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Faculty of Mathematics and Natural SciencesInstitute for Biological Physics

Publications

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  • Gross, R.*, Mungan, M.*, Das, S.G., Yüksel, M., Maier, B., Bollenbach, T., Krug, J.*, de Visser, J.A.G.M.*, Collective β-lactam resistance in Escherichia coli due to β-lactamase release upon cell death, bioRxiv (2024)

  • Grabeck, J., Mayer, J., Miltz, A., Casoria, M., Quagliata, M., Meinberger, D., Klatt, A.R., Wielert, I., Maier, B., Papini, A.M., Neundorf, I., Triazole-Bridged Peptides with Enhanced Antimicrobial Activity and Potency against Pathogenic Bacteria, ACS Infect. Dis. (2024)

  • Hennes, M., Maier, B., Unerwartete räumlich-zeitliche Muster des bakteriellen Membranpotenzials, Biospektrum, 2 (2024)

  • Wielert, I.*. Kraus-Römer, S.*, Volkmann, T.E., Craig, L., Higgins, P.G., Maier, B., Antigenic variation impacts gonococcal lifestyle by modulating interbacterial forces, bioRxiv (2023)

  • Förster, M.*, Rathmann, I.*, Yüksel, M., Power, J.J., Maier, B., Genome-wide transformation reveals extensive exchange across closely related Bacillus species, Nucleic Acids Res. (2023)

  • Rathmann, I.*, Förster, M.*, Yüksel, M., Horst, L., Petrungaro, G., Bollenbach, T., Maier, B., Distribution of fitness effects of cross-species transformation reveals potential for fast adaptive evolution, ISME J. 17(1), 130 (2023)

  • Hennes, M., Bender, N., Cronenberg, T., Welker, A., Maier, B., Collective polarization dynamics in bacterial colonies signify the occurrence of distinct subpopulations, PLOS Biol. 21(1), e3001960 (2023)

  • Zhou, K., Hennes, M., Maier, B., Gompper, G., Sabass, B., Non-equilibrium dynamics of bacterial colonies — growth, active fluctuations, segregation, adhesion, and invasion, Commun. Phys., 5(1), 1 (2022)

  • Bender, N., Hennes, M., Maier B., Mobility of extracellular DNA within gonococcal colonies, Biofilm, 4, 100078 (2022)

  • Kraus-Römer, S.*, Wielert, I.*, Rathmann, I., Grossbach, J., Maier, B., External stresses affect gonococcal type 4 pilus dynamics, Front. Microbiol., 13, 839711 (2022)

  • Hennes, M., Cronenberg, T., Maier, B., Caging dynamics in bacterial colonies, Phys. Rev. Res., 4, 013187 (2022)

  • Welker, A.*, Hennes, M,*, Bender, N., Cronenberg, T., Schneider, G., Maier, B., Spatiotemporal dynamics of growth and death within spherical bacterial colonies, Biophys. J., 120(16), 3418 (2021)

  • Power, J.J.*, Pinheiro, F.*, Pompei, S.*, Kovacova, V., Yüksel, M., Rathmann, I., Förster, M., Lässig, M.*, Maier, B.*, Adaptive evolution of hybrid bacteria by horizontal gene transfer, PNAS, 118(10), e2007873118 (2021) and bioRxiv/2020/057174

  • Cronenberg, T.*, Hennes, M.*, Wielert, I., Maier, B., Antibiotics modulate attractive interactions in bacterial colonies affecting survivability under combined treatment, PLoS Pathog., 17(2), e1009251 (2021)

  • Maier, B., How Physical Interactions Shape Bacterial Biofilms, Annu. Rev. Biophys., 50, 401 (2021)

  • Drexelius, M., Reinhardt, A., Grabeck, J., Cronenberg, T., Nitsche, F., Huesgen, P., Maier, B., Neundorf, I., Multistep optimization of a cell-penetrating peptide towards its antimicrobial activity, Biochem. J., 15;478(1), 63 (2021)

  • Craig, L.*, Forest, K.T.*, Maier, B.*, Type IV pili: dynamics, biophysics and functional consequences, Nat. Rev. Microbiol., 17(7), 429 (2019)

  • Zöllner, R.*, Cronenberg, T.*, Maier, B., Motor properties of PilT-independent type 4 pilus retraction in gonococci, J. Bacteriol., 201(18), e00778 (2019)

  • Zöllner, R.*, Cronenberg, T.*, Kouzel, N., Welker, A., Koomey, M., Maier, B., Type IV pilin post-translational modifications modulate materials properties of bacterial colonies, Biophys. J., 116(5), 938 (2019)

  • Welker, A.*, Cronenberg, T.*, Zöllner, R.*, Meel, C., Siewering, K., Bender, N., Hennes, M., Oldewurtel, E.R., Maier, B., Molecular motors govern liquidlike ordering and fusion dynamics of bacterial colonies, Phys. Rev. Lett., 121, 118102 (2018)

  • Maier, B., Bacterial biofilms - Physical determinants of microbial architecture, Lecture Notes Physics of Life, 49th IFF Spring School, 158, ISBN 978-3-95806-286-3 (2018)

  • Zöllner, R.*, Oldewurtel, E.R.*, Kouzel, N, Maier, B., Phase and antigenic variation govern competition dynamics through positioning in bacterial colonies, Sci. Rep. , 12151 (2017)

  • Hepp, C., Maier, B., Bacterial translocation ratchets: Shared physical principles with different molecular implementations, Bioessays, 39 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201700099 (2017)

  • Ribbe, J., Baker, A.E., Euler, S., O'Toole, G.A., Maier, B, The role of cyclic di-GMP and exopolysaccharides in type IV pilus dynamics, J. Bacteriol. 199(8), e00859 (2017)

  • Maier, B. Competence and transformation, Bacillus: Cellular and Molecular Biology, ed. Peter Graumann, 3rd edition, Caister University Press, 395 (2017) and Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. (2020)

  • Hepp, C., Maier, B., Kinetics of DNA uptake during transformation provide evidence for translocation a ratchet mechanism, PNAS, 113(44), 12467 (2016)

  • Brenzinger S., Dewenter L., Delalez N.J., Leicht O., Berndt V., Paulick, A., Berry R.M., Thanbichler M., Armitage J.P., Maier B., Thormann K.M., Mutations targeting the plug-domain of the Shewanella oneidensis proton-driven stator allow swimming at increased viscosity and under anaerobic conditions, Mol. Microbiol., 102(5), 925 (2016)

  • Hepp, C., Gangel, H., Henseler, K., Günther, N., Maier, B., Single-stranded DNA uptake during gonococcal transformation, J. Bacteriol., 198(18):2515-23 (2016)

  • Yüksel, M., Power, J.J., Ribbe, J., Volkmann, T., Maier, B., Fitness trade-offs in competence differentiation of Bacillus subtilis, Front. Microbiol., 7, 888 (2016)

  • Ribbe, J., Maier, B., Density-dependent differentiation of bacteria in spatially structured open systems, Biophys. J., 110(7), 1648 (2016)

  • Oldewurtel, E.R., Kouzel, N., Dewenter, L., Henseler, K., Maier, B., Differential interaction forces govern cell sorting in early biofilms, eLife;10.7554/eLife.10811 (2015)

  • Maier, B., Wong, G.C.L., How bacteria use type IV pilus machinery on surfaces, Trends Microbiol., 23(12), 775 (2015)

  • Kouzel, N., Oldewurtel, E.R., Maier, B., Gene transfer efficiency in gonococcal biofilms: role of biofilm age, architecture, and pilin antigenic variation, J. Bacteriol., 197(14), 2422 (2015)

  • Dewenter, L., Volkmann, T.E., Maier, B., Oxygen governs gonococcal microcolony stability by enhancing the interaction force between type IV pili, Integr. Biol., DOI: 10.1039/c5ib00018a (2015)

  • Marathe, R.*, Meel, C.*, Schmidt, N. C. , Dewenter, L., Kurre, R. , Greune, L.,  Schmidt, M.A., Müller, M. J. I., Lipowsky, R., Maier, B.*, Klumpp, S.*, Bacterial twitching motility is coordinated by a two-dimensional tug-of-war with directional memory, Nature Commun., 5, 3750 (2014)

  • Gangel, H.*, Hepp, C.*, Müller, S.*, Oldewurtel, E.R., Aas, F.E., Koomey, M., Maier, B. Concerted spatio-temporal dynamics of imported DNA and ComE DNA uptake protein during gonococcal transformation, PLoS Pathog., 10(4), e1004043 (2014)

  • Andersen, M.T., Dewenter, L., Maier, B., Seifert, H.S., Seminal plasma initiates a Neisseria gonorrhoeae transmission state, mBio 5(2), e01004-13 (2014)

  • Kurre, R., Kouzel, N., Ramakrishnan, K., Oldewurtel, E.R., Maier, B. Speed switching of gonococcal surface motility correlates with proton motive force, PLoS ONE, 8(6), e67718 (2013)

  • Maier, B. The type IV pilus system - a tunable molecular motor, Soft Matter, 9, 5667 - 5671 (2013)

  • Kurre, R., Höne, A., Clausen, M., Meel, C., Maier, B. PilT2 enhances the speed of gonoccoal type IV pilus retraction and of twitching motility, Mol. Microbiol. 86(4), 857 (2012)

  • Maier, B. Wie Gene wandern, Physik Journal, 11(10), 33 (2012)

  • Kurre, R., Maier, B. Oxygen Depletion Triggers Switching between Discrete Speed Modes of Gonococcal Type IV Pili, Biophys. J., 102(11), 2556 (2012)

  • Meel, C., Kouzel, N., Oldewurtel, E.R., Maier, B. Three-Dimensional Obstacles for Bacterial Surface Motility, Small, 8(4), 530 (2012)

  • Allemand, J.-F., Maier, B., Smith, D.E. Molecular motors for DNA translocation in procaryotes, Curr. Opin. Biotechnol., 23(4), 503 (2012)

  • Maier, B. Competence and transformation, Bacillus: Cellular and Molecular Biology, ed. Peter Graumann, 2nd edition, Caister University Press, 377 (2012)

  • Opitz, D., Maier, B. Rapid cytoskeletal response ot epithelial cells to force generation by type IV pili. PLoS One 6(2), e17088 (2011)

  • Stingl, K.*, Müller, S.*, Scheidgen-Kleyboldt, G., Clausen, M., Maier, B. Composite system mediates two-step DNA uptake into Helicobacter pylori. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 107(3), 1184-1189 (2010)

  • Holz, C., Opitz, D., Greune, L., Kurre, R., Koomey, M., Schmidt, M.A., Maier, B. Multiple pilus motors cooperate for persistent bacterial movement in two dimensions. Phys. Rev. Lett. 104(17), 178104 (2010)

  • Maier, B. Stochastische Differenzierung als bakterielle Überlebensstrategie. Biospektrum 2/2010 

  • Hörner, F., Woerdemann, M., Müller, S., Maier, B., Denz, D. Full 3D translational and rotational optical control of multiple rod-shaped bacteria. J. Biophoton. 3(7), 468-475 (2010) 

  • Holz, C., Opitz, D., Mehlich, J.,  Ravoo, B.J., Maier, B. Bacterial motility and clustering guided by microcontact printing. Nano Lett. 9(12), 4553-4557 (2009)

  • Bulyha, I., Schmidt, C., Lenz, P., Jakovljevic, V., Höne, A., Maier, B., Hoppert , M., Søgaard-Andersen, L. Regulation of the type IV pili molecular machine by dynamic localization of two motor proteins. Mol. Microbiol. 74(3), 691-706 (2009)

  • Strassert, C.A., Otter, M., Albuquerque, R.Q., Höne, A., Vida, Y., Maier, B., De Cola, L.  Photoactive Hybrid Nanomaterial for Targeting, Labeling, and Killing Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 48(42), 7928-7931 (2009)

  • Clausen, M., Jakovljevic, V., Søgaard-Andersen, L., Maier, B. High force generation is a conserved property of type IV pilus systems. J. Bacteriol. 191(14), 4633-4638 (2009)

  • Salomonsson, E., Forsberg, A., Roos, N., Holz, C., Maier, B., Koomey, M., Winther-Larsen, H.C., Functional analyses of pilin-like proteins from Francisella species: complementation of Type IV pilus phenotypes in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Microbiology 155, 2546-2559 (2009)

  • Opitz, D., Clausen, M., Maier, B. Dynamics of gonococcal type IV pili during infection. ChemPhysChem 10(9), 1614-1618 (2009)

  • Allemand, J.-F., Maier, B. Bacterial translocation motors investigated by single molecule techniques, FEMS Mircobiol. Rev. 33(3), 593-610 (2009)

  • Kahl, V., Hennig, M., Maier, B., Rädler J.O. Conformational Dynamics of DNA-Electrophoresis on Cationic Membranes, Electrophoresis 30(8), 1276-1281 (2009)

  • Clausen, M., Koomey, M., Maier, B. Dynamics of type IV pili is controlled by switching between multiple states. Biophys. J. 96(3), 1169-1177 (2009)

  • Leisner, M., Kuhr, J.-T., Rädler, J.O., Frey, E., Maier, B. Kinetics of genetic switching into the state of bacterial competence. Biophys. J. 96(3), 1178-1188 (2009)

  • Leisner, M., Stingl, K., Frey, E., Maier, B. Stochastic switching to competence. Curr. Opin. Microbiol. 11(6), 553-559 (2008)

  • Winther-Larsen, H.C., Wolfgang, M.C., van Putten, J.P.M., Roos, N., Aas, F.E., Egge-Jacobsen, W.M., Maier, B., Koomey, M. Pseudomonas aeruginosa Type IV Pilus Expression in Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Effects of Pilin Subunit Composition on Function and Organelle Dynamics. J. Bacteriol. 189(18), 6676-6685 (2007)

  • Leisner, M., Stingl, K., Rädler, J.O. and Maier, B. Basal expression rate of comK sets a ‘switching-window’ into the K-state of Bacillus subtilis. Mol. Microbiol. 63(6), 1806-1816 (2007)

  • Maier, B. Manipulation of single molecules in living bacteria. Microbe 1(7), 330-336 (2006)

  • Hahn, J., Maier, B., Haijema, B.J., Sheetz, M.P., Dubnau, D. Transformation proteins and DNA uptake localize to the cell poles in Bacillus subtilis. Cell 122(1), 59-71 (2005)

  • Maier, B. Using laser tweezers to measure twitching motility. Curr. Opin. Microbiol. 8(3), 1-6 (2005)

  • Maier, B., Chen, I., Dubnau, D., and Sheetz, M.P. DNA transport into Bacillus subtilis requires a proton motive force to generate large molecular forces. Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. 11(7), 643-649 (2004)

  • Maier, B., Koomey, M., and Sheetz, M.P. A force-dependent switch reverses type IV pilus retraction. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 101(30), 10961-10966 (2004) 

  • Maier, B., Potter, L., So, M., Long, C.D., Seifert, H.S., Sheetz, M.P. Single pilus motor forces exceed 100pN. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99(25), 16012-16017 (2002)

  • Dessignes, M.N., Maier, B., Zhang, Y., Peliti, M., Bensimon, D., Croquette, V. Stretching Single Stranded DNA, a Model Polyelectrolyte. Phys. Rev. Lett. 89(24), 248102 (2002)

  • Maier, B., Seifert, U., Rädler, J.O. Elastic response of DNA to external electric fields in two dimensions. Europhys. Lett. 60(4), 622-628 (2002) 

  • Maier, B., Rädler, J.O. Shape of self-avoiding walks in two dimensions. Macromolecules 34(16), 5723-5724 (2001) 

  • Maier, B., Bensimon, D., Croquette, V. Replication by a single DNA polymerase of a single stretched DNA. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97(22), 12002-12007 (2000)

  • Maier, B., Rädler, J.O. DNA on Fluid Membranes: A Model Polymer in Two Dimensions. Macromolecules 33(19), (2000)

  • Maier, B., Strick, T., Croquette, V., Bensimon, D. Study of DNA Motors by Single Molecule Micromanipulation. Single Molecules 1(2), 145-151 (2000)

  • Maier, B., Rädler, J.O. Conformation and Self-Diffusion of Single DNA Molecules Confined to Two Dimensions. Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 1911-1914 (1999)

  • Allemand, J.F., Bensimon, D., Croquette, V., Lavaray, R., Maier, B., Strick, T. The molecular jokari. Biofutur 190, 26-27 (1999) 

  • Galneder, R., Kahl, V., Nissen, J., Rädler, J.O., Zantl, R., Maier, B. and Hohner, A. Method and device for the electrophoretic separation of particles, especially of macromolecules. WO0107150, PCT/EP0007206 (1999)

* equal contribution or co-corresponding