Through comparative genomics, transcriptomics, and biochemical assays, we examined the metabolic conservation of Stammera, the obligate symbiont of tortoise beetles. By tying how a symbiont’s digestive range can reflect the dietary breadth of its herbivorous host, we highlight the role of symbiosis in modulating plant-herbivore interactions. Our findings are published in Current Biology!
New lab member: Inès Pons
Inès Pons joins the group as a Postdoctoral Fellow from the lab of Thierry Hance at the Université Catholique de Louvain. Welcome, Inès!
New publication: Fermentation fuels a pectinolytic mutualism
Led by Eugen Bauer, we show how Stammera evolved an obligate fermentation pathway to fuel its activity in leaf beetles. Published in The ISME Journal!
Mutualisms lab in Tübingen!
Delighted to announce that the Mutualisms Research Group will start at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology!
There will be plenty of opportunities to join the lab in Tübingen, so get in touch!
