Biotechnology (IBG-1)

The topic „Systemic Microbiology“ headed by Prof. Bott performs research in molecular and applied microbiology. The long term aim is a comprehensive understanding of the metabolic and regulatory networks in selected microorganisms such as Corynebacterium glutamicum or Gluconobacter oxydans, which serve as production platforms in White Biotechnology to convert renewable carbon sources into industrially or pharmaceutically used compounds (e.g. amino acids or proteins). Besides microbiological, genetical, and biochemical methods, global tools such genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics are applied. Synthetic biology is used to increase the substrate and product spectrum of the microbial cell factories by adding new metabolic pathways. Novel tools in strain development and single-cell analysis are established based on biosensors and high-throughput methods such as fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS).

The topic of „Systems Biotechnology“ headed by Prof. Wiechert is working on the development of bioprocesses based on a systems biology fundament. Both whole cell and cell free approaches are pursued. As central tools, quantitative bioanalytic methods (metabolomics, fluxomics, proteomics) and mathematical models are developed both for a detailed characterization of the complex biochemical networks inside a living cell and for the investigation of whole bioprocesses. The rational design of enzyme toolboxes for combinatorial biosynthesis paves the way to new chiral substances in Industrial Biotechnology up to the future establishment of synthetic pathways (synthetic biology). These projects are complemented by the development of microfluidic devices for single cell analysis for which newly developed biosensors are applied.

The topic of ‚Bioorganic Chemistry‘ headed by Prof. Pietruszka is working on the development of chemoenzymatic transformations for the synthesis of chiral, enantiomerically pure key building blocks for natural product as well as active agent syntheses. Isolated enzymes are primarily applied, with the toolbox is continuously extended also utilizing rational and evolutional methods of biocatalyst design. Secondary metabolites and its analogues are provided via total- or mutasynthesis. The target molecules are manifold reaching from structurally complex, cytotoxic, marine polyketides to surface-active glycolipids.

The topic of ‚Molecular Enzyme Technology” headed by Prof. Jaeger deals with the identification, isolation and characterization of novel bacterial enzymes. Metagenomics are applied to identify, clone and express enzyme-encoding genes from environmental DNA. Novel expression systems are developed and used to produce difficult-to-express proteins like membrane associated enzymes. The mechanisms of enzyme folding and secretion are studied, three-dimensional structures are determined and biochemical properties analyzed. Another important scientific topic deals with a novel class of fluorescent proteins containing light, oxygen, voltage (LOV) domains which are the key sensory modules of various blue-light photoreceptor proteins. These fluorescent proteins are characterized using molecular biological, biochemical, and spectroscopic methods, structures are determined and various biotechnological applications are developed.

The infrastructure department includes administration, information technology and our workshop. Here, every employee receives help in relation to personnel matters, finances, time management, IT problems, electrical systems or in the planning, creation, advice on mechanical test setups.