In the BMFTR MultiKulti project, a versatile cultivation system was built and tested for previously uncultivated microorganisms from hard-to-reach locations. Online systems were used to monitor microbial growth
With a total number of approximately 1030, archaea and bacteria are the most prominent life forms on Earth. However, only about 10.000 of the estimated four million microbial species have been cultivated and are available as a pure culture today.
In the MultiKulti project, biologists and engineers worked together to create a cultivation system that can be used to keep previously uncultivable microorganisms from aquatic habitats alive and reproduce them in the laboratory.
As part of the project, online measuring devices for ATP, cell counting, and general enzyme activity were successfully compared, validated, established, and tested for monitoring microbial activity and bacterial reproduction in cultivation approaches and in the bioreactor.
The investigation of various samples of drinking water, groundwater, and surface water led to the enrichment and isolation of new oligotrophic bacteria and various manganese-oxidizing bacteria. Previously unknown species were isolated and already known species were newly described as manganese-oxidizing bacteria that are relevant for water supply practices.
The bioreactor built as part of the project can be used in the future for the enrichment and cultivation of new microorganisms that are ecologically important, scientifically interesting, or biotechnologically relevant.
Publications
Leister, C., Hügler, M. (2022) Genome Analysis of Enterobacter asburiae and Lelliottia spp. Proliferating in Oligotrophic Drinking Water Reservoirs and Lakes. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 88(14), e00471-22
Leister, C., Hügler, M. (2022) Draft Genome Sequences of Buttiauxella spp. Isolates from Water and Gastropods with Putative β-d-Glucuronidase Activity. Microbiology Resource Announcements, 11(3), e00064-22
Simon, S.A.; Aschmann, V.; Behrendt, A.; Hügler, M.; Engl, L.M.; Pohlner, M.; Rolfes, S.; Brinkhoff, T; Engelen, B.; Könneke, M.; Rodriguez-R, L.M.; Bornemann, T.L.V.; Nuy, J.K.; Rothe, L.; Stach, T.L.; Beblo-Vranesevic, K.; Leuko, S.; Runzheimer, K.; Möller, R.; Conrady, M.; Huth, M.; Trabold, T.; Herkendell, K.; Probst, A.J.: (2025) Earth's most needed uncultivated aquatic prokaryotes. Water Research 273, 122928
Simon, S.A.; Soares, A.R.; Bornemann, T.L.V.; Lange, A.; Griesdorn, L.; Fuentes, A.; M. Dieckmann, M.; Krok, B.A.; Ruff, S.E.; Hügler, M.; Moraru, C.; Probst, A.J.: (2025) Inferring replication states of bacteria and viruses in enrichment cultures via long-read sequencing. ISME Communications, 2025, 5(1), ycaf041
Hügler, M.; Gawriltschuk, G.; Packroff, G.: (2025) Einsatz mikrobiologischer Online-Analysesysteme in der Wasserpraxis. gwf Wasser - Abwasser 2025(10):75-82
