Candidatus Amoebophilus asiaticus 5a2
   
   
 

This image (taken by Irina Kolarov, University of Vienna, Austria) shows the rod-shaped Candidatus Amoebophilus asiaticus surrounded by a ribosome-studded membrane inside its Acanthamoeba host. Bar, 1 µm.

Symbiosis is a tremendously creative force in evolution, and bacteria in particular are critical partners with eukaryotes. The processes and interactions underlying and shaping symbiotic associations are, however, still poorly known. This project will make it possible to determine molecular interaction mechanisms between the two investigated Bacteroidetes symbionts and their respective host cells, and to compare these to mechanisms found in other intracellular bacteria. This will ultimately yield novel insights into the evolution of the intracellular lifestyle and the adaptation of bacteria to different eukaryotic hosts.