Freya Wencker, PhD
Lecturer in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental BiologyAbout
Research
Publications
2025
Evidence that ribosomal protein bS21 is a component of the OLE ribonucleoprotein complex
Wencker F, Lyon S, Breaker R. Evidence that ribosomal protein bS21 is a component of the OLE ribonucleoprotein complex. RNA Biology 2025, 22: 1-14. PMID: 40322971, PMCID: PMC12054373, DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2025.2491842.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOLE RNARNA binding sitesRNP complexesStructured noncoding RNAsBinding sitesExcess Mg2+Unfavourable growth conditionsMutational disruptionEthanol stressGrowth defectK-turnRibonucleoprotein complexBiologically relevant componentsBiochemical functionsCarbon/energy sourceBS21RNAProtein ANoncoding RNAsConformational changesGrowth inhibitionNcRNAsGrowth conditionsRibonucleoproteinBacillota
2024
Improved methods for genetic manipulation of the alkaliphile Halalkalibacterium halodurans
Wencker F, Lyon S, Breaker R. Improved methods for genetic manipulation of the alkaliphile Halalkalibacterium halodurans. Frontiers In Microbiology 2024, 15: 1465811. PMID: 39360312, PMCID: PMC11445130, DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1465811.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDisruption of the bacterial OLE RNP complex impairs growth on alternative carbon sources
Lyon S, Wencker F, Fernando C, Harris K, Breaker R. Disruption of the bacterial OLE RNP complex impairs growth on alternative carbon sources. PNAS Nexus 2024, 3: pgae075. PMID: 38415217, PMCID: PMC10898510, DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae075.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRNP complexesMinimal mediumWild-type cellsAlternative carbon sourcesUnfavorable growth conditionsOLE RNASuppressor selectionDiverse stressesCarbon/energy sourceProtein secretionCarbon sourceGenetic disruptionCellular adaptationNoncoding RNAsFunctional linkRNAGrowth conditionsRibonucleoproteinImpaired growthPhosphate homeostasisFundamental processesHomeostasisShort-chain alcoholsElevated MgCarbon/energy
2023
Evidence that OLE RNA is a component of a major stress‐responsive ribonucleoprotein particle in extremophilic bacteria
Breaker R, Harris K, Lyon S, Wencker F, Fernando C. Evidence that OLE RNA is a component of a major stress‐responsive ribonucleoprotein particle in extremophilic bacteria. Molecular Microbiology 2023, 120: 324-340. PMID: 37469248, DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15129.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOLE RNAPrecise biochemical functionFundamental cellular processesCell growthTOR complexesProtein partnersRibonucleoprotein complexesCellular processesRNP complexesBiochemical functionsGram-positive bacteriaNoncoding RNAsRibonucleoprotein particleExtremophilic bacteriaBacterial speciesGenetic disruptionStress conditionsDiverse pathwaysRNAMetabolic adaptationCell membraneExtreme environmentsCarbon sourceBacteriaComplexes
2022
Farming Practice Influences Antimicrobial Resistance Burden of Non-Aureus Staphylococci in Pig Husbandries
Soundararajan M, Marincola G, Liong O, Marciniak T, Wencker F, Hofmann F, Schollenbruch H, Kobusch I, Linnemann S, Wolf S, Helal M, Semmler T, Walther B, Schoen C, Nyasinga J, Revathi G, Boelhauve M, Ziebuhr W. Farming Practice Influences Antimicrobial Resistance Burden of Non-Aureus Staphylococci in Pig Husbandries. Microorganisms 2022, 11: 31. PMID: 36677324, PMCID: PMC9865537, DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11010031.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNon-aureus staphylococciAntimicrobial resistanceAntimicrobial resistance gene carriageNon-aureus Staphylococcus speciesPhenotypic antimicrobial susceptibilityReservoirs of antimicrobial resistanceAntimicrobial resistance genesAntimicrobial resistance detectionSpread of AMR bacteriaMultidrug-resistant bacteriaGenome sequenceNAS isolatesGenomic dataGene presenceSpecies identityGene carriageUbiquitous bacteriaAMR bacteriaAntimicrobial susceptibilityAntimicrobial resistance burdenFusidic acidGenesHusbandry conditionsBacteriaResistance burden
2021
Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci in Community-Based Healthy Individuals in Germany
Marincola G, Liong O, Schoen C, Abouelfetouh A, Hamdy A, Wencker F, Marciniak T, Becker K, Köck R, Ziebuhr W. Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci in Community-Based Healthy Individuals in Germany. Frontiers In Public Health 2021, 9: 684456. PMID: 34222184, PMCID: PMC8247762, DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.684456.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAntimicrobial resistance profilesCoagulase-negative staphylococciAntimicrobial resistanceRoutine antibiotic susceptibility testingMR-CoNS isolatesPhenotypic antimicrobial resistanceAntimicrobial resistance genesAntibiotic susceptibility testingMultidrug resistanceMultidrug-resistant isolatesAntimicrobial resistance patternsAnimal commensalsCoNS speciesSpecies definitionRDNA sequencesMR-CoNSAMR patternsOpportunistic pathogenSusceptibility testingGene detectionPhenotypic resistanceFusidic acidIsolatesFarm animalsNasal swabsPlasmid-Chromosome Crosstalk in Staphylococcus aureus: A Horizontally Acquired Transcription Regulator Controls Polysaccharide Intercellular Adhesin-Mediated Biofilm Formation
Marincola G, Jaschkowitz G, Kieninger A, Wencker F, Feßler A, Schwarz S, Ziebuhr W. Plasmid-Chromosome Crosstalk in Staphylococcus aureus: A Horizontally Acquired Transcription Regulator Controls Polysaccharide Intercellular Adhesin-Mediated Biofilm Formation. Frontiers In Cellular And Infection Microbiology 2021, 11: 660702. PMID: 33829001, PMCID: PMC8019970, DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.660702.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBiofilm-negative phenotypeBiofilm formationLivestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LAResistance genesEvolution of bacterial pathogensAmino acid sequence levelMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRClonal complex CC398Gene transfer eventsAntimicrobial resistance genesFunctional consequencesStaphylococcus aureus,Plasmid-chromosomeGene clusterLA-MRSAHarboring genesRepressor proteinSequence levelDNA traitsGene copiesRegulatory crosstalkBacterial pathogensPromoter regionStaphylococcus aureusGenesAnother layer of complexity in Staphylococcus aureus methionine biosynthesis control: unusual RNase III-driven T-box riboswitch cleavage determines met operon mRNA stability and decay
Wencker F, Marincola G, Schoenfelder S, Maaß S, Becher D, Ziebuhr W. Another layer of complexity in Staphylococcus aureus methionine biosynthesis control: unusual RNase III-driven T-box riboswitch cleavage determines met operon mRNA stability and decay. Nucleic Acids Research 2021, 49: 2192-2212. PMID: 33450025, PMCID: PMC7913692, DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa1277.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsT-box riboswitchesRNA decayT-boxMRNA stabilityRead-through transcriptionComplex regulatory networkDownstream gene transcriptionRNase IIILeader RNACodY repressionRNase-mediated degradationMethionine biosynthesisTerminal helixEndoribonucleolytic cleavageRegulatory networksMethionyl-tRNASecondary structureGene transcriptionMolecular detailsStaphylococcus aureusRNaseLayer of complexityTranscriptionRNARiboswitch
2019
A non‐coding RNA from the intercellular adhesion (ica) locus of Staphylococcus epidermidis controls polysaccharide intercellular adhesion (PIA)‐mediated biofilm formation
Lerch M, Schoenfelder S, Marincola G, Wencker F, Eckart M, Förstner K, Sharma C, Thormann K, Kucklick M, Engelmann S, Ziebuhr W. A non‐coding RNA from the intercellular adhesion (ica) locus of Staphylococcus epidermidis controls polysaccharide intercellular adhesion (PIA)‐mediated biofilm formation. Molecular Microbiology 2019, 111: 1571-1591. PMID: 30873665, DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14238.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPIA productionS. epidermidisPosttranscriptional controlBiofilm formationS. aureusMid-exponential growthNon-coding (nc)RNAOperon transcriptionOperon regulationNon-coding RNAsMRNA translationBase pairsIntercellular adhesionStaphylococcus epidermidisSalt stressUTRTranscriptionNcRNAsFunctional differencesStaphylococciMRNAIcaADBCNucleotideLociGenesThe Many Facets of the Small Non-coding RNA RsaE (RoxS) in Metabolic Niche Adaptation of Gram-Positive Bacteria
Marincola G, Wencker F, Ziebuhr W. The Many Facets of the Small Non-coding RNA RsaE (RoxS) in Metabolic Niche Adaptation of Gram-Positive Bacteria. Journal Of Molecular Biology 2019, 431: 4684-4698. PMID: 30914292, DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.03.016.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSmall regulatory RNAsMolecular functionsBacterial gene expressionCentral carbon metabolismBiofilm matrix productionComplex regulatory networkMetabolic regulatory circuitsS. epidermidis biofilmsGram-positive bacteriaSpecies-specific differencesBacillales orderNiche diversificationCarbon metabolismRegulatory networksRegulatory circuitsRegulatory RNAsCellular processesBacterial lysisBacillus subtilisBacterial populationsNutrient availabilityStaphylococcus epidermidisMRNA targetsEnvironmental cuesStaphylococcus aureus