Research Areas

Antibiotics are stage center for the three groups of the Chair of General Microbiology. We cover a broad range of research topics: From antibiotic production, via development and spread of antibiotic resistance, to their role as signaling molecules in the context of stress responses and multicellular differentiation. Beyond basic research, we also develop molecular tools for antibiotic research and in the context of Synthetic Biology applications.

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Detailed description of our research areas

Bacterial Multicellularity and Antibiotic Signalling

Bacteria interact in many ways with the world in which they live. Their survival depends critically on their ability to monitor critical environmental parameters and respond accordingly. Signalling cascades, multicellular differentiation, microbial tissue formation and production of / resistance to antimicrobial compounds are some aspects of such survival strategies. In addition, we also apply our knowledge in the context of synthetic biology applications.

Antimicrobial Resistance

The rapid spread of antibiotic resistance is considered as one of the most severe health threats of the 21st century (WHO, 2014). A comprehensive knowledge of the driving mechanisms is urgently needed if we do not want to be confronted with untreatable bacterial infections in the near future. Our overarching goal is to contribute to a better understanding of the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment.

Antimicrobial Stress Signalling and Response

Two-component systems (2CSs) represent the most important bacterial signalling devices to connect an extracellular stimulus with a intracellular response. We study unusual 2CS that mediate resistance against cell wall antibiotics. Driving questions are: What is the mechanism of stimulus perception? How are related 2CSs insulated from one another to ensure regulatory specificity?

Research Focus

At the General Microbiology, everything revolves around interactions. The scientific interactions between research group members are accompanied by social interactions within the research group to keep the spirit high.
Research-wise, we all share a passion for not-so-social interactions between Gram-positive bacteria: We investigate antibiotics as signals and weapons.
How do bacteria perceive antibiotics in the environment?
How do they become resistant when challenged with antibiotics?
How do antimicrobial compounds mediate and interfere with differentiation processes?
Along the lines of the latter, we became increasingly thrilled about studying bacteria as multicellular organisms.

After all, the process of microbial tissue formation is very much coordinated by intercellular interactions, from sharing public goods to sacrificing subpopulations through programmed cell death.
You see, It is (almost) always about interactions with us… Are you interested?
Link to Publications

Review articles on current topics

T. Mascher, T. Wecke (2011) Antibiotic research in the age of omics: from expression profiles to interspecies communication, Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Volume 66, Issue 12, December 2011, Pages 2689–2704.
T. Mascher, D. Wolf (2016) The applied side of antimicrobial peptide-inducible promoters from Firmicutes bacteria: expression systems and whole-cell biosensor, Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 100, 4817–4829 (2016)
P. Poop, T. Mascher (2019) Coordinated Cell Death in Isogenic Bacterial Populations: Sacrificing Some for the Benefit of Many?, Journal of Molecular Biology, vol 431, Issue 23, pages 4656-4669.

Review articles on previous topics

T. Mascher, (2023). Past, Present, and Future of Extracytoplasmic Function σ Factors: Distribution and Regulatory Diversity of the Third Pillar of Bacterial Signal TransductionAnnual Reviews of Microbiology, vol 77.
J. Radeck, G. Fritz, T. Mascher, (2017) The cell envelope stress response of Bacillus subtilis: from static signalling devices to dynamic regulatory network. Curr Genet 63, 79–90.
D. Pinto, T. Mascher, (2016) (Actino)Bacterial “intelligence”: using comparative genomics to unravel the information processing capacities of microbes. Curr Genet 62, 487–498.
T. Mascher (2014) Bacterial (intramembrane-sensing) histidine kinases: signal transfer rather than stimulus perception Trends in Microbiology vol 22, Issue 10, 559-565.
T. Mascher (2013) Signaling diversity and evolution of extracytoplasmic function (ECF) σ factors Current Opinion in Microbiology, vol 16, Issue 2, 148-155.
S. Jordan, M. Hutchings, T. Mascher (2008) Cell envelope stress response in Gram-positive bacteria, FEMS Microbiology Reviews, vol 32, Issue 1, 107–146.
T. Mascher (2006) Intramembrane-sensing histidine kinases: a new family of cell envelope stress sensors in Firmicutes bacteria, FEMS Microbiology Letters, vol 264, Issue 2, 133–144.
T. Mascher, J. Helmann, G. Unden (2006) Stimulus Perception in Bacterial Signal-Transducing Histidine Kinases Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews vol 70 Issue 4, 910-938.

Link to Publications