DOME

Division of Microbial Ecology (DOME)

Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science

About DOME

The Division of Microbial Ecology | DOME at the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science | CeMESS is a team of microbiologists and molecular biologists. Our mission is to unravel the complexities of microbial life and its profound impact on our health and environment.

Our researchers explore the evolution, ecophysiology, interactions and functions of microbes across a broad range of systems. We apply cutting-edge methods, from 'omics analysis, to single-cell isotope probing, to microbial imaging, to computational community modelling.

More about CeMESS

News

Congratulations Dr. Patrick Arthofer

16.10.2023 DOME

Patrick Arthofer successfully defended his PhD thesis entitled "Interactions of giant viruses with their hosts and symbiotic bacteria" on October 13,…

Congratulations Dr. Marlies Dietrich

09.10.2023 DOME

Marlies Dietrich successfully defended her PhD thesis entitled "The impact of environmental factors and small-scale interactions on the structure and…

CeMESS joins hands with Open Science for European Researchers' Night!

05.10.2023 CeMESS

Last Friday, the Universalmuseum Joanneum in Graz played host to a unique stall: a collaborative effort between CeMESS and Open Science, as part of…

Begann die Evolution der Tiere mit einer räuberischen Lebensweise?

04.10.2023 DOME

Neue Forschungserkenntnisse zur Seeanemone Aiptasia lassen Rückschlüsse auf die Entstehung vielzelliger Lebewesen zu

AVINA Grant for CeMESS Group Leader Shaul Pollak

27.09.2023 DOME

Swiss independent AVINA Stiftung has awarded one of its sought-after grants to Shaul Pollak, a group leader at DOME. The funding will support Pollak’s…

New paper in Nature Communications: Interactions of a novel taurine-eating mouse gut bacterium with commensals and pathogens

19.09.2023 DOME

Taurine is not only a semi-essential nutrient of animals and humans, but also a substrate for specialized gut bacteria that respire it to hydrogen…

Events

Three amazing ideas about microbial biogeography that will blow your mind

16.05.2019 DOME Lecture Series

Daniel H. Buckley

Latest Publications at DOME

Hodžić A, Kunert M, Juračić M, Veinović G, Sukara R, Tomanović S et al. Immune-mediated microbial interference governs Borrelia colonization of the tick gut. Iscience. 2026 May 15;29(5):115628. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115628

Treichel NS, Pauvert C, Séneca J , Pjevac P , Berry D, Penders J et al. Benchmarking of shotgun sequencing depth reveals the potential and limitations of shallow metagenomics and strain-level analysis. Nature Microbiology. 2026 Apr 21. Epub 2026 Apr 21. doi: 10.1038/s41564-026-02334-2

Rigou S, Aldaroub J, Horn M, Aylward FO. Rise of the viral giants: common themes underlying genome gigantism in eukaryotic viruses and bacteriophages. Current Opinion in Microbiology. 2026 Mar 28;91:1-9. 102741. Epub 2026 Mar 28. doi: 10.1016/j.mib.2026.102741

Krasenbrink J, Chen SC, Tanabe TS, Sarikeçe H, Meurs P, Borusak S et al. Sulfoquinovose degradation by cow rumen microbiota. The ISME Journal. 2026 Mar 27. doi: 10.1093/ismejo/wrag069

Barrajon-Santos V, Nepel M, Sudhaus W, Hausmann B, Woebken D , Mayer VE. Vertically transmitted bacterivorous nematodes are consistent nest inhabitants in the Azteca-Cecropia ant-plant mutualism. Scientific Reports. 2026 Feb 25;16(1):1-12. 9624. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-34231-9