Sulphur Cycle

The main focus lies on sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB), as their high ecological and technological importance has both positive and negative implications. On the plus side, SRB that thrive in acidic environments have an essential role in creating milder-conditions micro-niches and can be applied for bioremediation of mine sites. SRB are one of the key microbial players in the mineralisation of organic matter in marine environments. The downside, however, is that SRB are also implicated in the corrosion of metal structures and with inflammatory bowel diseases in the human gut. A deeper knowledge of these bacteria is necessary. A holistic approach is applied combining in-situ studies, and isolation and characterisation of key players using proteogenomics techniques.