Ecothermodynamics / Biocalorimetry
Research Topics
Thermodynamics as a method to describe conditions and processes of complex systems offers an excellent supplement to kinetic and stoichiometric approaches, experience and intuition by well-founded scientific rules. Unfortunately, thermodynamics in ecosystems as well as in biotechnology is despite of its potential rather seldom applied.
Therefore, our group applys, develops and validates thermodynamic rules with the aims:
- to deepen insights into complex networks of both ecosystems (Microbial Ecology) and metabolisms (Biothermodynamics),
- to predict and to control the functional biodiversity (Ecological Microbiology),
- to develop ultra-sensitive real time sensors for ecosystems and biotechnology (Biocalorimetry and Impedance spectroscopy), and
- to analyse and to control complex bioprocesses in larger scale (Bioprocess control).
- to understand interactions of nanomaterial with biological material
Senior Scientist PhD and BA Students
Dr. Thore Rohwerder Christian Fricke Peter Troks
Hieu Linh Duong
Technicians
Sven Paufler (Deputy)
Claudia Heber (Laboratory manager)
Anika Krämer (TA)
Monique Reichard (TA)
Hans Fritsche (Apprentice)
Methods
- Fermentation / reaction calorimetry - Microcalorimetry- Chip calorimetry - ITC & DSC
- Combustion calorimetry - Respirometry
- Impedance Spectroscopy - Fermentations
- Thermokinetic modelling
Selected Cooperations / Projects
Glycolysis: Thermodynamics and predictions of metabolic pathways
German Research Foundation (DFG): Cooperation project with two universities (Rostock + Dortmund)
Development of calorimetry as real time instrument to analyze and control complex environmental bioprocesses (DOCUMENT)
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): Project Based Personnel Exchange Programme (PPP) with the Chinese University of Geosciences Wuhan, China
Production of chiral R-3-hydroxyalkanoates from methylotrophic bacteria using renewable raw materials
German Federation of Industrial Research Associations "Otto von Guericke" (AiF): Co-operation project with Umwelt- und Ingenieurtechnik GmbH Dresden (UIT)
Analysis and Control of Bioprocesses in natural and technical systems using chip-calorimetry
German Federation of Industrial Research Associations "Otto von Guericke" (AiF): Co-operation project with TU Freiberg, RWTH Aachen and 7 medium sized biotech companies)
Biothermodynamic characterization and analysis of biofilms using new miniaturized chip-calorimeters
German Research Foundation (DFG): Co-operation project with TU Freiberg
10 selected publications from the last three years
Vogel, K., Greinert, T., Reichard, M., Held, C., Harms, H., Maskow, T. (2020) Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Glycolytic Reactions. Part II: Influence of Cytosolic Conditions on Thermodynamic State Variables and Kinetic Parameters. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21: 7921
Rohwerder, T. (2020) New Structural Insights into Bacterial Sulfoacetaldehyde and Taurine Metabolism. Biochemical Journal. 477:1367-1371
Fricke, C., Xu, J., Jiang, F.-L., Liu, Y., Harms, H., Maskow, T. (2020) Rapid culture-based detection of Legionella pneumophila using isothermal microcalorimetry with an improved evaluation method. Microbial Biotechnology Doi:10.1111/1751-7915.13563
Kleinsteuber, S., Rohwerder, T., Lohse, U., Seiwert, B., Reemtsma, T. (2019) Sated by a Zero-Calorie Sweetener: Wastewater Bacteria Can Feed on Acesulfame. Frontiers in Microbiology (DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02606)
Fricke, C., Harms, H., Maskow, T. (2019) Rapid Calorimetric Detection of Bacterial Contamination: Influence of the Cultivation Technique. Frontiers in Microbiology 10: 2530
Maskow, T., Rothe, A., Jakob, T., Paufler, S., Wilhelm, C. (2019) Photocalorespirometry (Photo-CR): A novel method for access to photosynthetic energy conversion efficiency. Scientific Reports 9, 9298
Zahn, M., Kurteva-Yaneva, N., Schuster, J., Krug, U., Georgi, T. Müller, R. H., Rohwerder, T., Sträter, N. (2019) Structures of 2-Hydroxyisobutyric Acid-CoA Ligase reveal determinants of substrate specificity and describe a multi-conformational catalytic cycle. Journal of Molecular Biology 431: 2747-2761
Xu, J., He, H., Wang, Y.-Y., Yan, R., Zhou, L.-J., Jiang, F.-L., Maskow, T., Liu, Y. (2018) New Aspects of the Environmental Risks of Quantum Dots: Prophage Activation. Environmental Science: Nano 5(7): 1556-1566
Russel, M., Marios, S., JiaJia, S., Xu, W., Xiao, L., Maskow, T., Alam, M.M., Georgiou, J. (2018) High-Frequency, dielectric spectroscopy for the detection of electrophysiological/biophysical differences in different bacteria types and concentrations. Analytica Chimica Acta 1010: 86-95
Xu, J., Kiesel, B., Kallies, R., Jiang, F.-L., Liu, Y., Maskow, T. (2018) A fast and reliable method for monitoring of prophage-activating chemicals. Microbial Biotechnology DOI 10.1111/1751-7915.13042