Dr Christoph Engl

Christoph Engl
PhD, FHEA, MRSB

Senior Lecturer in Microbiology
Deputy Head of Department (Biochemistry), Director MSc Molecular Cell Biology

School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences
Queen Mary University of London
ORCID Scopus

Research

Bacterial Cell Biology, Adaptive Responses, RNA Processing and Repair, Cell-to-Cell Heterogeneity

Interests

Dr Engl is an elected Member of the Royal Society of Biology and an internationally recognised expert in bacterial adaption.

He has dissected a range of adaptive processes in various bacteria from stimulus perception via signalling cascades to physiological output via differential gene expression. He combines experimental techniques from molecular cell biology and systems biology with state-of-the-art microscopy and computational modelling to analyse bacterial physiology and behaviour down to the single-cell and single-molecule level.

Dr Engl currently focusses his research on RNA processing and repair, as well as the causes and consequences of cell-to-cell heterogeneity. He also develops novel experimental approaches to determine phenotypic variation within bacterial populations.

Publications

solid heart iconPublications of specific relevance to the Centre for Molecular Cell Biology

2022

Relevant PublicationKotta-Loizou I, Giuliano MG, Jovanovic M, Schaefer J, Ye F, Zhang N, Irakleidi DA, Liu X, Zhang X, Buck M and Engl C (2022). The RNA repair proteins RtcAB regulate transcription activator RtcR via its CRISPR-associated Rossmann fold domain. iScience, Cell Press, 105425-105425.  
20-10-2022
Relevant PublicationBashir T, Brackston RD, Waite C, Kotta-Loizou I, Carey MR, Engl C, Buck M and Schumacher J (2022). Molecular Origins of Transcriptional Heterogeneity in Diazotrophic Klebsiella oxytoca. mSystems, American Society for Microbiology, e0059622-e0059622.  
08-09-2022

2021

Relevant PublicationGiuliano MG and Engl C (2021). The Lifecycle of Ribosomal RNA in Bacteria. RNA Damage and Repair  27-51.  
01-01-2021

2020

Relevant PublicationMahbub M, Hemm L, Yang Y, Kaur R, Carmen H, Engl C, Huokko T, Riediger M, Watanabe S, Liu L-N, Wilde A, Hess WR and Mullineaux CW (2020). mRNA localization, reaction centre biogenesis and thylakoid membrane targeting in cyanobacteria. Nature Plants, Springer Nature vol. 6 (9), 1179-1191.  
01-09-2020
Relevant PublicationEngl C, Jovanovic G, Brackston RD, Kotta-Loizou I and Buck M (2020). The route to transcription initiation determines the mode of transcriptional bursting in E. coli. Nature Communications, Nature Research (part of Springer Nature) vol. 11 
15-05-2020

2019

Relevant PublicationKotta-Loizou I, Jovanovic M, Schaefer J, Engl C, Zhang N and Buck M (2019). A CRISPR-associated Rossmann fold (CARF) domain regulates transcription of an RNA repair system in Escherichia coli. Access Microbiology, Microbiology Society vol. 1 (1A) 
08-04-2019

2018

Relevant PublicationEngl C (2018). Noise in bacterial gene expression. Biochemical Society Transactions, Portland Press vol. 47 (1), 209-217.  
21-12-2018
Relevant PublicationFinch EA, Caruso T and ENGL CM (2018). Effects of Paenibacillus polymyxa inoculation on below-ground nematode communities and plant growth. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, Elsevier vol. 121, 1-7.  
05-03-2018

2017

Relevant PublicationGeorge TS, Giles CD, Menezes-Blackburn D, Condron LM, Gama-Rodrigues AC, Jaisi D, Lang F, Neal AL, Stutter MI, Almeida DS, Bol R, Cabugao KG, Celi L, Cotner JB, Feng G, Goll DS, Hallama M, Krueger J, Plassard C, Rosling A, et al. (2017). Correction to: Organic phosphorus in the terrestrial environment: a perspective on the state of the art and future priorities (Plant and Soil, (2018), 427, 1-2, (191-208), 10.1007/s11104-017-3391-x). Plant and Soil vol. 427 (1-2), 209-211.  
02-12-2017
Relevant PublicationGeorge TS, Giles CD, Menezes-Blackburn D, Condron LM, Gama-Rodrigues AC, Jaisi D, Lang F, Neal AL, Stutter MI, Almeida DS, Bol R, Cabugao KG, Celi L, Cotner JB, Feng G, Goll DS, Hallama M, Krueger J, Plassard C, Rosling A, et al. (2017). Organic phosphorus in the terrestrial environment: a perspective on the state of the art and future priorities. Plant and Soil 
06-10-2017
Relevant PublicationSihto H-M, Stephan R, Engl C, Chen J and Johler S (2017). Effect of food-related stress conditions and loss of agr and sigB on seb promoter activity in S. aureus. Food Microbiology vol. 65, 205-212.  
07-03-2017

2016

Relevant PublicationEngl C, Schaefer J, Kotta-Loizou I and Buck M (2016). Cellular and molecular phenotypes depending upon the RNA repair system RtcAB of Escherichia coli. Nucleic Acids Research, gkw628-gkw628.  
08-07-2016

2015

Relevant PublicationSchaefer J, Engl C, Zhang N, Lawton E and Buck M (2015). Genome wide interactions of wild-type and activator bypass forms of σ54. Nucleic Acids Research vol. 43 (15), 7280-7291.  
16-06-2015
Relevant PublicationENGL CHRISTOPH (2015). In Vitro and In Vivo Methodologies for Studying the Sigma 54-Dependent Transcription. Bacterial Transcriptional Control 
28-01-2015

2014

Relevant PublicationEngl C, Waite CJ, McKenna JF, Bennett MH, Hamann T and Buck M (2014). Chp8, a Diguanylate Cyclase from Pseudomonas syringae pv. Tomato DC3000, Suppresses the Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Flagellin, Increases Extracellular Polysaccharides, and Promotes Plant Immune Evasion. mBio vol. 5 (3), e01168-14-e01168-14.  
20-05-2014

2013

Relevant PublicationMehta P, Jovanovic G, Lenn T, Bruckbauer A, Engl C, Ying L and Buck M (2013). Dynamics and stoichiometry of a regulated enhancer-binding protein in live Escherichia coli cells. Nature Communications, Springer Nature vol. 4 (1) 
01-01-2013
Relevant PublicationMehta P, Jovanovic G, Lenn T, Bruckbauer A, Engl C, Buck M and Ying L (2013). Single molecule imaging of localisations, dynamics and stoichiometry of a regulated enhancer-binding protein in live Escherichia coli cells. 
01-01-2013

2012

Relevant PublicationJohler S, Moser M, Engl C, Tasara T, Corti S, Chen J and Stephan R (2012). A Coagulase- and α-Glucosidase-Negative Variant of Staphylococcus aureus: a Challenge for Routine Microbiological Diagnostics. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, American Society for Microbiology vol. 50 (5), 1827-1828.  
15-02-2012

2011

Relevant PublicationEngl C, Beek AT, Bekker M, de Mattos JT, Jovanovic G and Buck M (2011). Dissipation of Proton Motive Force is not Sufficient to Induce the Phage Shock Protein Response in Escherichia coli. Current Microbiology, Springer Nature vol. 62 (5), 1374-1385.  
23-01-2011

2010

Relevant PublicationHuvet M, Toni T, Sheng X, Thorne T, Jovanovic G, Engl C, Buck M, Pinney JW and Stumpf MPH (2010). The Evolution of the Phage Shock Protein Response System: Interplay between Protein Function, Genomic Organization, and System Function. Molecular Biology and Evolution, Oxford University Press (OUP) vol. 28 (3), 1141-1155.  
08-11-2010
Relevant PublicationLenn T, Gkekas CN, Bernard L, Engl C, Jovanovic G, Buck M and Ying L (2010). Measuring the stoichiometry of functional PspA complexes in living bacterial cells by single molecule photobleaching. Chem. Commun., Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) vol. 47 (1), 400-402.  
07-09-2010
Relevant PublicationJoly N, Engl C, Jovanovic G, Huvet M, Toni T, Sheng X, Stumpf MPH and Buck M (2010). Managing membrane stress: the phage shock protein (Psp) response, from molecular mechanisms to physiology. FEMS Microbiology Reviews, Oxford University Press (OUP) vol. 34 (5), 797-827.  
01-09-2010
Relevant PublicationJovanovic G, Engl C, Mayhew AJ, Burrows PC and Buck M (2010). Properties of the phage-shock-protein (Psp) regulatory complex that govern signal transduction and induction of the Psp response in Escherichia coli. Microbiology, Microbiology Society vol. 156 (10), 2920-2932.  
01-07-2010

2009

Relevant PublicationJoly N, Burrows PC, Engl C, Jovanovic G and Buck M (2009). A Lower-Order Oligomer Form of Phage Shock Protein A (PspA) Stably Associates with the Hexameric AAA+ Transcription Activator Protein PspF for Negative Regulation. Journal of Molecular Biology, Elsevier vol. 394 (4), 764-775.  
03-10-2009
Relevant PublicationJovanovic G, Engl C and Buck M (2009). Physical, functional and conditional interactions between ArcAB and phage shock proteins upon secretin‐induced stress in Escherichia coli. Molecular Microbiology, Wiley vol. 74 (1), 16-28.  
24-09-2009
Relevant PublicationHuvet M, Toni T, Tan H, Jovanovic G, Engl C, Buck M and Stumpf MPH (2009). Model-based evolutionary analysis: the natural history of phage-shock stress response. Biochemical Society Transactions, Portland Press vol. 37 (4), 762-767.  
22-07-2009
Relevant PublicationEngl C, Jovanovic G, Lloyd LJ, Murray H, Spitaler M, Ying L, Errington J and Buck M (2009). In vivo localizations of membrane stress controllers PspA and PspG inEscherichia coli. Molecular Microbiology, Wiley vol. 73 (3), 382-396.  
23-06-2009

Grants

solid heart iconGrants of specific relevance to the Centre for Molecular Cell Biology
solid heart iconA confocal microscope for multidisciplinary dynamic studies of complex biological systems
Conrad Mullineaux, Caroline Brennan, Alexandre De Mendoza Soler, Viji Draviam Sastry, Maurice Elphick, Christoph Engl, Maria Isabel Palacios De Castro, Matteo Palma, Marina Resmini, Alexander Ruban, Peter Thorpe, Angelika Stollewerk, Jose Martin Duran, Paulo Baptista Ribeiro, Susana Alves Godinho, Richard Grose, Stephanie Kermorgant, Peter McCormick and Tyson Sharp
£390,834 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (01-08-2022 - 31-07-2023)
solid heart iconBacterial decision-making: Exploring molecular switches of population dynamics
Christoph Engl
£312,314 Leverhulme Trust (01-10-2021 - 07-11-2024)