Methanogenic Archaea
Methanogenic archaea (methanogens) are the major biological source of the greenhouse gas methane. They exist in and are adapted to a wide range of anoxic ecosystems.
We combine computational microbiology, laboratory cultivation, molecular and protein biochemical techniques to illuminate genetic features that are predicted to shape methanogen adaptability and ultimately methane production.
Projects:
Functional role of nucleotide tandem repeats in genomes of methanogens
Recently, pervasive nucleotide tandem repeats (TRs) have been uncovered in the genomes of methanogens. These TRs are hypothesized to impact methanogen physiology and metabolism, possibly representing an overlooked feature explaining methanogens ecological adaptability and resilience. Our research aims to uncover the functional roles of TRs in archaeal proteins and to investigate the regulatory potential of intergenic TRs in controlling gene expression.