The environmental condition of the smallest living organisms on earth, the bacteria can change drastically. In order to survive, bacteria must be able to adapt quickly to strong fluctuations in for example oxygen and nutrient availability, the ambient temperature, moisture content and antimicrobial substances. In my group, we are investigating how gut bacteria can adapt to their environment and how bacteria detect and process the signals from the environment. A major focus of research is the understanding of the dynamic changes in bacterial metabolic pathways that occur during changes of environmental conditions. Changes in bacterial metabolites, measured using 13C-labeled nutrients and mass spectrometry, have shown to influence bacterial energy metabolism, cell wall synthesis, cell growth and flagella-driven bacterial motility which is crucial to cause disease. Insight in the bacterial adaptation mechanism undoubtedly leads to the discovery of compounds which can interfere with the survival of pathogenic bacteria.

Focus

•          Role of phospholipids on the activity of membrane proteins

•          Are lysophosholipids novel virulence factors?

•          Dynamic changes in bacterial metabolic pathways

•          Function of O-glycosylation of flagella

•          Antimicrobial compounds that are secreted by competing bacterial species