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.
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.