Prof. Dr. Ilka Maria Axmann

Smart, automated and dynamic control of synthetic metabolic pathways in microorganisms is aimed using synthetic RNA-devices and RNA-based metabolite-sensors. Particular focus is placed on the engineering of cyanobacteria as a future host for sustainable biotechnology.

1. Kobler C, Schmelling NM, Wiegard A, Pawlowski A, Pattanayak GK, Spat P, Scheurer NM, Sebastian KN, Stirba FP, Berwanger LC, Kolkhof P, Macek B, Rust MJ, Axmann IM, Wilde A (2024) Two KaiABC systems control circadian oscillations in one cyanobacterium. Nat Commun 15(1):7674. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-51914-5.
2. Germann AT, Nakielski A, Dietsch M, Petzel T, Moser D, Triesch S, Westhoff P, Axmann IM (2023) A systematic overexpression approach reveals native targets to increase squalene production in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Front Plant Sci 14:1024981. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1024981.
3. Barone GD, Cernava T, Ullmann J, Liu J, Lio E, Germann AT, Nakielski A, Russo DA, Chavkin T, Knufmann K, Tripodi F, Coccetti P, Secundo F, Fu P, Pfleger B, Axmann IM, Lindblad P (2023) Recent developments in the production and utilization of photosynthetic microorganisms for food applications. Heliyon 9(4):e14708. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14708.
4. Behle A, Dietsch M, Goldschmidt L, Murugathas W, Berwanger LC, Burmester J, Yao L, Brandt D, Busche T, Kalinowski J, Hudson EP, Ebenhoh O, Axmann IM, Machne R (2022) Manipulation of topoisomerase expression inhibits cell division but not growth and reveals a distinctive promoter structure in Synechocystis. Nucleic Acids Res. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkac1132.
5. Klaus O, Hilgers F, Nakielski A, Hasenklever D, Jaeger KE, Axmann IM, Drepper T (2022) Engineering phototrophic bacteria for the production of terpenoids. Curr Opin Biotechnol 77:102764. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102764.
6. Dietsch M, Behle A, Westhoff P, Axmann IM (2021) Metabolic engineering of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 for the photoproduction of the sesquiterpene valencene. Metab Eng Commun 13:e00178. doi: 10.1016/j.mec.2021.e00178.
7. Behle A, Saake P, Germann AT, Dienst D, Axmann IM (2020) Comparative Dose-Response Analysis of Inducible Promoters in Cyanobacteria. ACS Synth Biol 9(4):843-855. doi: 10.1021/acssynbio.9b00505.
8. Loeschcke A, Dienst D, Wewer V, Hage-Hülsmann J, Dietsch M, Kranz-Finger S, Hüren V, Metzger S, Urlacher VB, Gigolashvili T, Kopriva S, Axmann IM, Drepper T, Jaeger KE (2017) The photosynthetic bacteria Rhodobacter capsulatus and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 as new hosts for cyclic plant triterpene biosynthesis. PLoS One 12(12):e0189816. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189816.
9. Snijder J, Schuller JM, Wiegard A, Lossl P, Schmelling N, Axmann IM, Plitzko JM, Forster F, Heck AJ (2017) Structures of the cyanobacterial circadian oscillator frozen in a fully assembled state. Science 355(6330):1181-1184. doi: 10.1126/science.aag3218.