Research
The mammalian gastrointestinal (GI) tract hosts a diverse microbial community, including Escherichia coli, one of the first bacteria to colonize the infant gut and a lifelong resident of the human microbiota (Eggesbø et al., 2011). While non-pathogenic E. coli strains provide benefits, such as vitamin K production (Suvatna, 1998) and its role in conferring colonization resistance against pathogens (Richter, 2018), pathogenic strains like Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) can cause severe diseases, including bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome (Croxen et al., 2013). Despite its mutualistic role, research has primarily focused on pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant strains, with limited understanding of factors influencing non-pathogenic E. coli populations or the formation of heteroresistance.
Our research group examines how abiotic and biotic stress conditions within the human gut impact bacterial antibiotic tolerance, with the aim of promoting the stability of non-pathogenic E. coli populations and enhancing antibiotic effectiveness against pathogenic E. coli strains. We utilize population-level techniques, such as minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC).
Additionally, we use fluorescence microscopy to study stress response pathways and heteroresistance in individual bacteria exposed to antibiotics.
Heteroresistance scheme
Selected publications:
- Saikia B, Riquelme-Barrios S, Carell T, Brameyer S*, Jung K.* 2024. Depletion of m6A-RNA in Escherichia coli reduces the infectious potential of T5 bacteriophage. Microbiol Spectr e0112424.
- Schumacher K, Brameyer S, Jung K. 2023. Bacterial acid stress response: from cellular changes to antibiotic tolerance and phenotypic heterogeneity. Curr Opin Microbiol 75:102367.
- Schwarz J, Brameyer S, Hoyer E, Jung K. 2023. The interplay of AphB and CadC to activate acid resistance of Vibrio campbellii. J Bacteriol e00457-22.
- Schwarz J, Schumacher K, Brameyer S, Jung K. 2022. Bacterial battle against acidity. Fems Microbiol Rev https://doi.org/10.1093/femsre/fuac037.
- Brameyer S, Schumacher K, Kuppermann S, Jung K. 2022. Division of labor and collective functionality in Escherichia coli under acid stress. Commun Biology 5:327.
- Martini L, Brameyer S, Hoyer E, Jung K, Gerland U. 2021. Dynamics of chromosomal target search by a membrane-integrated one-component receptor. PLoS Computational Biology 17:e1008680.
- Brameyer S, Hoyer E, Bibinger S, Burdack K, Lassak J, Jung K. 2020. Molecular design of a signaling system influences noise in protein abundance under acid stress in different gammaproteobacteria. J Bacteriol 202:95–15.
- Brameyer S, Rösch TC, Andari JE, Hoyer E, Schwarz J, Graumann PL, Jung K. 2019. DNA-binding directs the localization of a membrane-integrated receptor of the ToxR family. Communications Biology 2:1–10.
2024
- Saikia B, Riquelme-Barrios S, Carell T, Brameyer S*, Jung K.* 2024. Depletion of m6A-RNA in Escherichia coli reduces the infectious potential of T5 bacteriophage. Microbiol Spectr e0112424.
- Han Z, Panhans S, Brameyer S, Bilgen E, Ram M, Herr A, Narducci A, Isselstein M, Harris PD, Brix O, Jung K, Lamb DC, Lerner E, Griffith D, Weikl TR, Zijlstra N, Cordes T. 2024. Dissecting Mechanisms of Ligand Binding and Conformational Changes in the Glutamine-Binding Protein. eLife https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.95304.1.
- Tomasiunaite U, Brewer T, Burdack K, Brameyer S, Jung K. 2024. Versatile Dual Reporter to Identify Ribosome Pausing Motifs Alleviated by Translation Elongation Factor P. ACS Synth Biol https://doi.org/10.1021/acssynbio.4c00534.
2023
- Schumacher K, Brameyer S, Jung K. 2023. Bacterial acid stress response: from cellular changes to antibiotic tolerance and phenotypic heterogeneity. Curr Opin Microbiol 75:102367.
- Dengler S, Howard RT, Morozov V, Tsiamantas C, Huang W, Liu Z, Dobrzanski C, Pophristic V, Brameyer S, Douat C, Suga H, Huc I. 2023. Display Selection of a Hybrid Foldamer–Peptide Macrocycle. Angew Chem Int Ed 62:e202308408.
- Stein NV, Eder M, Brameyer S, Schwenkert S, Jung H. 2023. The ABC transporter family efflux pump PvdRT‐OpmQ of Pseudomonas putida KT2440: purification and initial characterization. Febs Lett https://doi.org/10.1002/1873-3468.14601.
- Schwarz J, Brameyer S, Hoyer E, Jung K. 2023. The interplay of AphB and CadC to activate acid resistance of Vibrio campbellii. J Bacteriol e00457-22.
2022
- Schwarz J, Schumacher K, Brameyer S, Jung K. 2022. Bacterial battle against acidity. Fems Microbiol Rev https://doi.org/10.1093/femsre/fuac037.
- Brameyer S, Schumacher K, Kuppermann S, Jung K. 2022. Division of labor and collective functionality in Escherichia coli under acid stress. Commun Biology 5:327.
- Gabold B, Adams F, Brameyer S, Jung K, Ried CL, Merdan T, Merkel OM. 2022. Transferrin-modified chitosan nanoparticles for targeted nose-to-brain delivery of proteins. Drug Deliv Transl Re 1–17.
2021
- Martini L, Brameyer S, Hoyer E, Jung K, Gerland U. 2021. Dynamics of chromosomal target search by a membrane-integrated one-component receptor. PLoS Computational Biology 17:e1008680.
2020
- Nicols JM, Antolović V, Reich JD, Brameyer S, Paschke P, Chubb JR. 2020. Cell and molecular transitions during efficient dedifferentiation. eLife 9:412–26.
- Brameyer S, Hoyer E, Bibinger S, Burdack K, Lassak J, Jung K. 2020. Molecular design of a signaling system influences noise in protein abundance under acid stress in different gammaproteobacteria. J Bacteriol 202:95–15.
- Rauh T, Brameyer S, Kielkowski P, Jung K, Sieber SA. 2020. MS-Based in SituProteomics Reveals AMPylation of Host Proteins during Bacterial Infection. ACS Infectious Diseases acsinfecdis.0c00740-13.
2019
- Brameyer S, Rösch TC, Andari JE, Hoyer E, Schwarz J, Graumann PL, Jung K. 2019. DNA-binding directs the localization of a membrane-integrated receptor of the ToxR family. Communications Biology 2:1–10.
- Tobias NJ, Brehm J, Kresovic D, Brameyer S, Bode HB, Heermann R. 2019. New vocabulary for bacterial communication. ChemBioChem 43:496–11.
- Gasperotti A, Brameyer S, Fabiani F, Jung K. 2019. Phenotypic heterogeneity of microbial populations under nutrient limitation. Current Opinion in Biotechnology 62:160–167.
2018
- Vilhena C, Silhavy TJ, Kaganovitch E, Shin JY, Grünberger A, Behr S, Kristoficova I, Brameyer S, Kohlheyer D, Jung K. 2018. A single-cell view of the BtsSR/YpdAB pyruvate sensing network in Escherichia coli and its biological relevance. Journal of Bacteriology 200:1–13.
- Brameyer S, DiRita VJ, Plener L, Müller A, Klingl A, Wanner G, Jung K. 2018. Outer membrane vesicles facilitate trafficking of the hydrophobic signaling molecule CAI-1 between Vibrio harveyi cells. Journal of Bacteriology 200:163–13.
2013-2017
- Behr S, Chaves-Olarte E, Brameyer S, Witting M, Schmitt-Kopplin P, Jung K. 2017. Comparative analysis of LytS/LytTR-type histidine kinase/response regulator systems in γ-proteobacteria. PLoS ONE 12:e0182993.
- Brameyer S, Heermann R. 2017. Quorum sensing and LuxR solos in Photorhabdus. Current topics in microbiology and immunology 402:103–119.
- Brameyer S, Kresovic D, Bode HB, Heermann R. 2015. Dialkylresorcinols as bacterial signaling molecules. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112:572–577.
- Brameyer S, Bode HB, Heermann R. 2015. Languages and dialects: bacterial communication beyond homoserine lactones. Trends in Microbiology 23:521–523.
- Brameyer S, Heermann R. 2015. Specificity of signal-binding via non-AHL LuxR-type receptors. PLoS ONE 10:e0124093-15.
- Brameyer S, Kresovic D, Bode HB, Heermann R. 2014. LuxR solos in Photorhabdus species. Front Cell Infect Mi 4:166.
- Brachmann AO, Brameyer S, Kresovic D, Hitkova I, Kopp Y, Manske C, Schubert K, Bode HB, Heermann R. 2013. Pyrones as bacterial signaling molecules. Nat Chem Biol 9:573–578.
We invite researchers being interested in antimicrobial resistance of microbes to get in touch with Sophie Brameyer for research possibilities.