10.09.2019

First model draft of Moraxella catarrhalis BBH18

As a result of her research project, Pia Rautenstrauch introduces a new model.

The aerobic Gram-negative bacterium M. catarrhalis causes a large number of respiratory tract infections and was discovered as early as 1896. The spread of antibiotic resistance makes treatment increasingly difficult. Moreover, it has not yet been possible to develop an effective vaccine against this pathogen. New promising therapeutic approaches could be identified by computer simulation. For this purpose, a genome-scale metabolic model for M. catarrhalis is required. As part of her research project, Pia Rautenstrauch succeeded for the first time in designing such a model specifically for M. catarrhalis strain BBH18. This represents the first step towards a comprehensive model of the human nasal microbiome.