Research Projects

Current Research Projects

Metabolic labeling of complex microbial communities (MSCA-DN METAMIC3)

Start: since 01.10.2025  

Funding: HORIZON TMA MSCA Doctoral Networks

METAMIC3 - Metaproteome-based leveraged microbiome management in the context of One Health
People                            

This project aims to applying protein-labeling techniques such as protein-stable isotope probing (SIP) and click chemistry approaches such as bioorthogonal non-canonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT) for an enhanced identification of metabolic active microbes (WP3). We will apply these techniques to reconstruct metabolic networks in microbial communities originating from various environmental and organismal samples, identify the cellular response of single species, or simplify MOCK communities relevant to specific objectives described in WP1. This will reveal the influence of antimicrobial effectors in different microbiomes. In addition, the replication of phages triggered by microbe-phage interactions or environmental stress will be confirmed by BONCAT (in collaboration with AUAS).

 

 

How Segatella copri deals with oxygen: Mechanisms for the conversion of O2 and peroxides in an obligate anaerobic gut bacterium

Start: since 01.01.2026

Funding: DFG SPP 2474 Illuminating gene functions in the human gut microbiome

People

Methabreed - Reduction of methane emissions in dairy cows

Sustainable reduction of methane emissions in dairy farms considering breeding strategies, improved feed efficiency and animal health (project 4)

Duration: 2025-2027
Funding by Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung

 
Partners

- Förderverein Bioökonomieforschung e.V. (FBF)
- Vereinigte Informationssysteme Tierhaltung w.V. (vit)
- Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (JLU)
- Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (CAU)

Correlation of metal homeostasis and catabolism of Prevotellaceae in the rumen

Start: since 01.01.2025  

Funding: DFG (327953272)

People
Publications from previous project:

 

Deusch S, Bok E, Schleicher L, Seifert J, Steuber J (2019) Occurrence and function of the Na+-translocating NADH:Quinone oxidoreductase in Prevotella spp. Microorganisms 7(5), 117, doi: 10.3390/microorganisms7050117

Schleicher L, Fritz G, Seifert J, Steuber J (2020) Anoxic cell rupture of Prevotella bryantii by high-pressure homogenization protects the Na+-translocating NADH:quinone oxidoreductase from oxidative damage. Archive of Microbiology 202, 1263–1266, doi: 10.1007/s00203-019-01805-x

Trautmann A, Schleicher L, Deusch S, Gätgens J, Steuber J, Seifert J (2020) Short-chain fatty acids modulate metabolic pathways and membrane lipids in Prevotella bryantii B14. Proteomes. 8, 28; doi:10.3390/proteomes8040028

Schleicher L, Trautmann A, Stegmann D, Fritz G, Gätgens J, Bott M, Hein S, Simon J, Seifert J, Steuber J (2021) A sodium-translocating module linking succinate production to formation of a membrane potential in Prevotella bryantii. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. doi.10.1128/AEM.01211-21.

Trautmann A, Schleicher L, Pfirrmann J, Boldt C, Steuber J, Seifert J (2021) Na+-coupled respiration and reshaping of extracellular polysaccharide layer counteract monensin-induced cation permeability in Prevotella bryantii B14. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22: 10202; doi.10.3390/ijms221910202.

Trautmann A, Schleicher L, Koch A, Günther J, Steuber J, Seifert J. (2022) A shift towards succinate-producing Prevotella in the ruminal microbiome challenged with monensin. Proteomics. e2200121. doi: 10.1002/pmic.202200121

 

Hau JL, Schleicher L, Herdan S, Simon J, Seifert J, Fritz G, Steuber J (2023) Functionality of the Na+-translocating NADH:quinone oxidoreductase and quinol:fumarate reductase from Prevotella bryantii inferred from homology modeling. Archives in Microbiology. 206(1):32. doi: 10.1007/s00203-023-03769-5.

Host-Microbiome Interaction: Implications for cellular and global energy metabolism of dairy cows (WiMiQ)

WiMiQ

2024- 2026

DFG: Projektnummer 202989534

In collaboration with FLI Braunschweig (Dr J. Frahm, Prof. S. Dänicke), Uni Bonn (Prof. H. Sauerwein)

 
Publications

from previous project MitoCow

Tröscher-Mußotter J, Saenz JS, Grindler S, Meyer J, Kononov SU, Mezger B, Borda-Molina D, Frahm J, Dänicke S, Camarinha-Silva A, Huber K, Seifert J (2021) Microbiome clusters disclose physiologic variances in dairy cows challenged by calving and lipopolysaccharides.

mSystems 6(5):e00856; doi.org/10.1128/mSystems.00856-21

Tröscher-Mußotter J, Deusch S, Borda-Molina D, Frahm J, Dänicke S, Camarinha-Silva A, Huber K, Seifert J (2022) Cow’s microbiome from antepartum to postpartum: A long-term study covering two physiological challenges.

Frontiers in Microbiology 13. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1000750

Project in the DFG Research Unit ‘Appearance and physiological relevance of inositol phosphates and myo-inositol in the domesticated fowl’ FOR 2601

Project time: 2022-2025

People
Groups

Publications

Naithani H, Rios-Galicia B, Camarinha Silva A, Seifert J. (2024) Strategies to enhance cultivation of anaerobic bacteria from gastrointestinal tract of chicken. J. Vis. Exp. 10:207, e66570, doi: 10.3791/66570.

    2023-2026
    Funding: Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung

    Groups

    This is a collaborative project with Prof. Amélia Camarinha-Silva und Prof. Markus Rodehutscord.

     

    Partnership program The Hebrew University of Jerusalem – University of Hohenheim

    2024-2025

    Dr. Kfir Sharabi (Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

     

     

    Terminated Research Projects

    Duration: 2017-2022
    DFG (SE 2059/3-1)

    People
    Publications

     

    Deusch S, Bok E, Schleicher L, Seifert J, Steuber J (2019) Occurrence and function of the Na+-translocating NADH:Quinone oxidoreductase in Prevotella spp. Microorganisms 7(5), 117, doi: 10.3390/microorganisms7050117

    Schleicher L, Fritz G, Seifert J, Steuber J (2020) Anoxic cell rupture of Prevotella bryantii by high-pressure homogenization protects the Na+-translocating NADH:quinone oxidoreductase from oxidative damage. Archive of Microbiology 202, 1263–1266, doi: 10.1007/s00203-019-01805-x

    Trautmann A, Schleicher L, Deusch S, Gätgens J, Steuber J, Seifert J (2020) Short-chain fatty acids modulate metabolic pathways and membrane lipids in Prevotella bryantii B14. Proteomes. 8, 28; doi:10.3390/proteomes8040028

    Schleicher L, Trautmann A, Stegmann D, Fritz G, Gätgens J, Bott M, Hein S, Simon J, Seifert J, Steuber J (2021) A sodium-translocating module linking succinate production to formation of a membrane potential in Prevotella bryantii. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. doi.10.1128/AEM.01211-21.

    Trautmann A, Schleicher L, Pfirrmann J, Boldt C, Steuber J, Seifert J (2021) Na+-coupled respiration and reshaping of extracellular polysaccharide layer counteract monensin-induced cation permeability in Prevotella bryantii B14. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22: 10202; doi.10.3390/ijms221910202.

    Trautmann A, Schleicher L, Koch A, Günther J, Steuber J, Seifert J. (2022) A shift towards succinate-producing Prevotella in the ruminal microbiome challenged with monensin. Proteomics. e2200121. doi: 10.1002/pmic.202200121

     

    Hau JL, Schleicher L, Herdan S, Simon J, Seifert J, Fritz G, Steuber J (2023) Functionality of the Na+-translocating NADH:quinone oxidoreductase and quinol:fumarate reductase from Prevotella bryantii inferred from homology modeling. Archives in Microbiology. 206(1):32. doi: 10.1007/s00203-023-03769-5.

    01.07.2017 - 2022

    People
    Groups
    Publications

    Tröscher-Mußotter J, Saenz JS, Grindler S, Meyer J, Kononov SU, Mezger B, Borda-Molina D, Frahm J, Dänicke S, Camarinha-Silva A, Huber K, Seifert J (2021) Microbiome clusters disclose physiologic variances in dairy cows challenged by calving and lipopolysaccharides.

    mSystems 6(5):e00856; doi.org/10.1128/mSystems.00856-21

     

    Tröscher-Mußotter J, Deusch S, Borda-Molina D, Frahm J, Dänicke S, Camarinha-Silva A, Huber K, Seifert J (2022) Cow’s microbiome from antepartum to postpartum: A long-term study covering two physiological challenges.

    Frontiers in Microbiology 13. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1000750

    Project within DFG Research Unit ‘Appearance and physiological relevance of inositol phosphates and myo-inositol in the domesticated fowl’ FOR 2601

    Projektbeginn: 01.05.2018
    Projektende: 31.12.2021

    People

     

    Publications

    Röhm K, Gonzalez-Uarquin F, Harmel RK, Trung MN, Diener M, Fiedler D, Huber K, Seifert J. (2021) Investigation of a potential electrogenic transport-system for myo-inositol in the small intestine of laying hens.    British Poultry Science; doi.org/10.1080/00071668.2021.1958301

     

    Röhm K, Diener M, Huber K, Seifert J. (2021) Characterization of the cecal smooth muscle contraction in laying hens. Veterinary Sciences 8(6), 91; doi.org/10.3390/vetsci8060091

     

     

     

     

    Start: 01.08.2019
    Wilhelm Schaumann Stiftung

    People
    Collaborators

    This is a collaborative project together with Prof. Amélia Camarinha-Silva, Prof. Markus Rodehutscord and Prof. Jörn Bennewitz.

    Publications

    Kurz A, Seifert J (2021) Factors Influencing Proteolysis and Protein Utilization in the Intestine of Pigs: A Review.

    Animals 11(12):3551; doi.org/10.3390/ani11123551

    Sarpong N, Seifert J, Bennewitz J, Rodehutscord M, Camarinha-Silva A (2024) Microbial signatures and enterotype clusters in fattening pigs: implications for nitrogen utilization efficiency.

    Frontiers in Microbiology.15. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1354537

    Schmid M, Weishaar R, Seifert J, Camarinha-Silva A, Rodehutscord M, Bennewitz J (2024) Genomic analyses of nitrogen utilization efficiency, its indicator trait blood urea nitrogen and the relationship to classical growth performance and feed efficiency traits in a Landrace x Piétrain crossbred population.

    Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics. doi: 10.1111/jbg.12864

     

     

     

    Project in the DFG Research Unit ‘Appearance and physiological relevance of inositol phosphates and myo-inositol in the domesticated fowl’ FOR 2601

    Project time: 2018-2022

    People
    Groups

    Project time: 2019-2022
    Funding: EU, BMBF

    Researchers
    Groups

    Publications

    Serrano-Villar S, Tincati C, Raju SC, Sáenz JS, Moreno E, Bargiela R, Cabello A, Sendagorta E, Kurz A, Perez Molina JA, de Benito A, Hov JR, Fernandez-Lopez L, Muriel A, del Campo R, Moreno S, Trøseid M, Seifert J, Ferrer M. (2023) Microbiome-derived cobalamin and succinyl-CoA as biomarkers for improved screening of anal cancer.

    Nature Medicine. 29. 1738-1749. doi:10.1038/s41591-023-02407-3