FORTSCHRITTSBERICHT JAHR 2006 - Helmholtz-Zentrum für ...

Entwicklungen auf Zentrumsebene
RG Chemical Microbiology (CMIK)
Head: Dr. Wolf-Rainer Abraham
The group is characterizing bacterial communities from various environmental settings, waste
plants, oil films, etc. Of particular interest are biofilms isolated from medical implants of patients.
The physiology of the communities, especially nutrient fluxes are studied and natural
compounds with new biological activities suitable for drug development are isolated and
characterized.
A 1.8.3 Molecular Biotechnology (MBIO)
Head of Division: Dr. Hansjörg Hauser
Dept. Genome Analysis (GNA)
Head: Dr. Helmut Blöcker
The focus of this department is on the genome-wide study and in-depth analysis of genomic
information. This involves high-throughput sequencing of DNA, as well as annotation, up to
the level of metabolic and regulatory pathways. The group has contributed to the sequencing
of large genomes such as human and chimpanzee. After the completion of the sequencing and
analyses of the genomes of Sorangium cellulosum, Bordetella petrii and E. coli Nissle 1917,
the group is now working on the comparative genome analysis of pathogenic mycobacteria,
which cause major human and animal diseases like tuberculosis, paratuberculosis and leprosy.
All this with a special view to develop novel diagnostics and drugs for the treatment of persistent
and active tuberculosis. Another activity focuses on the characterisation of pig genome
aiming at the identification of genetic markers for immune defence and resistance in the porcine
respiratory tract. A recent activity has been the study of genome interactions at the site of
colonisation and persistence of gut microbiota in mice. Future work will include the comparative
sequence analysis of selected genes in patient cohorts.
RG Systems Biology (SBIO)
Head: Prof. Dr. An-Ping Zeng
The general objective of the research group is to develop and apply bioinformatic and mathematic
tools and methods for the modelling and analysis of metabolic and regulatory networks
of cells in a systems biology approach. In particular, the group focuses on the development
of improved methods and algorithms for the reconstruction and in silico analysis of
metabolic and regulatory networks, modelling and detailed in silico analysis of cellular networks
related to infection in selected pathogens (e.g. Peudomonas aeruginosa) and hosts (e.g.
regulatory T cell). Work has also been done regarding the use of time-series microarray data
to quantitatively understand and model the dynamics of cellular processes at pathway and
network levels.
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