Dr. Bettina Glasl
Senior Scientist at the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science

Research Profiles
Social Media
Publications Overview
Marine sponges are among the most basal metazoans. Their basal position and their intimate relationship with microorganisms make them evolutionary blueprints to study animal-microbe interactions. Besides their evolutionary importance, sponges are also key components of coral reef ecosystems due to their ability to recycle nutrients. My research aims to gain mechanistic insights into the function of microbial symbionts, their interactions with other holobiont members, and their contribution to animal health.
Ammonia-oxidizing archaea are frequent members of sponge microbiomes and play an important role in nitrogen cycling within the sponge holobiont. Combining field- and aquaria-based experiments with meta’omics, chemical imaging, and advanced fluorescence microscopy, my team and I aim to unravel their adaptations to a symbiotic lifestyle and their functional role in sponge holobionts.
Team Members
- Marie Rutsch | PhD Student
- Sarah Förster | Master's Student
Publications
Glasl B, Kitzinger K, Luter HM, Legin A, Salas Hernandez EK, Heldwein N et al. Branched-chain amino acid assimilation promotes mixotrophy of ammonia-oxidizing archaeal sponge symbionts. bioRxiv. 2025. doi: 10.1101/2025.09.09.672702
Glasl B, Luter HM, Damjanovic K, Kitzinger K, Mueller AJ, Mahler L et al. Co-occurring nitrifying symbiont lineages are vertically inherited and widespread in marine sponges. The ISME Journal. 2024 Apr 27;18(1):wrae069. doi: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae069
Terzin M, Laffy PW, Robbins S, Yeoh YK, Frade PR, Glasl B et al. The road forward to incorporate seawater microbes in predictive reef monitoring. Environmental Microbiome. 2024 Jan 15;19(1):5. doi: 10.1186/s40793-023-00543-4
Moeller FU, Herbold CW, Schintlmeister A, Mooshammer M, Motti C, Glasl B et al. Taurine as a key intermediate for host-symbiont interaction in the tropical sponge Ianthella basta. The ISME Journal: multidisciplinary journal of microbial ecology. 2023 Aug;17(8):1208-1223. doi: 10.1101/2022.09.23.509140, 10.1038/s41396-023-01420-1
Glasl B, Haskell JB, Aires T, Serrao EA, Bourne DG, Webster NS et al. Microbial Surface Biofilm Responds to the Growth-Reproduction-Senescence Cycle of the Dominant Coral Reef Macroalgae Sargassum spp. Life-Basel. 2021 Nov 6;11(11):1199. doi: 10.3390/life11111199





