Doktorarbeit: "Funktionelle Vielfalt anareober Methanoxidierer."
Arbeitsgruppe Mikrobielle Habitate und Abteilung für Molekulare Ökologie,
Max-Planck-Institut für Marine Mikrobiologie, Bremen

Diplomarbeit: "Mikrobielle Lebensgemeinschaften von kalten Methanquellen des Hikurangi Margin (Neuseeland)."
Arbeitsgruppe Mikrobielle Habitate und Abteilung für Molekulare Ökologie,
Max-Planck-Institut für Marine Mikrobiologie, Bremen

Studium der Technischen Biologie, Universität Stuttgart

Studienarbeit: "Metallisierung von Tabakmosaikviren zur Herstellung von Ferrofluiden mit verbesserter Magnetoviskosität".
Abteilung für Molekularbiologie und Pflanzenvirologie, Universität Stuttgart

Forschungsgebiete (nur in englisch)

Microbial communities of marine methane seeps at Hikurangi Margin (New Zealand)

We aim to characterize the microbial community structure of different methane seep sites from recently discovered cold seeps at the Hikurangi Margin, northeast of New Zealand. The sites vary by their seep-associated faunal communities (siboglinid tubeworms or polychaetes), presence of filamentous mat-forming sulfide-oxidizing bacteria on top of the sediments and spatial scale. Using fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH), automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA), and 16S rRNA clone libraries we investigate the influence of spatial scaling, methane flux, methane oxidation rates, and surface population on the microbial diversity at these sites.

Diversity of archaea at AOM (anaerobic oxidation of methane) hotspots

Our questions concerning biodiversity, community shifts and covariation of organisms at AOM hotspots are to be adressed by multivariate statistical analysis of a global 454 pyro-sequencing dataset.

Comparative genomics of anaerobic methane oxidizing archaea (ANME)

We are looking into the genetic potential of several ANME clades to elucidate differences and similarities. The knowledge of genes and pathways could then be used to answer questions about the lifestyle and biogeography of ANME.

Carbon metabolism of AOM consortia

This project aims at investigating the still mysterious carbon metabolism of AOM consortia. It is still unclear which intermediates are taken up and converted into biomass and what role each of the syntrophic partner plays.

Publikationen

Ruff, S. E.; Arnds, J.; Knittel, K.; Amann, R.; Wegener, G.; Ramette, A.; Boetius, A. (2011). "Microbial communities of marine methane seeps at Hikurangi Margin (New Zealand)." in preparation
Wu, Z.; Müller, A.; Degenhard, S.; Ruff, S. E.; Geiger, F.; Bittner, A. M.; Wege, C.; Krill, C. E. (2010). „Enhancing the magnetoviscosity of ferrofluids by the addition of biological nanotubes”. ACS Nano, 4, 4531-4538.
DOI: 10.1021/nn100645e
Wu, Z.; Zierold, R.; Müller, A.; Ruff, S. E.; Ma, C.: Khan, A. A.; Geiger, F.; Sommer, B. A.; Knez, M.; Nielsch, K.; Bittner, A. M.; Wege, C.; Krill, C. E. (2010). „ Preparation and magneto-viscosity of nanotube ferrofluids by viral scaffolding and ALD on porous templates”. Physica Status Solidi B, 247, 2412-2423.
DOI: 10.1002/pssb.201046208