Soil bacterium

Anja Miltner
Matthias Kästner
Speaker of the DFG-Joint Research Program 2322: https://soilsystems.net/

  • Turnover and mass balances of natural and anthropogenic organic compounds in soils and sediments under various environmental conditions (ecosystems)
  • Impact and contribution of microbes, microbial biomass and necromass to the formation of (refractory) soil organic matter
  • Predicting the fate of chemicals in the environment
  • Microbial activity linked to energetics and stoichiometry of degradation processes from microhabitat scale to landscape scale´
  • Safeguarding soil and sediment functioning for provision optimal biogeochemical cycling and food provision

  • Biochemistry of organohalide respiration
  • Biochemistry of autotropic microorganisms
  • Mass spectrometry of respiratory metalloproteins
  • Early evolution of autotrophic life

  • Anoxic microbial transformation of contaminants
  • Genomics, physiology and ecology of anammox bacteria
  • Metabolic conversion of antibiotics under anaerobic conditions
  • Methodological platform for the characterization of enzymatic functions at microgram protein quantities (based on enzyme activities, protein mass spectrometry and isotope applications)
  • Mass spectrometric determination of proteins and peptides of microorganisms and mixed communities for other research groups; quantitative expression analysis, stable isotope incorporation analysis

  • Assessing the fate of anthropogenic chemicals in constructed wetlands
  • Isolating bacteria capable to degrade Contaminants of Emerging Concern; Elucidation of their physiological parameters, biochemistry, and catabolic capabilities
  • Deciphering the effect of fluctuating conditions and release of root exudates on the expression of catabolic genes in planted systems
  • Understanding process-relevant adaptive mechanisms of microorganisms to changing environmental conditions