Christian Kost
@kostchristian.bsky.social
Experimental ecology and evolution | microbes | evolution of metabolic interactions | cooperation | bacterial multicellularity.
#microsky #mevosky @spp2389.bsky.social
A PhD position is available in my lab to work on:
Emergence and self-organisation of bacterial metabolism in consortia of cross-feeding bacteria.
Please RT
Deadline: 12.11.25
More infos 👇
shorturl.at/rAKAT
A PhD position is available in my lab to work on:
Emergence and self-organisation of bacterial metabolism in consortia of cross-feeding bacteria.
Please RT
Deadline: 12.11.25
More infos 👇
shorturl.at/rAKAT
October 28, 2025 at 8:43 AM
#microsky #mevosky @spp2389.bsky.social
A PhD position is available in my lab to work on:
Emergence and self-organisation of bacterial metabolism in consortia of cross-feeding bacteria.
Please RT
Deadline: 12.11.25
More infos 👇
shorturl.at/rAKAT
A PhD position is available in my lab to work on:
Emergence and self-organisation of bacterial metabolism in consortia of cross-feeding bacteria.
Please RT
Deadline: 12.11.25
More infos 👇
shorturl.at/rAKAT
#microsky #mevosky @spp2389.bsky.social
A PhD position is available in my lab to work on:
Emergence and self-organisation of bacterial metabolism in consortia of cross-feeding bacteria.
Please RT
Deadline: 12.11.25
More infos 👇
shorturl.at/rAKAT
A PhD position is available in my lab to work on:
Emergence and self-organisation of bacterial metabolism in consortia of cross-feeding bacteria.
Please RT
Deadline: 12.11.25
More infos 👇
shorturl.at/rAKAT
October 15, 2025 at 1:07 PM
#microsky #mevosky @spp2389.bsky.social
A PhD position is available in my lab to work on:
Emergence and self-organisation of bacterial metabolism in consortia of cross-feeding bacteria.
Please RT
Deadline: 12.11.25
More infos 👇
shorturl.at/rAKAT
A PhD position is available in my lab to work on:
Emergence and self-organisation of bacterial metabolism in consortia of cross-feeding bacteria.
Please RT
Deadline: 12.11.25
More infos 👇
shorturl.at/rAKAT
This is actually available 👇 (heated butter sprayer)
October 7, 2025 at 2:30 PM
This is actually available 👇 (heated butter sprayer)
Only 10 days left to apply:
We are searching for a senior postdoc (3 +3 years) in the field of theoretical ecology and evolution.
The position provides the opportunity to closely interact with experimentalists and develop own research projects.
Please RT.
Details 👇:
shorturl.at/iiiOv
We are searching for a senior postdoc (3 +3 years) in the field of theoretical ecology and evolution.
The position provides the opportunity to closely interact with experimentalists and develop own research projects.
Please RT.
Details 👇:
shorturl.at/iiiOv
September 1, 2025 at 5:54 AM
Only 10 days left to apply:
We are searching for a senior postdoc (3 +3 years) in the field of theoretical ecology and evolution.
The position provides the opportunity to closely interact with experimentalists and develop own research projects.
Please RT.
Details 👇:
shorturl.at/iiiOv
We are searching for a senior postdoc (3 +3 years) in the field of theoretical ecology and evolution.
The position provides the opportunity to closely interact with experimentalists and develop own research projects.
Please RT.
Details 👇:
shorturl.at/iiiOv
Are you a theoretical biologist that is intererested in the ecology and evolution of metabolic interactions among microorganisms?
Do you like to cooperate with experimentalists?
Do you have a PhD and experience in modelling and statistics?
Then this position might be for you👇:
shorturl.at/iiiOv
Do you like to cooperate with experimentalists?
Do you have a PhD and experience in modelling and statistics?
Then this position might be for you👇:
shorturl.at/iiiOv
August 22, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Are you a theoretical biologist that is intererested in the ecology and evolution of metabolic interactions among microorganisms?
Do you like to cooperate with experimentalists?
Do you have a PhD and experience in modelling and statistics?
Then this position might be for you👇:
shorturl.at/iiiOv
Do you like to cooperate with experimentalists?
Do you have a PhD and experience in modelling and statistics?
Then this position might be for you👇:
shorturl.at/iiiOv
We are searching for a professor in Biology Didactics (W2) at Osnabrück University. The research focus should be on organismic biology, biodiversity, organismic interactions in ecosystems and human-environment interactions.
Link to (German) advertisement 👇
shorturl.at/aKKAB
Link to (German) advertisement 👇
shorturl.at/aKKAB
August 6, 2025 at 6:24 AM
We are searching for a professor in Biology Didactics (W2) at Osnabrück University. The research focus should be on organismic biology, biodiversity, organismic interactions in ecosystems and human-environment interactions.
Link to (German) advertisement 👇
shorturl.at/aKKAB
Link to (German) advertisement 👇
shorturl.at/aKKAB
Awesome talk by @hassansalem.bsky.social yesterday about the interaction between tortoise beetles and their microbial symbionts. Very cool work! Thank you Hassan very much for your visit and the stimulating discussion.
June 20, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Awesome talk by @hassansalem.bsky.social yesterday about the interaction between tortoise beetles and their microbial symbionts. Very cool work! Thank you Hassan very much for your visit and the stimulating discussion.
Great to see Silvio Waschina again after a long time to give a talk about Svenja Starke's cool work on networks of auxotrophic bacteria in the human gut.
Thank you very much Silvio for the great talk and the inspiring discussions.
Thank you very much Silvio for the great talk and the inspiring discussions.
February 13, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Great to see Silvio Waschina again after a long time to give a talk about Svenja Starke's cool work on networks of auxotrophic bacteria in the human gut.
Thank you very much Silvio for the great talk and the inspiring discussions.
Thank you very much Silvio for the great talk and the inspiring discussions.
This result was corroborated by modelling metabolic interactions between auxotrophic and prototrophic strains based on genomes assembled from metagenome sequences.
January 30, 2025 at 7:55 AM
This result was corroborated by modelling metabolic interactions between auxotrophic and prototrophic strains based on genomes assembled from metagenome sequences.
The results show that indeed auxotrophic isolates were able to grow in coculture:
31% grew in auxotroph-auxotroph combinations and
84% grew in auxotroph-prototroph combinations
31% grew in auxotroph-auxotroph combinations and
84% grew in auxotroph-prototroph combinations
January 30, 2025 at 7:51 AM
The results show that indeed auxotrophic isolates were able to grow in coculture:
31% grew in auxotroph-auxotroph combinations and
84% grew in auxotroph-prototroph combinations
31% grew in auxotroph-auxotroph combinations and
84% grew in auxotroph-prototroph combinations
Still we found a significantly increased abundance of insertion sequences in genomes isolated from auxotrophic strains relative to prototrophic isolates.
This observation suggests that effects caused by insertion sequences might drive the emergence of metabolic auxotrophies.
This observation suggests that effects caused by insertion sequences might drive the emergence of metabolic auxotrophies.
January 30, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Still we found a significantly increased abundance of insertion sequences in genomes isolated from auxotrophic strains relative to prototrophic isolates.
This observation suggests that effects caused by insertion sequences might drive the emergence of metabolic auxotrophies.
This observation suggests that effects caused by insertion sequences might drive the emergence of metabolic auxotrophies.
To identity the genetic basis, we sequenced and analysed the genomes of 62 strains.
Interestingly, both metabolic modelling and analyses based on genome annotations fell short in accurately
predicting experimentally observed auxotrophies.
Interestingly, both metabolic modelling and analyses based on genome annotations fell short in accurately
predicting experimentally observed auxotrophies.
January 30, 2025 at 7:39 AM
To identity the genetic basis, we sequenced and analysed the genomes of 62 strains.
Interestingly, both metabolic modelling and analyses based on genome annotations fell short in accurately
predicting experimentally observed auxotrophies.
Interestingly, both metabolic modelling and analyses based on genome annotations fell short in accurately
predicting experimentally observed auxotrophies.
We find that the growth of up to 50% of all community members depended essentially on supplementation with amino acids, vitamins, or nucleotides.
73% of isolates required multiple amino acids to grow.
Branched-chain amino acids (Ile, Leu, Val) were most commonly lost.
73% of isolates required multiple amino acids to grow.
Branched-chain amino acids (Ile, Leu, Val) were most commonly lost.
January 30, 2025 at 7:33 AM
We find that the growth of up to 50% of all community members depended essentially on supplementation with amino acids, vitamins, or nucleotides.
73% of isolates required multiple amino acids to grow.
Branched-chain amino acids (Ile, Leu, Val) were most commonly lost.
73% of isolates required multiple amino acids to grow.
Branched-chain amino acids (Ile, Leu, Val) were most commonly lost.
In this study we test the Black Queen hypothesis by asking:
How common is obligate cross-feeding of metabolites in communities of soil-dwelling bacteria?
We address this question by isolating and analysing 6,931 bacteria from of 27 soil microbial communities.
How common is obligate cross-feeding of metabolites in communities of soil-dwelling bacteria?
We address this question by isolating and analysing 6,931 bacteria from of 27 soil microbial communities.
January 30, 2025 at 7:27 AM
In this study we test the Black Queen hypothesis by asking:
How common is obligate cross-feeding of metabolites in communities of soil-dwelling bacteria?
We address this question by isolating and analysing 6,931 bacteria from of 27 soil microbial communities.
How common is obligate cross-feeding of metabolites in communities of soil-dwelling bacteria?
We address this question by isolating and analysing 6,931 bacteria from of 27 soil microbial communities.
Based on these considerations, we define the organism as shown below.
As an experimentalist, I thoroughly enjoyed the venture into this more philosophical field.
I would be glad to hear what you think about this.
Thanks for reading and end of 🧵.
As an experimentalist, I thoroughly enjoyed the venture into this more philosophical field.
I would be glad to hear what you think about this.
Thanks for reading and end of 🧵.
January 15, 2025 at 6:51 AM
Based on these considerations, we define the organism as shown below.
As an experimentalist, I thoroughly enjoyed the venture into this more philosophical field.
I would be glad to hear what you think about this.
Thanks for reading and end of 🧵.
As an experimentalist, I thoroughly enjoyed the venture into this more philosophical field.
I would be glad to hear what you think about this.
Thanks for reading and end of 🧵.
3. Many biological units display life cycles. While passing through different life stages, their properties can change drastically (e.g. cell number).
To integrate this variation, we think the organismal status should be allowed to change as individuals transition through different life stages.
To integrate this variation, we think the organismal status should be allowed to change as individuals transition through different life stages.
January 15, 2025 at 6:50 AM
3. Many biological units display life cycles. While passing through different life stages, their properties can change drastically (e.g. cell number).
To integrate this variation, we think the organismal status should be allowed to change as individuals transition through different life stages.
To integrate this variation, we think the organismal status should be allowed to change as individuals transition through different life stages.
1. In any given biological unit, we distinguish the physiological component from the evolutionary component.
The organism is represented by the physiological component. This means it does not matter, whether or not it can evolve by natural selection.
Example: a mule that cannot produce offspring
The organism is represented by the physiological component. This means it does not matter, whether or not it can evolve by natural selection.
Example: a mule that cannot produce offspring
January 15, 2025 at 6:48 AM
1. In any given biological unit, we distinguish the physiological component from the evolutionary component.
The organism is represented by the physiological component. This means it does not matter, whether or not it can evolve by natural selection.
Example: a mule that cannot produce offspring
The organism is represented by the physiological component. This means it does not matter, whether or not it can evolve by natural selection.
Example: a mule that cannot produce offspring
A new paper of Saskia Wilmsen and me on
"Defining organismality"
just came out in Biological Theory
.
Open access: rdcu.be/d6but
🧵👇
"Defining organismality"
just came out in Biological Theory
.
Open access: rdcu.be/d6but
🧵👇
January 15, 2025 at 6:45 AM
A new paper of Saskia Wilmsen and me on
"Defining organismality"
just came out in Biological Theory
.
Open access: rdcu.be/d6but
🧵👇
"Defining organismality"
just came out in Biological Theory
.
Open access: rdcu.be/d6but
🧵👇
Amazing talk by @evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social on When more than one species live in the biofilm matrix
#MultiBac2025
#MultiBac2025
January 8, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Amazing talk by @evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social on When more than one species live in the biofilm matrix
#MultiBac2025
#MultiBac2025
All-time classic. This picture was mounted in a lab I worked during my studies. Since then I keep laughing about it ... 😂
November 20, 2024 at 3:53 PM
All-time classic. This picture was mounted in a lab I worked during my studies. Since then I keep laughing about it ... 😂
We will use a microbial model system, in which a metabolic mutualism has previously evolved. By identifying all mutations that occured and quantifying their fitness consequences, a fundamental understaning of the mechanisms driving synergistic coevolution can be gained.
July 8, 2024 at 5:59 AM
We will use a microbial model system, in which a metabolic mutualism has previously evolved. By identifying all mutations that occured and quantifying their fitness consequences, a fundamental understaning of the mechanisms driving synergistic coevolution can be gained.
We will use a microbial model system, in which a metabolic mutualism has previously evolved. By identifying all mutations that occured and quantifying their fitness consequences, a fundamental understaning of the mechanisms driving synergistic coevolution can be gained.
June 28, 2024 at 6:15 AM
We will use a microbial model system, in which a metabolic mutualism has previously evolved. By identifying all mutations that occured and quantifying their fitness consequences, a fundamental understaning of the mechanisms driving synergistic coevolution can be gained.
We are searching for a new PhD student that is interested in understanding the mechanisms of synergistic coevolution. The project combines coculture experiments, analyses of fitness effects, and microscopic analyses.
Deadline: 13.10.23
Please RT
More info uni-osnabrueck.de/universitaet...
Deadline: 13.10.23
Please RT
More info uni-osnabrueck.de/universitaet...
October 2, 2023 at 9:12 AM
We are searching for a new PhD student that is interested in understanding the mechanisms of synergistic coevolution. The project combines coculture experiments, analyses of fitness effects, and microscopic analyses.
Deadline: 13.10.23
Please RT
More info uni-osnabrueck.de/universitaet...
Deadline: 13.10.23
Please RT
More info uni-osnabrueck.de/universitaet...
A fully funded PhD position is available in my group. The project will focus on analysing how synergistically interacting bacteria coevolve. Join my vibrant group at @UniOsnabrueck.
Please RT
Deadline: 13.10.23
More information👇
www.uni-osnabrueck.de/universitaet...
Please RT
Deadline: 13.10.23
More information👇
www.uni-osnabrueck.de/universitaet...
September 25, 2023 at 7:05 AM
A fully funded PhD position is available in my group. The project will focus on analysing how synergistically interacting bacteria coevolve. Join my vibrant group at @UniOsnabrueck.
Please RT
Deadline: 13.10.23
More information👇
www.uni-osnabrueck.de/universitaet...
Please RT
Deadline: 13.10.23
More information👇
www.uni-osnabrueck.de/universitaet...
We will use a microbial model system, in which a metabolic mutualism has previously evolved. By identifying all mutations that occured and quantifying their fitness consequences, a fundamental understaning of the mechanisms driving synergistic coevolution can be gained.
September 19, 2023 at 6:56 AM
We will use a microbial model system, in which a metabolic mutualism has previously evolved. By identifying all mutations that occured and quantifying their fitness consequences, a fundamental understaning of the mechanisms driving synergistic coevolution can be gained.