Science, Engineering and Technology GroupDepartment of Biology

MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

Research profileThe central fundamental research subject in the Laboratoryof Molecular Cell Biology and the VIB Department of Molecular Microbiology is nutrient sensing and signaltransduction in yeasts, including the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and pathogenic Candida yeastsand their role in the control of metabolism, stress resistanceantifungal drug tolerance, biofilms and cell growth.

A major applied research line in the lab is polygenic analysisof complex traits of industrial importance in yeast fermen-tations and use of the results for the development of improved industrial yeast strains for different applications(bioethanol, beer, wine, bakery, platform chemicals). Other applied subjects are concerned with identification ofvirulence factors in pathogenic Candida yeasts, trehalosemetabolism in plants and and identification and character-ization of novel antibiofilm and antifungal compounds.

KeywordsYeast • Saccharomyces cerevisiae • Candida albicans •Candida glabrata • nutrient sensing and signalling • glucose • amino acids • ammonium • phosphate • sulfate • metal ions • reserve carbohydrates • cell growth• virulence factors • biofilms • antifungals • Arabidopsisthaliana • trehalose meta bolism • productivity • yield •bioethanol production • beer brewing • wine production •biofuel • flavour • platform chemicals • stress tolerance •fermentation • ethanol tolerance • lignocellulose substrates• screening tool • host-pathogen interactions • gut nutrientsensing • protein aggregation

Research TopicsFundamental research: nutrient-sensing mechanisms involved in control of the cAMP - protein kinase A pathwayand cellular growth in the model yeast Saccharomycescerevisiae and the pathogenic yeasts Candida albicansand Candida glabrata• nutrient sensors for sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose),

amino acids, ammonium, phosphate, sulfate and metal ions• signalling pathways triggered by these sensors

for activation of protein kinase A and other majorcellular signalling pathways

• downstream events linking protein kinase A to itscellular targets

• connection between the nutrient sensors, their signallingpathways and the control of cell growth Characterizationof the molecular mechanisms leading to tolerance andresistance against antifungal drugs

• To use the moss Physcomitrella patens to investigatethe role of trehalose metabolism in plants

ContactDepartment of BiologyMolecular Microbiology and BiotechnologyKasteelpark Arenberg 31 box 24383001 LEUVEN, Belgiumbio.kuleuven.be/mcb/patrick.vandijck@mmbio.vib-kuleuven.be

KU Leuven. Inspiring the outstanding.

Applied research and industrial valorisation: • development of improved industrial yeast strains

(bioethanol production with first and secondgeneration substrates, bakery, brewing, wineproduction, biorefineries for platform chemicals)

• polygenic analysis of complex traits with industrialimportance in yeast

• identification of antifungal targets in the pathogenicyeasts Candida albicans and Candida glabrata

• plant trehalose metabolism for improvement of stressresistance, yield and productivity in crop plants

• use of yeast as a tool for studying mammalianproteins with medical interest (Parkinson’s Disease,Alzheimer’s Disease, peripheral neuropathies,diabetes). Use of in vivo biofilm model systems to identify novel antifungals

Unique infrastructure• Confocal microscope• Nanotool technology (capillary isoelectric focusing

with immunoblotting)• medium throughput mini yeast fermentation system• extensive yeast and Candida strain collections• plant growth chambers• small animal facility

Collaboration and usersAB InBev (Leuven), Cargill (Vilvoorde), Janssen Pharma -ceutica (Beerse), AB Mauri (Sydney), Mark Anthony Group(Vancouver), Fermentec (Piracicaba), Lesaffre (Lille),Petrobras (Rio de Janeiro), Chemtex (Crescentino), Dyadic(Wageningen), Bioenercel (Valparaiso), Praj Industries(Pune), Pfizer

University of Milan, Linnaeus University, Lund University,CBS Utrecht, Stellenbosch University, Universiteit SantaCatarina Florianopolis, Manchester University, FrankfurtUniversity, University of Milano, University of Ljubljana, VTT (Espoo), Hans Knoll Institute Jena, Institut Pasteur,Aberdeen Fungal Group, Vienna Biocenter, Louvain-LaNeuve, University of Maryland, Federal University of Ouro Preto