Research
At the Schölmerich Lab, we study anaerobic microorganisms that are key players in the capture and conversion of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). These anaerobic bacteria and archaea employ the most ancient CO2 fixation pathway: the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway.
We use a combination of computational and laboratory-based methods. These include fieldwork and metagenomics, as well as genome-informed cultivation approaches and biochemical methods. Our overarching mission is to decipher the influence of these anaerobic microorganisms on biogeochemical cycles, and to identify the molecular elements and mechanisms that drive these processes.
Currently, we have three main projects:
Microbial communities in anoxic environments
We use metagenomics to illuminate the composition of microbial communities in anoxic environments. Our focus is to identify both recognized and novel bacteria and archaea that play a role in the cycling of CO2 and CH4.
Extrachromosomal elements
Discovering extrachromosomal elements (ecDNA), such as plasmids and phages in acetogenic bacteria, and plasmids and viruses in methanogenic archaea.
Intrinsic Disorder
Investigating the emergence and functional role of intrinsic disorder (unstructured regions in proteins) in methanogenic archaea.