Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology

The Biogeochemistry Department, headed by Ralf Conrad, is focused on the microbial metabolism and biogeochemical matter cycling in soil. Soil microbial metabolism plays an important role in the global cycling of matter and — through the formation of atmospheric trace gases such as methane and nitrous oxide — also influences the climate on Earth. The department examines the role of soil microorganisms in carbon and nitrogen cycling, particularly in chemically well-defined processes such as the production and consumption of methane, the oxidation of ammonia, or denitrification.[3] There are four research leaders in charge of six research groups and two project groups:[4]

Research Groups
Ralf Conrad

• Methanogenic degradation
• Microbial metabolism of trace gases

Andreas Brune

• Microbial ecology of the termite gut
• Microbial symbioses

Werner Liesack

• Molecular biology and ecology of methanotrophs
• Environmental genomics and transcriptomics

Project Group
Peter Frenzel

• Methane oxidation
• Biogeochemistry and microbial ecology of wetlands

The Ecophysiology Department, headed by Lotte Søgaard-Andersen, focuses on understanding how intracellular signalling networks are wired to allow bacteria to adapt and differentiate in response to changes in the environment or in response to self-generated signals.[5] Specifically, the department has two aims. Firstly, they aim to understand how bacteria process information to generate appropriate output responses (e.g. changes in gene expression, changes in motility behavior). Secondly, they aim to understand how molecular machines involved in motility and secretion function and how their activity is regulated. Ecophysiology currently has three research groups led by the following in parenthesis:[6]

• Bacterial secretion systems (Andreas Diepold)
• The intracellular organization and differentiation of bacteria (Simon Ringgaard)
• Bacterial development & differentiation (Lotte Søgaard-Andersen)

The Organismic Interactions Department, headed by Regine Kahmann, is focused on the biology of phytopathogenic fungi and in particular the mechanisms that underlie morphological differentiation and communication of these fungi with their plant hosts.[7] Furthermore, the department is focused on the mechanisms that enable fungi to colonize plants successfully and on the processes accounting for variations in host preference and fungal lifestyles. There are three research groups:[8]

• Molecular phytopathology (Regine Kahmann)
• Establishment of compatibility in biotrophic interactions (Gunther Döhlemann)
• Functional genomics and molecular biology of symbiotic fungi (Alga Zuccaro)

The Department of Systems and Synthetic Microbiology, headed by Victor Sourjik, aims to elucidate general principles of evolutionary optimization of cellular networks and implement these principles in the design of novel networks in microorganisms.[9] Having a single research group, microbial networks is also led by Sourjik.[10]

The Department of Synthetic Biochemistry and Metabolism is headed by Tobias J. Erb.[11]

MPI-Marburg is scheduled to expand with a new Department for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), in collaboration with the Max Planck Society and the University of Marburg.[12] The new department will serve as a research centre for SYNMIKRO with about 100 scientific positions expected to be made available. A grant of about 21 million Euro has been allocated for the period of 2010-12 alone.[13]

The Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology operates the International Max Planck Research School for Environmental, Cellular and Molecular Microbiology program, in collaboration with the Philipps University of Marburg. The degrees are conferred by the University, as is the case for all other IMPRS programs in the MPG. Apart from the University, the MPI has close collaborations with research centres in the city and overseas. More specific information on their collaborations can be found on their cooperations page.