Publications
22 research articles and 5 reviews/previews, plus 3 preprints. PF Popp in bold; current lab members dotted; * equal contribution; # corresponding author.
Highlights
Nature 2025Structure and mechanism of the Zorya anti-phage defence systemZorAB is a 5:2 proton-driven rotary motor with a ~70 nm cytoplasmic tail that recruits nuclease effectors after phage sensing.Hu, Popp et al.
Cell Reports 2026A compact Druantia defense clears phage infections via ssDNA recognition and directional duplex unwindingDruantia recognizes phage ssDNA and drives directional duplex unwinding to clear the infection in a compact anti-phage system.Himpich et al.
bioRxiv 2026BactoMate: an integrated platform for reproducible bacterial microscopy analysisAn end-to-end toolkit for conversion, segmentation, tracking, lineage QC and reporting of bacterial microscopy datasets.Hallenga et al.
PNAS 2025Optimization of bacterial flagellum growth for efficient motility and energy consumptionA critical filament-length threshold balances swimming performance against the energetic cost of building the flagellum.Halte et al.
Nature Communications 2023Ion selectivity and rotor coupling of the Vibrio flagellar sodium-driven stator unitCryo-EM reveals how the sodium-driven MotPS stator selects ions and couples rotation to the flagellar rotor.Hu et al.
J. Biol. Eng. 2024Fluorescent tools for the standardized work in Gram-negative bacteriaA practical fluorescent toolkit for reproducible imaging and genetic work across Gram-negative bacteria.Delgadillo-Guevara et al.
2026
- The cost-benefit trade-off of peritrichous flagellation in bacteria.MJ Giralt-Zuniga, M Jahn, JL Franklin, K Alagesan, F Kondrot, E Kaganovitch, L Hallenga, S Derado, KT Hughes, PF Popp, E Charpentier, YS Dufour, M Erhardt.
- BactoMate: an integrated platform for reproducible bacterial microscopy analysis.L Hallenga, S Fornoff, M Pesch, D Kohlheyer, S Ahmad, J Hör, M Erhardt, PF Popp#.
- A compact Druantia defense clears phage infections via single-stranded DNA recognition and directional duplex unwinding.S Himpich, T Gaudin, LM Grass, H Li, VV Loi, C Chen, E Klauck, PF Popp, B Kuropka, T Hilal, B Loll, M Erhardt, H Antelmann, C Beisel, MC Wahl.
- Molecular basis of the Druantia anti-phage defense system.H Hu#, PF Popp#, NR Rutbeek, V Klein-Sousa, B Lopez-Mendez, A Roa-Eguiara, D Piel, TH Pape, NH Sofos, IA Hendriks, JV Olsen, I Songailiene, A Harms, M Erhardt, NMI Taylor#.
2025
- Building the bacterial flagellum: coordinating regulation, dynamic assembly and function.R Einenkel, M Halte, S Sawant, M Erhardt#, N Wadhwa#, PF Popp#.
- Bacterial conjugation restructures biofilms, increasing resilience while constraining dispersal.J Winans, M Delgadillo-Guevara, PF Popp, M Erhardt, C Nadell.
- A novel signal peptide toolbox for optimized heterologous expression of yeast pheromones in Bacillus subtilis.T Vološen, HM Deda, A Walther, PF Popp, T Mascher, D Wolf.
- Optimization of bacterial flagellum growth for efficient motility and energy consumption is dictated by a critical filament length threshold.M Halte, PF Popp, J Severn, D Hathcock, C Goosmann, S Hüsing, A Ducret, E Charpentier, Y Tu, E Lauga, M Erhardt, and TT Renault.
- ProQ-associated small RNAs control motility in Vibrio cholerae.R Ghandour, D Devlitsarov, PF Popp, S Melamed, M Huber, M Siemers, T Krüger, O Kniemeyer, A Klingl, A Brakhage, M Erhardt, and K Papenfort.
- Structure and mechanism of Zorya anti-bacteriophage defence system.H Hu*, PF Popp*, TCD Hughes, A Roa-Eguiara, NR Rutbeek, FJO Martin, IA Hendriks, LJ Payne, Y Yan, D Humolli, V Klein de Sousa, I Songailiene, Y Wang, M Lund Nielsen, RM Berry, A Harms, M Erhardt, SA Jackson, and NMI Taylor.
2024
- Fluorescent tools for the standardized work in Gram-negative bacteria.M Delgadillo-Guevara, M Halte, M Erhardt, PF Popp#.
2023
- Ion selectivity and rotor coupling of the Vibrio flagellar sodium-driven stator unit.H Hu, PF Popp, M Santiveri, A Roa-Eguiara, Y Yan, FJO Martin, Z Liu, N Wadhwa, Y Wang, M Erhardt, and NMI Taylor.
- The novel synthetic antibiotic BDTL049 based on a dendritic system induces lipid domain formation while escaping the cell envelope stress resistance determinants.PF Popp, T Lozana-Cruz, F Dürr, A Londaitsbehere, J Hartig, F Javier de la Mata, T Mascher, and A Revilla-Guarinos.
2022
- A guide for membrane potential measurements in Gram-negative bacteria using voltage-sensitive dyes.JA Buttress, M Halte, JDT Winkel, M Erhardt, PF Popp#, and H Strahl#.
- Phyletic distribution and diversification of the phage shock protein stress response system in bacteria and archaea.PF Popp, VM Gumerov, EP Andrianova, L Bewersdorf, T Mascher, IB Zhulin, and D Wolf.
- Synthesis and mechanism-of-action of a novel synthetic antibiotic based on a dendritic system with bow-tie topology.A Revilla-Guarinos*, PF Popp*, F Dürr, T Lozano-Cruz, J Hartig, FJ de la Mata, R Gómez, and T Mascher.
- Supercoiled filaments propel them all.PF Popp and M Erhardt.Cell (2022) · DOI
2021
- The epipeptide biosynthesis locus epeXEPAB is widely distributed in Firmicutes and triggers intrinsic cell envelope stress.PF Popp, L Friebel, A Benjdia, A Guillot, O Berteau, and T Mascher.
- Characterization and mode of action analysis of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larva derived hemocytes.YM Bredow, A Müller, PF Popp, D Iliasov, and C Bredow.
- With or without you: Crosstalk between cell division and flagellum assembly.PF Popp and M Erhardt.Developmental Cell (2021) · DOI
2020
- Silver (I) N-Heterocyclic Carbenes Carbosilane dendritic systems and their Imidazolium-Terminated analogues as antibacterial agents: Study of their mode of action.T Rodríguez-Prieto, PF Popp, JL Copa-Patino, FJ de la Mata, J Cano, T Mascher, and R Gómez.
- Development of a novel heterologous β-lactam-specific whole-cell biosensor in Bacillus subtilis.N Lautenschläger, PF Popp, and T Mascher.
- Amphotericin B specifically induces the two-component system LnrJK: Development of a novel whole-cell biosensor for the detection of amphotericin-like polyenes.A Revilla-Guarinos, F Dürr, PF Popp, M Döring, and T Mascher.
- The epipeptide YydF intrinsically triggers the cell envelope stress response of Bacillus subtilis and causes severe membrane perturbations.PF Popp, A Benjdia, H Strahl, O Berteau, and T Mascher.
2019
- Genetically engineered bacterial biohybrid microswimmers for sensing applications.Z Sun, PF Popp, C Loderer, and A Revilla-Guarinos.
- Coordinated cell death in isogenic bacterial populations: Sacrificing some for the benefit of many?PF Popp and T Mascher.Journal of Molecular Biology (2019) · DOI
2017
- The Bacillus BioBrick Box 2.0: expanding the genetic toolbox for the standardized work with Bacillus subtilis.PF Popp, M Dotzler, J Radeck, J Bartels, and T Mascher.
- Factors associated with acute-phase response of bisphosphonate-naïve or pretreated women with osteoporosis receiving an intravenous first dose of zoledronate or ibandronate.AW Popp, R Senn, I Curkovic, C Senn, H Buffat, PF Popp, and K Lippuner.
- Kannibalismus und Brudermord: Warum Bakterien Artgenossen töten.D Wolf, PF Popp, and T Mascher.Biospektrum (2017) · DOI