Max Planck Fellows
Prof. Dr. Martin Thanbichler
Bacteria represent the simplest forms of life, which makes them powerful tools to study the basic concepts of cellular organization. Despite their comparably simple architecture, they have evolved an amazing variety of mechanisms to control the spatial arrangement of cellular components, including localized protein complexes, diverse cytoskeletal structures, and complex signalling cascades. These regulatory systems control a range of essential processes, such as cell growth, cell differentiation, chromosome segregation, and cell division.
Our group investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying the spatiotemporal organization of bacterial cells, with an emphasis on the model bacteria Caulobacter crescentus, Hyphomonas neptunium, and Myxococcus xanthus.
Molecular Physiology of Microbes
Prof. Dr. Gert Bange
Microorganisms conquered every possible environment on our planet. To successfully survive, they have to continuously sense and adjust their molecular inventory to the given environmental and often hostile conditions, which could be nutrient limitations, abiotic stresses or the presence of pathogens, hosts and invaders.
Our group studies the underlying molecular mechanisms by combining structural biochemistry with systems- and cell biology approaches.