial Ecology and Applied Microbiology ; Metabolism, Biochemistry and Genetics of Microorganisms ; Structural Biology
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 239748522

Many complex microbial traits are only established within multi-species interactions. We found that Paenibacillus and Pseudomonas strains cooperate against amoebal predators. This defense strategy relies on the Pseudomonas strain secreting a lipopeptide, which itself is innocuous to the predator. This compound, however, is peptidolytically modified by the Paenibacillus strain, yielding a lipopeptide, which is highly toxic to the amoebae. We will investigate the structural basis of lipopeptide processing and the influence of the amoebicidal lipopeptide on membranes. This will allow the discovery of novel bioactivity compounds and generate new tools for the structure elucidation of complex nonribosomal peptides.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1127: Chemical Mediators in Complex Biosystems (ChemBioSys)
• Applicant Institution: Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
• Project Heads: Professorin Dr. Ute Hellmich; Professor Dr. Pierre Stallforth