Insect gut microbiology and symbiosis
Prof. Dr. Andreas Brune
Research Area
Termite guts are tiny bioreactors converting lignocellulose to microbial fermentation products that fuel the metabolism of the host. My research group studies the role of the gut microbiota in the symbiotic digestion of wood, focusing on the structure and functions of the gut microbiome, the biology of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic symbionts and their interactions, and the evolution of the intestinal microbial community. Other aspects are the microbial processes in the guts of humivorous soil macrofauna, such as soil-feeding termites, scarab beetle larvae, and millipedes.
Recent publications:
- Mies, U.S., Zheng, H., Platt, K., Radek, R., Paczia, N., Treitli, S.C., Brune, A. (2025)
- Comparative genomics of Elusimicrobiaceae (phylum Elusimicrobiota) and description of the isolates Elusimicrobium simillimum sp. nov., Elusimicrobium posterum sp. nov., and Parelusimicrobium proximum gen. nov. sp. nov. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 48: 126606. (Online)
- Radek, R., Hassler, J., Platt, K., Ahmad, H., Fromm, T., Strüder-Kypke, M., Sillam-Dussès, D., Synek, J., Šobotník, J., Hervé, V., Brune, A. (2025)
- Phylogeny, morphology, and ultrastructure of sessilid peritrich ciliates in termite guts, Termitophrya africana and Doliophrys denislynni gen. nov., sp. nov. Eur. J. Protistol. 99: 126140. (Online)
- Kästle Silva, J., Hervé, V., Mies, U., Platt, K., Brune, A. (2025)
- A novel lineage of endosymbiotic Actinomycetales: Genome reduction and acquisition of new functions in Bifidobacteriaceae associated with termite gut flagellates. Environ. Microbiol. 27: e70010. (Online)
- Salgado, J.F.M., Hervé, V., Vera, M.A.G., Tokuda, G., Brune, A. (2024)
- Unveiling lignocellulolytic potential: a genomic exploration of bacterial lineages within the termite gut. Microbiome 12: 201. (Online)