Dr. Thore Rohwerder

Curriculum Vitae

Research interests

My primary interests are the microbial transformation processes of industrial organic chemicals and heavy metal-bearing compounds. Besides elucidating the underlying biochemistry and reaction mechanisms, I focus on biotechnological applications to address the challenges related to global depletion of fossil resources and minerals.

My mid- and long-term research perspectives focus on the sustainable synthesis of chemical products employing biotechnological processes as well as on the fate of industrial chemicals in the environment.

Current research

Biosynthesis of building block chemical 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid (2-HIBA)

• Characterization of cobalamin-dependent acyl-CoA mutases
• Biotechnological production of 2-HIBA from C1 compounds
• Metabolic engineering

Biodegradation of fuel oxygenates and tertiary alcohols

• Growth of Aquincola tertiaricarbonis on MTBE, ETBE, TAME and TAEE
• Biochemistry and biotechnological use

Sulfur oxidation in acidophilic prokaryotes

• Oxidation of inorganic sulfur compounds in the autotrophic genus Acidithiobacillus
• Oxidation of inorganic sulfur compounds in acidophilic heterotrophs

Leaching of metal sulfides in acidophilic prokaryotes

• Visualization of attachment and biofilm formation
• Gene expression

Publications

Liu, Y., Rohwerder, T., Bonatelli, M.L., von Postel, T., Kleinsteuber, S., Adrian, L., Ding, C. (2024):
A novel sulfatase for acesulfame degradation in wastewater treatment plants as evidenced from Shinella strains
Environ. Sci. Technol. 58 (42), 18892 - 18902 10.1021/acs.est.4c02283

Bonatelli, M.L., Rohwerder, T., Popp, D., Liu, Y., Akay, C., Schultz, C., Liao, K.-P., Ding, C., Reemtsma, T., Adrian, L., Kleinsteuber, S. (2023):
Recently evolved combination of unique sulfatase and amidase genes enables bacterial degradation of the wastewater micropollutant acesulfame worldwide
Front. Microbiol. 14 , art. 1223838 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1223838

Zahn, M., König, G., Pham, H.V.C., Seroka, B., Lazny, R., Yang, G., Ouerfelli, O., Lotowski, Z., Rohwerder, T. (2022):
Mechanistic details of the actinobacterial lyase-catalyzed degradation reaction of 2-hydroxyisobutyryl-CoA
J. Biol. Chem. 298 (1), art. 101522 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101522

Rohwerder, T. (2020):
New structural insights into bacterial sulfoacetaldehyde and taurine metabolism
Biochem. J. 477 (8), 1367 - 1371 10.1042/BCJ20200079

Rohwerder, T., Rohde, M.-T., Jehmlich, N., Purswani, J. (2020):
Actinobacterial degradation of 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid proceeds via acetone and formyl-CoA by employing a thiamine-dependent lyase reaction
Front. Microbiol. 11 , art. 691 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00691

Kleinsteuber, S., Rohwerder, T., Lohse, U., Seiwert, B., Reemtsma, T. (2019):
Sated by a zero-calorie sweetener: Wastewater bacteria can feed on acesulfame
Front. Microbiol. 10 , art. 2606 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02606

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
J. Mol. Biol. 431 (15), 2747 - 2761 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.05.027

Becher, E., Heese, A., Claußen, L., Eisen, S., Jehmlich, N., Rohwerder, T., Purswani, J. (2018):
Active site alanine preceding catalytic cysteine determines unique substrate specificity in bacterial CoA‐acylating prenal dehydrogenase
FEBS Lett. 592 (7), 1150 - 1160 10.1002/1873-3468.13019

Rohde, M.-T., Tischer, S., Harms, H., Rohwerder, T. (2017):
Production of 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid from methanol by Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 expressing (R)-3-hydroxybutyryl coenzyme A-isomerizing enzymes
Appl. Environ. Microb. 83 (3), e02622-16 10.1128/AEM.02622-16

Kurteva-Yaneva, N., Zahn, M., Weichler, M.-T., Starke, R., Harms, H., Müller, R.H., Sträter, N., Rohwerder, T. (2015):
Structural basis of the stereospecificity of bacterial B12-dependent 2-hydroxyisobutyryl-CoA mutase
J. Biol. Chem. 290 , 9727 - 9737 10.1074/jbc.M115.645689

Przybylski, D., Rohwerder, T., Dilßner, C., Maskow, T., Harms, H., Müller, R.H. (2015):
Exploiting mixtures of H2, CO2, and O2 for improved production of methacrylate precursor 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid by engineered Cupriavidus necator strains
Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 99 (5), 2131 - 2145 10.1007/s00253-014-6266-6

Weichler, M.-T., Kurteva-Yaneva, N., Przybylski, D., Schuster, J., Müller, R.H., Harms, H., Rohwerder, T. (2015):
Thermophilic coenzyme B12-dependent acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) mutase from Kyrpidia tusciae DSM 2912 preferentially catalyzes isomerization of (R)-3-hydroxybutyryl- and 2-hydroxyisobutyryl-CoA
Appl. Environ. Microb. 81 (14), 4564 - 4572 10.1128/AEM.00716-15

Przybylski, D., Rohwerder, T., Harms, H., Yaneva, N., Müller, R.H. (2013):
Synthesis of the building block 2-hydroxyisobutyrate from fructose and butyrate by Cupriavidus necator H16
Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 97 (20), 8875 - 8885 10.1007/s00253-013-5064-x

Rohwerder, T., Müller, R.H., Weichler, M.T., Schuster, J., Hübschmann, T., Müller, S., Harms, H. (2013):
Cultivation of Aquincola tertiaricarbonis L108 on the fuel oxygenate intermediate tert-butyl alcohol induces aerobic anoxygenic photosynthesis at extremely low feeding rates
Microbiology-(UK) 159 (10), 2180 - 2190 10.1099/mic.0.068957-0

Schuster, J., Purswani, J., Breuer, U., Pozo, C., Harms, H., Müller, R.H., Rohwerder, T. (2013):
Constitutive expression of the cytochrome P450 EthABCD monooxygenase system enables degradation of synthetic dialkyl ethers in aquincola tertiaricarbonis L108
Appl. Environ. Microb. 79 (7), 2321 - 2327 10.1128/AEM.03348-12

Przybylski, D., Rohwerder, T., Harms, H., Müller, R.H. (2012):
Third-generation feed stocks for the clean and sustainable biotechnological production of bulk chemicals: synthesis of 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid
Energy Sustain. Soc. 2 , art. 11 10.1186/2192-0567-2-11

Rosell, M., Gonzalez-Olmos, R., Rohwerder, T., Rusevova, K., Georgi, A., Kopinke, F.-D., Richnow, H.H. (2012):
Critical evaluation of the 2D-CSIA scheme for distinguishing fuel oxygenate degradation reaction mechanisms
Environ. Sci. Technol. 46 (9), 4757 - 4766 10.1021/es2036543

Schäfer, F., Schuster, J., Würz, B., Härtig, C., Harms, H., Müller, R.H., Rohwerder, T. (2012):
Synthesis of short-chain diols and unsaturated alcohols from secondary alcohol substrates by the Rieske nonheme mononuclear iron oxygenase MdpJ
Appl. Environ. Microb. 78 (17), 6280 - 6284 10.1128/AEM.01434-12

Schuster, J., Schäfer, F., Hübler, N., Brandt, A., Rosell, M., Härtig, C., Harms, H., Müller, R.H., Rohwerder, T. (2012):
Bacterial degradation of tert-amyl alcohol proceeds via hemiterpene 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol by employing the tertiary alcohol desaturase function of the Rieske nonheme mononuclear iron oxygenase MdpJ
J. Bacteriol. 194 (5), 972 - 981 10.1128/JB.06384-11

Yaneva, N., Schuster, J., Schäfer, F., Lede, V., Przybylski, D., Paproth, T., Harms, H., Müller, R.H., Rohwerder, T. (2012):
Bacterial acyl-CoA mutase specifically catalyzes coenzyme B12-dependent isomerization of 2-hydroxyisobutyryl-CoA and (S)-3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA
J. Biol. Chem. 287 (19), 15502 - 15511 10.1074/jbc.M111.314690

Jechalke, S., Rosell, M., Martínez-Lavanchy, P.M., Pérez-Leiva, P., Rohwerder, T., Vogt, C., Richnow, H.H. (2011):
Linking low-level stable isotope fractionation to expression of the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase-encoding ethB gene for elucidation of methyl tert-butyl ether biodegradation in aerated treatment pond systems
Appl. Environ. Microb. 77 (3), 1086 - 1096 10.1128/AEM.01698-10

Schäfer, F., Muzica, L., Schuster, J., Treuter, N., Rosell, M., Harms, H., Müller, R.H., Rohwerder, T. (2011):
Formation of alkenes via degradation of tert-alkyl ethers and alcohols by Aquincola tertiaricarbonis L108 and Methylibium spp.
Appl. Environ. Microb. 77 (17), 5981 - 5987 10.1128/AEM.00093-11

Przybylski, D., Yaneva, N., Harms, H., Rohwerder, T., Müller, R.H. (2010):
Functional expression of 2-hydroxyisobutyryl-coa mutase in different E. coli derivatives
J. Biotechnol. 150 (Suppl. 1), S258 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2010.09.149

Rohwerder, T., Müller, R.H. (2010):
Biosynthesis of 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid (2-HIBA) from renewable carbon
Microb. Cell. Fact. 9 , art. 13 10.1186/1475-2859-9-13

Schäfer, F., Harms, H., Rohwerder, T., Müller, R.H. (2010):
Microbial synthesis of chiral alcohols using a novel monooxygenase
J. Biotechnol. 150 (Suppl. 1), S356 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2010.09.406

Mangold, S., Harneit, K., Rohwerder, T., Claus, G., Sand, W. (2008):
Novel combination of atomic force microscopy and epifluorescence microscopy for visualization of leaching bacteria on pyrite
Appl. Environ. Microb. 74 (2), 410 - 415 10.1128/AEM.01812-07

Mangold, S., Laxander, M., Harneit, K., Rohwerder, T., Claus, G., Sand, W. (2008):
Visualization of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans biofilms on pyrite by atomic force and epifluorescence microscopy under various experimental conditions
Hydrometallurgy 94 (1-4), 127 - 132 10.1016/j.hydromet.2008.05.044

Müller, R.H., Rohwerder, T., Harms, H. (2008):
Degradation of fuel oxygenates and their main intermediates by Aquincola tertiaricarbonis L108
Microbiology-(UK) 154 (5), 1414 - 1421 10.1099/mic.0.2007/014159-0

Rohwerder, T., Sand, W. (2008):
Properties of thiols required for sulfur dioxygenase activity at acidic pH
J. Sulfur Chem. 29 (3-4), 293 - 302 10.1080/17415990802146972

Ruiz, L.M., Valenzuela, S., Castro, M., Gonzalez, A., Frezza, M., Soulére, L., Rohwerder, T., Queneau, Y., Doutheau, A., Sand, W., Jerez, C.A., Guiliani, N. (2008):
AHL communication is a widespread phenomenon in biomining bacteria and seems to be involved in mineral-adhesion efficiency
Hydrometallurgy 94 (1-4), 133 - 137 10.1016/j.hydromet.2008.05.028

Hübschmann, T., Vogt, C., Till, S., Rohwerder, T., Sand, W., Harms, H., Müller, S. (2007):
Detection of sulfur microparticles in bacterial cultures by flow cytometry
Eng. Life Sci. 7 (4), 403 - 407 10.1002/elsc.200720195

Lechner, U., Brodkorb, D., Geyer, R., Hause, G., Härtig, C., Auling, G., Fayolle-Guichard, F., Piveteau, P., Müller, R.H., Rohwerder, T. (2007):
Aquincola tertiaricarbonis gen. nov., sp. nov., a tertiary butyl moiety-degrading bacterium
Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 57 (6), 1295 - 1303 10.1099/ijs.0.64663-0

Müller, R.H., Rohwerder, T., Harms, H. (2007):
Carbon conversion efficiency and limits of productive bacterial degradation of methyl tert-butyl ether and related compounds
Appl. Environ. Microb. 73 (6), 1783 - 1791 10.1128/aem.01899-06

Müller, R.H., Rohwerder, T., Harms, H. (2007):
A stoichiometric and kinetic model for the growth-associated microbial degradation of MTBE/ETBE
In: Bastiaens, L. (ed.)
MTBE and other fuel oxygenates. Proceedings of the 3rd European Conference, Antwerp, June 7-8, 2007
Vito, Mol, p. 33 - 37

Rohwerder, T., Breuer, U., Benndorf, D., Lechner, U., Müller, R.H. (2007):
The MTBE and ETBE intermediate 2-HIBA is degraded via a cobalamin-dependent mutase pathway
In: Bastiaens, L. (ed.)
MTBE and other fuel oxygenates: Proceedings of the 3rd European Conference, Antwerp, June 7-8, 2007
Vito, Mol, 11 - 14

Rosell, M., Barceló, D., Rohwerder, T., Breuer, U., Gehre, M., Richnow, H.H. (2007):
Variations in 13C/12C and D/H enrichment factors of aerobic bacterial fuel oxygenate degradation
Environ. Sci. Technol. 41 (6), 2036 - 2043 10.1021/es0616175

Rosell, M., Barceló, D., Rohwerder, T., Somsamak, P., Häggblom, M.M., Richnow, H.H. (2007):
Variability of 13C/12C and D/H enrichment factors observed during MTBE and ETBE bacterial degradation
In: Bastiaens, L. (ed.)
MTBE and other fuel oxygenates: Proceedings of the 3rd European Conference, Antwerp, June 7-8, 2007
Vito, Mol, 15 - 20

Rohwerder, T., Breuer, U., Benndorf, D., Lechner, U., Müller, R.H. (2006):
The alkyl tert-butyl ether intermediate 2-hydroxyisobutyrate is degraded via a novel cobalamin-dependent mutase pathway
Appl. Environ. Microb. 72 (6), 4128 - 4135 10.1128/AEM.00080-06

Rohwerder, T., Gehrke, T., Kinzler, K., Sand, W. (2003):
Bioleaching review part A: Progress in bioleaching: fundamentals and mechanisms of bacterial metal sulfide oxidation
Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 63 (3), 239 - 248 10.1007/s00253-003-1448-7

Rohwerder, T., Sand, W. (2003):
The sulfane sulfur of persulfides is the actual substrate of the sulfur-oxidizing enzymes from Acidithiobacillus and Acidiphilium spp.
Microbiology-(UK) 149 , 1699 - 1709 10.1099/mic.0.26212-0

Rohwerder, T., Sand, W., Lascu, C. (2003):
Preliminary evidence for a sulphur cycle in Movile Cave, Romania
Acta Biotechnol. 23 (1), 101 - 107 10.1002/abio.200390000