Dr. Jochen A. Müller
Tel. +49 341 235 1763
Fax +49 341 235 451694

Research Areas
Microbial transformations constitute a major determining factor for the chemical fate of organic compounds in complex systems. One of my aims is to develop and implement new molecular biological tools for characterizing and quantifying the role microbes play in the in situ transformation of organic pollutants. Particular emphasis is on techniques that (1) allow for quantification of the respective biocatalysts, and (2) provide information of relevant microbes on the single cell level. In the past, my contributions were in the areas of anaerobic transformation of chlorinated ethenes and aromatic compounds, as well as in genomics and functional genomics of sulphur compound-metabolizing microbes.
Curriculum Vitae
1996
Diploma in Microbiology, Universität Konstanz, Germany
2000
Ph.D. in Microbiology with Prof. Bernhard Schink (Schink Lab), Universität Konstanz
2000-03
PostDoc in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, CA, USA, with Prof. Alfred Spormann (Spormann Lab).
2003-05
PostDoc at the Center of Biotechnology, University of Maryland, USA, with Prof. Shiladitya DasSarma (DasSarma Lab).
2005-09
Assistant Professor in Microbiology at Morgan State University, Baltimore, USA (Morgan State)
seit 2010
Senior Scientist at the Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research- UFZ, Leipzig
Funded Projects
- Genomics of Beggiatoa alba, a sulfide-oxidizing g-Proteobacterium (NSF, JGI/DOE)
Professional Service
Member of the Editorial Board of
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology (seit 2009)
- Saline Systems (seit 2009)
2023 (4)
- Haenelt, S., Wang, G., Kasmanas, J.C., Musat, F., Richnow, H.H., Nunes da Rocha, U., Müller, J.A., Musat, N. (2023):
Corrigendum: The fate of sulfonamide resistance genes and anthropogenic pollution marker intI1 after discharge of wastewater into a pristine river stream (vol 14, 1058350, 2023)
Front. Microbiol. 14 , art. 1208555 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1208555 - Haenelt, S., Wang, G., Kasmanas, J.C., Musat, F., Richnow, H.H., Nunes da Rocha, U., Müller, J.A., Musat, N. (2023):
The fate of sulfonamide resistance genes and anthropogenic pollution marker intI1 after discharge of wastewater into a pristine river stream
Front. Microbiol. 14 , art. 1058350 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1058350 - Knecht, C.A., Hinkel, M., Mäusezahl, I., Kaster, A.-K., Nivala, J., Müller, J.A. (2023):
Identification of antibiotic resistance gene hosts in treatment wetlands using a single-cell based high-throughput approach
Water 15 (13), art. 2432 10.3390/w15132432 - Lo, H.-Y., Wink, K., Nitz, H., Kästner, M., Belder, D., Müller, J.A., Kaster, A.-K. (2023):
scMAR-Seq: a novel workflow for targeted single-cell genomics of microorganisms using radioactive labeling
mSystems 8 (6), e00998-23 10.1128/msystems.00998-23
2022 (3)
- Knecht, C.A., Krüger, M., Kellmann, S., Mäusezahl, I., Möder, M., Adelowo, O.O., Vollmers, J., Kaster, A.-K., Nivala, J., Müller, J.A. (2022):
Cellular stress affects the fate of microbial resistance to folate inhibitors in treatment wetlands
Sci. Total Environ. 845 , art. 157318 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157318 - Lo, H.-Y., Martínez-Lavanchy, P., Goris, T., Heider, J., Boll, M., Kaster, A.-K., Müller, J.A. (2022):
IncP-type plasmids carrying genes for antibiotic resistance or for aromatic compound degradation are prevalent in sequenced Aromatoleum and Thauera strains
Environ. Microbiol. 24 (12), 6411 - 6425 10.1111/1462-2920.16262 - Nguyen, P.M., Arslan, M., Kappelmeyer, U., Mäusezahl, I., Wiessner, A., Müller, J.A. (2022):
Spatial characterization of microbial sulfur cycling in horizontal-flow constructed wetland models
Chemosphere 309, Part 1 , art. 136605 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136605
2020 (4)
- Adelowo, O.O., Ikhimiukor, O.O., Knecht, C., Vollmers, J., Bhatia, M., Kaster, A.-K., Müller, J.A. (2020):
A survey of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in urban wetlands in southwestern Nigeria as a step towards generating prevalence maps of antimicrobial resistance
PLOS One 15 (3), e0229451 10.1371/journal.pone.0229451 - Meyer-Cifuentes, I., Gruhl, S., Haange, S.-B., Lünsmann, V., Jehmlich, N., von Bergen, M., Heipieper, H.J., Müller, J.A. (2020):
Benzylsuccinate synthase is post-transcriptionally regulated in the toluene-degrading denitrifier Magnetospirillum sp. strain 15-1
Microorganisms 8 (5), art. 681 10.3390/microorganisms8050681 - Nitz, H., Duarte, M., Jauregui, R., Pieper, D.H., Müller, J.A., Kästner, M. (2020):
Identification of benzene-degrading Proteobacteria in a constructed wetland by employing in situ microcosms and RNA-stable isotope probing
Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 104 (4), 1809 - 1820 10.1007/s00253-019-10323-1 - Wahla, A.Q., Iqbal, S., Müller, J.A., Anwar, S., Arslan, M. (2020):
Immobilization of metribuzin degrading bacterial consortium MB3R on biochar enhances bioremediation of potato vegetated soil and restores bacterial community structure
J. Hazard. Mater. 390 , art. 121493 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121493
2019 (3)
- Afzal, M., Arslan, M., Müller, J.A., Shabir, G., Islam, E., Tahseen, R., Anwar-ul-Haq, M., Hashmat, A.J., Iqbal, S., Khan, Q.M. (2019):
Floating treatment wetlands as a suitable option for large-scale wastewater treatment
Nat. Sustain. 2 (9), 863 - 871 10.1038/s41893-019-0350-y - Arslan, M., Devisetty, U.K., Porsch, M., Große, I., Müller, J.A., Michalski, S. (2019):
RNA-Seq analysis of soft rush (Juncus effusus): transcriptome sequencing, de novo assembly, annotation, and polymorphism identification
BMC Genomics 20 , art. 489 10.1186/s12864-019-5886-8 - Wahla, A.Q., Iqbal, S., Anwar, S., Firdous, S., Müller, J.A. (2019):
Optimizing the metribuzin degrading potential of a novel bacterial consortium based on Taguchi design of experiment
J. Hazard. Mater. 366 , 1 - 9 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2018.11.054
2018 (2)
- Adelowo, O.O., Helbig, T., Knecht, C., Reincke, F., Mäusezahl, I., Müller, J.A. (2018):
High abundances of class 1 integrase and sulfonamide resistance genes, and characterisation of class 1 integron gene cassettes in four urban wetlands in Nigeria
PLOS One 13 (11), e0208269 10.1371/journal.pone.0208269 - Adelowo, O.O., Vollmers, J., Mäusezahl, I., Kaster, A.-K., Müller, J.A. (2018):
Detection of the carbapenemase gene blaVIM-5 in members of the Pseudomonas putida group isolated from polluted Nigerian wetlands
Sci. Rep. 8 , art. 15116 10.1038/s41598-018-33535-3
2017 (4)
- Arslan, M., Ullah, I., Müller, J.A., Shahid, N., Afzal, M. (2017):
Organic micropollutants in the environment: ecotoxicity potential and methods for remediation
In: Anjum, N.A., Gill, S.S., Tuteja, N. (eds.)
Enhancing cleanup of environmental pollutants. Volume 1: Biological Approaches
Springer International Publishing, Cham, p. 65 - 99 10.1007/978-3-319-55426-6_5 - Meyer-Cifuentes, I., Fiedler, S., Müller, J.A., Kappelmeyer, U., Mäusezahl, I., Heipieper, H.J. (2017):
Draft genome sequence of Magnetospirillum sp. strain 15-1, a denitrifying toluene degrader isolated from a planted fixed-bed reactor
Genome Announc. 5 (32), e00764-17 10.1128/genomeA.00764-17 - Meyer-Cifuentes, I., Martinez-Lavanchy, P.M., Marin-Cevada, V., Böhnke, S., Harms, H., Müller, J.A., Heipieper, H.J. (2017):
Isolation and characterization of Magnetospirillum sp. strain 15-1 as a representative anaerobic toluene-degrader from a constructed wetland model
PLOS One 12 (4), e0174750 10.1371/journal.pone.0174750 - Wiessner, A., Kuschk, P., Nguyen, P.M., Müller, J.A. (2017):
The sulfur depot in the rhizosphere of a common wetland plant, Juncus effusus, can support long-term dynamics of inorganic sulfur transformations
Chemosphere 184 , 375 - 383 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.06.016
2016 (7)
- Chen, Z., Paredes Cuervo, D., Müller, J.A., Wiessner, A., Köser, H., Vymazal, J., Kästner, M., Kuschk, P. (2016):
Hydroponic root mats for wastewater treatment—a review
Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 23 (16), 15911 - 15928 10.1007/s11356-016-6801-3 - Lünsmann, V., Kappelmeyer, U., Benndorf, R., Martínez-Lavanchy, P.M., Taubert, A., Adrian, L., Duarte, M., Pieper, D.H., von Bergen, M., Müller, J.A., Heipieper, H.J., Jehmlich, N. (2016):
In situ protein-SIP highlights Burkholderiaceae as key players degrading toluene by para ring hydroxylation in a constructed wetland model
Environ. Microbiol. 18 (4), 1176 - 1186 10.1111/1462-2920.13133 - Lünsmann, V., Kappelmeyer, U., Taubert, A., Nijenhuis, I., von Bergen, M., Heipieper, H.J., Müller, J.A., Jehmlich, N. (2016):
Aerobic toluene degraders in the rhizosphere of a constructed wetland model show diurnal polyhydroxyalkanoate metabolism
Appl. Environ. Microb. 82 (14), 4126 - 4132 10.1128/AEM.00493-16 - Richter, J., Wiessner, A., Zehnsdorf, A., Müller, J.A., Kuschk, P. (2016):
Injection of hydrogen gas stimulates acid mine drainage treatment in laboratory-scale hydroponic root mats
Eng. Life Sci. 16 (8), 769 - 776 10.1002/elsc.201600009 - Saad, R.A.B., Kuschk, P., Wiessner, A., Kappelmeyer, U., Müller, J.A., Köser, H. (2016):
Role of plants in nitrogen and sulfur transformations in floating hydroponic root mats: A comparison of two helophytes
J. Environ. Manage. 181 , 333 - 342 10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.06.064 - Seeger, E.M., Braeckevelt, M., Reiche, N., Müller, J.A., Kästner, M. (2016):
Removal of pathogen indicators from secondary effluent using slow sand filtration: Optimization approaches
Ecol. Eng. 95 , 635 - 644 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2016.06.068 - Wu, S., Carvalho, P.N., Müller, J.A., Manoj, V.R., Dong, R. (2016):
Sanitation in constructed wetlands: A review on the removal of human pathogens and fecal indicators
Sci. Total Environ. 541 , 8 - 22 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.09.047
2015 (3)
- Martínez-Lavanchy, P.M., Chen, Z., Lünsmann, V., Marin-Cevada, V., Vilchez-Vargas, R., Pieper, D.H., Reiche, N., Kappelmeyer, U., Imparato, V., Junca, H., Nijenhuis, I., Müller, J.A., Kuschk, P., Heipieper, H.J. (2015):
Microbial toluene removal in hypoxic model constructed wetlands occurs predominantly via the ring monooxygenation pathway
Appl. Environ. Microb. 81 (18), 6241 - 6252 10.1128/AEM.01822-15 - Pfannes, K.R., Langenbach, K.M.W., Pilloni, G., Stührmann, T., Euringer, K., Lueders, T., Neu, T.R., Müller, J.A., Kästner, M., Meckenstock, R.U. (2015):
Selective elimination of bacterial faecal indicators in the Schmutzdecke of slow sand filtration columns
Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 99 (23), 10323 - 10332 10.1007/s00253-015-6882-9 - Zanaroli, G., Beck, H., Beimfohr, C., Cichocka, D., Corvini, P., Frascari, D., Hofmann, U., Kästner, M., Macek, T., Müller, J.A., Uhlik, O., Schlosser, D. (2015):
Analytical and monitoring methods
In: Hochstrat, R., Wintgens, T., Corvini, P. (eds.)
Immobilized biocatalysts for bioremediation of groundwater and wastewater
IWA Publishing, London, p. 15 - 48
2014 (3)
- Chen, Z., Kuschk, P., Paschke, H., Kästner, M., Müller, J.A., Köser, H. (2014):
Treatment of a sulfate-rich groundwater contaminated with perchloroethene in a hydroponic plant root mat filter and a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland at pilot-scale
Chemosphere 117 , 178 - 184 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.06.056 - Scheublin, T.R., Deusch, S., Moreno-Forero, S.K., Müller, J.A., van der Meer, J.R., Leveau, J.H.J. (2014):
Transcriptional profiling of Gram-positive Arthrobacter in the phyllosphere: induction of pollutant degradation genes by natural plant phenolic compounds
Environ. Microbiol. 16 (7), 2212 - 2225 10.1111/1462-2920.12375 - Wiessner, A., Müller, J.A., Kuschk, P., Kappelmeyer, U., Kästner, M., Liu, Y.L., Stottmeister, U. (2014):
Environmental pollution by wastewater from brown coal processing – a remediation case study in Germany
J. Environ. Eng. Landsc. Manag. 22 (1), 71 - 83 10.3846/16486897.2013.808640
2013 (4)
- Löffler, F.E., Yan, J., Ritalahti, K.M., Adrian, L., Edwards, E.A., Konstantinidis, K.T., Müller, J.A., Fullerton, H., Zinder, S.H., Spormann, A.M. (2013):
Dehalococcoides mccartyi gen. nov., sp. nov., obligately organohalide-respiring anaerobic bacteria relevant to halogen cycling and bioremediation, belong to a novel bacterial class, Dehalococcoidia classis nov., order Dehalococcoidales ord. nov. and family Dehalococcoidaceae fam. nov., within the phylum Chloroflexi
Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 63 (2), 625 - 635 10.1099/ijs.0.034926-0 - Ricken, B., Corvini, P.F.X., Cichocka, D., Parisi, M., Lenz, M., Wyss, D., Martínez-Lavanchy, P.M., Müller, J.A., Shahgaldian, P., Tulli, L.G., Kohler, H.-P.E., Kolvenbach, B.A. (2013):
ipso-hydroxylation and subsequent fragmentation: a novel microbial strategy to eliminate sulfonamide antibiotics
Appl. Environ. Microb. 79 (18), 5550 - 5558 10.1128/AEM.00911-13 - Wu, S., Kuschk, P., Wiessner, A., Müller, J.A., Saad, R.A.B., Dong, R. (2013):
Sulphur transformations in constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment: a review
Ecol. Eng. 52 , 278 - 289 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2012.11.003 - Wu, S., Wiessner, A., Braeckevelt, M., Kappelmeyer, U., Dong, R., Müller, J.A., Kuschk, P. (2013):
Influence of nitrate load on sulfur transformations in the rhizosphere of Juncus effusus in laboratory-scale constructed wetlands treating artificial domestic wastewater
Environ. Eng. Manag. J. 12 (3), 565 - 573 10.30638/eemj.2013.069
2012 (1)
- DasSarma, P., Zamora, R.C., Müller, J.A., DasSarma, S. (2012):
Genome-wide responses of the model archaeon Halobacterium sp. strain NRC-1 to oxygen limitation
J. Bacteriol. 194 (20), 5530 - 5537 10.1128/JB.01153-12