OUR LAB
Bacterial gene control is a dynamic process involving the interplay of various regulatory factors. We are interested to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying gene expression control in microbial pathogens focussing on the role of regulatory RNAs. Further, we are interested in studying the regulatory players involved in microbial communication processes (e.g. Quorum Sensing) and how these shape complex behaviors such as biofilm formation and dispersal. The Papenfort laboratory was previously located at the LMU in Munich (Germany) and has moved to the University of Jena (Germany) in Fall 2019.
RESEARCH
Click on the icons to learn more about the individual research foci.
RNA BIOLOGY OF
BACTERIAL PATHOGENS
SYSTEMS BIOLOGY OF
BACTERIAL SMALL RNAS
SYNTHETIC
RNA REGULATORS
Regulatory principles of small RNAs in bacterial pathogens, such as Vibrio cholerae
Artificial RNA regulators
for specific tasks
in bacteria
Influence of regulatory RNAs on heterogenous gene expression in bacteria
BACTERIAL
COMMUNICATION
REGULATORY RNAS AND RNA
BINDING PROTEINS
Molecular mechanisms of quorum sensing in
Vibrio cholerae
Interplay of regulatory RNAs and RNA binding
proteins in gene regulation
PUBLICATIONS
A complete list of publications can be found on NCBI:
TEAM
JOBS
POSTDOC AND PHD OPPORTUNITIES
We are currently looking for motivated Postocs and PhD students to join our team.
If you are interested, please send your application (including a motivation letter, CV, and a list of publications) to Prof. Dr. Kai Papenfort at kai.papenfort@uni-jena.de
NEWS
Our consolidator grant proposal "ArtRNA" has been positively evaluated by ERC.
Looking forward to 5 more years of RNA science.
We discovered an RNA sponge that controls quorum sensing and hundreds of new RNA-RNA interactions in Vibrio cholerae.
The best of two worlds: regulatory RNAs and small proteins… check out our newest publication on the VcdRP dual function regulator in V. cholerae.
Just published in Nature Communications: our new works shows how a regulatory RNA can modulate cell shape and biofilm formation in Vibrio cholerae.
Our work on regulatory RNAs in entomopathogenic bacteria is now online at Nature Microbiology. Great collaboration with the Bode lab at the University of Frankfurt.
New work is now out in eLIFE. We discovered a new concept in bacterial gene regulation in which small regulatory RNAs can serve as autoregulatory elements.
Our newest work on regulatory RNAs and Hfq in Vibrio cholerae is now online at PNAS.
Kai was selected as one of five 2019 Vallee Scholars.
Check out our new paper on microbial small RNAs in The EMBO Journal. Our work shows that the small RNAs MicV and VrrA act as global regulators in the envelope stress response of Vibrio cholerae and provide evidence that bacterial sRNAs can be functionally annotated by their seed-pairing sequences.
CONTACT
PAPENFORT LAB
Friedrich Schiller University of Jena
Institute of Microbiology
Chair of General Microbiology
BIZ, M1E3
Winzerlaer Straße 2, 07745 Jena
GERMANY
PROF. DR. KAI PAPENFORT
University Professor
+49 (0)3641 / 949311 (Phone)
+49 (0)3641 / 949312 (Fax)