Methanotrophic bacteria, and environmental genomics/transcriptomics

PD Dr. Werner Liesack (retired in May 2022)

Research areas

Rice field soils and temperate grassland represent excellent model systems to study fundamental aspects of microbial ecology. Rice field soils are one of the few environmental systems that are regularly exposed to alternate dry/wet and oxic/anoxic cycles. The increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration due to climate change may have a major impact on temperate grassland ecosystems and, in consequence, on the belowground biota. We apply omics approaches to understand the structural and functional responses of the microbial communities in paddy and grassland soils to environmental change. In another line of research, we investigate the link between physiology and molecular biology of methanotrophic bacteria. Aerobic methanotrophs function as a biological filter for the greenhouse gas methane in various environmental settings. Our model system is Methylocystis sp. strain SC2.

Recent publications

2023
Review Article
Zhu, Y.-G.; Peng, J.; Chen, C.; Xiong, C.; Li, S.; Ge, A.; Wang, E.; Liesack, W.: Harnessing biological nitrogen fixation in plant leaves. (2023)
Journal Article
Guo, K.; Glatter, T.; Paczia, N.; Liesack, W.: Asparagine uptake: a cellular strategy of Methylocystis to combat severe salt stress. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 89 (6), e0011323 (2023)
Journal Article
Peng, J.; Zhou, X.; Rensing, C.; Liesack, W.; Zhu, Y.-G.: Soil microbial ecology through the lens of metatranscriptomics. Soil Ecology Letters 6 (3), 230217 (2023)
Journal Article
Wu, X.; Bei, S.; Zhou, X.; Luo, Y.; He, Z.; Song, C.; Yuan, H.; Pivato, B.; Liesack, W.; Peng, J.: Metagenomic insights into genetic factors driving bacterial niche differentiation between bulk and rhizosphere soils. Science of the Total Environment 891, 164221 (2023)
2022
Journal Article
Guo, K.; Hakobyan, A.; Glatter, T.; Paczia, N.; Liesack, W.: Methylocystis sp. strain SC2 acclimatizes to increasing NH4+ levels by a precise rebalancing of enzymes and osmolyte composition. mSystems 7 (5), e0040322 (2022)
Journal Article
Wu, X.; Rensing, C.; Han, D.; Xiao, K. Q.; Dai, Y.; Tang, Z.; Liesack, W.; Peng, J.; Cui, Z.; Zhang, F.: Genome-resolved metagenomics reveals distinct phosphorus acquisition strategies between soil microbiomes. mSystems 7 (1), e0110721 (2022)
Journal Article
Wu, X.; Cui, Z.; Peng, J.; Zhang, F.; Liesack, W.: Genome-resolved metagenomics identifies the particular genetic traits of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria in agricultural soil. ISME Communications 2 (1), 17 (2022)
Journal Article
Wu, X.; Liu, Y.; Shang, Y.; Liu, D.; Liesack, W.; Cui, Z.; Peng, J.; Zhang, F.: Peat-vermiculite alters microbiota composition towards increased soil fertility and crop productivity. Plant and Soil 470, pp. 21 - 34 (2022)
2021
Journal Article
Bei, Q.; Moser, G.; Muller, C.; Liesack, W.: Seasonality affects function and complexity but not diversity of the rhizosphere microbiome in European temperate grassland. Science of the Total Environment 784, 147036 (2021)
Journal Article
Bei, Q.; Peng, J.; Liesack, W.: Shedding light on the functional role of the Ignavibacteria in Italian rice field soil: A meta-genomic/transcriptomic analysis. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 163, 108444 (2021)
Go to Editor View