Christiane Dahl

PD Dr. Christiane Dahl is an Associate Professor at the Institut für Mikrobiologie & Biotechnologie, part of the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn. Her research focuses on sulfur metabolism in prokaryotes, particularly the biochemical, biophysical, and structural characterization of enzymes involved in bacterial sulfur oxidation. Key model organisms include Hyphomicrobium denitrificans and Allochromatium vinosum. She leads a team of doctoral researchers, master's students, and bachelor's students exploring topics like sulfur transferases, lipoic acid biosynthesis, and transcriptional regulation. Dahl has published extensively on enzymes such as thiosulfate dehydrogenase and heterodisulfide reductase complexes, with work appearing in journals like *eLife*, *FEBS*, and *Science*.

Her lab employs systems biology approaches (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) and has developed bioinformatics tools like HMSS2 for sulfur metabolism analysis. Collaborations include national and international networks, such as the Transdisciplinary Research Area (TRA) “Life and Health” at the University of Bonn. Dahl’s research bridges fundamental enzymology with ecological and biotechnological applications, addressing global sulfur cycling and microbial adaptation.

Key research areas include sulfur oxidation pathways, protein-ligase interactions, and metabolic regulation in sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. Her team has also explored novel roles for lipoic acid and the evolution of sulfur-metabolizing enzymes. Ongoing projects include studying sulfur source-driven physiological responses and developing tools for genomic/metagenomic analysis of sulfur-related genes.

Publications span structural biology, enzymology, and microbial ecology, with recent contributions to understanding sulfur transfer mechanisms and regulatory networks. Dahl’s work has implications for environmental biotechnology, such as biodesulfurization processes for industrial applications.