Publications by Melanie Blokesch

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Natural competence for transformation is a primary mode of horizontal gene transfer. Competent bacteria are able to absorb free DNA from their surroundings and exchange this DNA against pieces of their own genome when sufficiently homologous. However, the ...

While most molecular biologists are familiar with the artificial transformation of bacteria in the context of laboratory cloning experiments, natural competence for transformation refers to a specific physiological state in which prokaryotes are able to ta ...

Our understanding of the factors underlying the evolutionary success of different lineages of pandemic Vibrio cholerae remains incomplete. The West African–South American (WASA) lineage of V. cholerae, responsible for the 1991–2001 Latin American cholera e ...

Horizontal gene transfer can trigger rapid shifts in bacterial evolution. Driven by a variety of mobile genetic elements—in particular bacteriophages and plasmids—the ability to share genes within and across species underpins the exceptional adaptability o ...

Although it is a human pathogen, Vibrio cholerae is a regular member of aquatic habitats, such as coastal regions and estuaries. Within these environments, V. cholerae often takes advantage of the abundance of zooplankton and their chitinous molts as a nut ...

The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a sophisticated, contact-dependent nanomachine involved in interbacterial competition. To function effectively, the T6SS must penetrate the membranes of both attacker and target bacteria. Structures associated with th ...

Over the last few decades humanity has experienced a series of tremendous technological advances, especially in the realm of basic science. A plethora of new approaches has allowed us to appreciate life in previously unimaginable detail, prompting the real ...

Natural competence enables bacteria to take up exogenous DNA. The evolutionary function of natural competence remains controversial, as imported DNA can act as a source of substrates or can be integrated into the genome. Exogenous homologous DNA can also b ...

Natural competence for transformation is a developmental program that allows certain bacteria to take up free extracellular DNA from the environment and integrate this DNA into their genome. Thereby, natural transformation acts as mode of horizontal gene t ...

Since its isolation by Esther Lederberg, phage lambda and its repressor protein CI have contributed substantially to the advancement of molecular biology. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Silpe et al. (2020) characterize the antirepressor Qtip of Vibr ...

Seventh pandemic Vibrio cholerae strains contain two pathogenicity islands that encode the DNA defense modules DdmABC and DdmDE. Here we use cryogenic electron microscopy to reveal the mechanistic basis for plasmid defense by DdmDE. A structure of the DdmD ...

Vibrio cholerae has caused seven cholera pandemics in the past two centuries. The seventh and ongoing pandemic has been particularly severe on the African continent. Here, we report long read-based genome sequences of six V. cholerae strains isolated in th ...

Natural competence for transformation is a common mode of horizontal gene transfer and contributes to bacterial evolution. Transformation occurs through the uptake of external DNA and its integration into the genome. Here, we show that the type VI secretio ...

Melanie Blokesch

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Neighbor predation linked to natural competence fosters the transfer of large genomic regions in Vibrio cholerae

Natural competence for transformation

West African–South American pandemic Vibrio cholerae encodes multiple distinct phage defence systems

Two defence systems eliminate plasmids from seventh pandemic Vibrio cholerae

Quorum Sensing Contributes to Natural Transformation of Vibrio cholerae in a Species-Specific Manner

Capsular polysaccharide restrains type VI secretion in Acinetobacter baumannii

Bacterial type VI secretion system facilitates niche domination

Interbacterial predation as a strategy for DNA acquisition in naturally competent bacteria

Composition of the DNA-uptake complex of Vibrio cholerae

Growing away from monocultures – interdependent growth conditions for studying antibacterial and antiphage systems

A Vibriophage Takes Antirepression to the Next Level

Molecular mechanism of plasmid elimination by the DdmDE defense system

A transmission model of the 2010 cholera epidemic in haiti

Genome sequences of Vibrio cholerae strains isolated in the DRC between 2009 and 2012

The type VI secretion system of Vibrio cholerae fosters horizontal gene transfer