Prof. Dr. Axel Brakhage

Functions

• Director Molecular and Applied Microbiology
• Head for Department
• Speaker SFB-Transregio "Pathogenic fungi and their human host: Networks of interaction"

Research

• Infection biology of human pathogenic fungi
• Molecular biotechnology / synthetic biotechnology of microbial compounds
• Microbial communication
• Eukaryotic gene regulation / transcription factors

Publications (the 10 most important)

1. Bacher, F. Heinrich, U. Stervbo, M. Nienen, M. Vahldieck, C. Iwert, K. Vogt, J. Kollet, N. Babel, B. Sawitzki, C. Schwarz, S. Bereswill, M. M. Heimesaat, G. Heine, G. Gadermaier, C. Asam, M. Assenmacher, O. Kniemeyer, A. A. Brakhage, F. Ferreira, M. Wallner, M. Worm, A. Scheffold, "Regulatory T cell specificity directs tolerance versus allergy against aeroantigens in humans", Cell 2016, 167, 1067-1078.
2. Weber, V. Valiante, C. S. Nødvig, D. J. Mattern, R. A. Slotkowski, U. H. Mortensen, A. A. Brakhage, "Functional reconstitution of a fungal natural product gene cluster by advanced genome editing", ACS Synth. Biol. 2016, DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.6b00203.
3. Gsaller, P. Hortschansky, T. Furukawa, P. D. Carr, B. Rash, J. Capilla, C. Müller, F. Bracher, O. Bowyer, H. Haas, A. A. Brakhage, M. J. Bromley, "Sterol biosynthesis and azole tolerance is governed by the opposing actions of SrbA and the CCAAT binding complex", PLoS Pathog. 2016, 12, e1005775.
4. Akoumianaki, I. Kyrmizi, I. Valsecchi, M. S. Gresnigt, G. Samonis, E. Drakos, D. Boumpas, L. Muszkieta, M. C. Prevost, D. P. Kontoyiannis, T. Chavakis, M. G. Netea, F. L. van de Veerdonk, A. A. Brakhage, J. El-Benna, A. Beauvais, J. P. Latgé, G. Chamilos, "Aspergillus cell wall melanin blocks LC3-associated phagocytosis to promote pathogenicity", Cell Host Microbe 2016, 19, 79-90.
5. Valiante, M. Cândida Monteiro, E. Mellado, N. El Aouad, J. R. Tormo, N. de Pedro, V. Gonzalez, O. Kniemeyer, J.-P. Latgé, A. Beauvais, F. Reyes, R. Altwasser, O. Genilloud, F. Vicente, A. A. Brakhage, "Hitting the caspofungin salvage pathway of human-pathogenic fungi with the novel lasso peptide humidimycin (MDN-0010)", Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 2015, 59, 5145-5153.
6. Hillmann, S. Novohradska, D. Mattern, T. Heinekamp, M. Westermann, T. Forberger, T. Winckler, A. A. Brakhage, "Virulence determinants of the human pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus protect against soil amoeba predation", Environ. Microbiol. 2015, 17, 2858-2869.
7. Gsaller, P. Hortschansky, S. R. Beattie, V. Klammer, B. E. Lechner, N. Rietzschel, E. R. Werner, A. A. Vogan, D. Chung, U. Mühlenhoff, M. Kato, R. R. Cramer, A. A. Brakhage, H. Haas, "Aspergillus fumigatus HapX is a Janus transcription factor required for adaptation to both iron starvation and iron excess", EMBO J. 2014, 33, 2261-2276.
8. A. Brakhage, "Regulation of fungal secondary metabolism", Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 2013, 11, 21-32.
9. W. Nützmann, Y. Reyes-Dominguez, K. Scherlach, V. Schroeckh, F. Horn, A. Gacek, C. Hertweck, J. Strauss, A. A. Brakhage, "Bacteria induced natural product formation in the fungus Aspergillus nidulans requires Saga/Ada mediated histone acetylation", Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 2011, 108, 14282-14287.
10. Aimanianda, J. Bayry, S. Bozza, O. Kniemeyer, K. Perruccio, S. R. Elluru, C. Clavaud, S. Paris, A. A. Brakhage, S. V. Kaveri, L. Romani, J. P. Latge, "Surface hydrophobin prevents immune recognition of airborne fungal spores", Nature 2009, 460, 1117-1121.