Bacterial cells release extracellular vesicles and other nanoparticles during growth. Bacterial extracellular vesicles, or in short BEVs, are spherical lipid structures derived from cell membranes, typically ranging in diameter from 20 to 250 nm. Although they were once thought to be artefacts of cellular growth, it is now accepted that BEVs are a relatively controlled delivery mechanism that can play a role in various biological processes. Although a few specific roles of BEVs have been identified, the majority of their functions in bacteria are still hypothetical. Our current knowledge of BEVs is largely descriptive, and we have little understanding of the factors influencing their production, selective packaging and uptake mechanisms. Existing observations are also largely limited to a few laboratory model systems, and knowledge of BEVs in natural environments is severely lacking.

In my research, I address these shortcomings by extending BEV research efforts to the marine environment, which is the largest ecosystem on Earth. Through the integration of culture-based laboratory research on BEVs and their direct observation within highly diverse marine bacterial communities over time, I aim to shed light on their significance for marine bacteria and contribute a novel perspective to our overall understanding of colloidal nanoparticles within the marine ecosystems.

Current project

BEVocean – Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles in the Marine Ecosystem: ecophysiological roles and biogeochemical relevance

This project aims to expand our understanding of extracellular vesicle production by marine bacteria, and answer fundamental questions, such as, what factors influence production of vesicles in the marine bacteria? Do these factors affect also the type of the produced vesicles? What functions bacterial vesicles have in the marine ecosystem?
This project was granted the Merit Award of the Austrian Science Fund ASTRA programme.

Other projects involved

JELLY-BIOME – Role of the microbiome in the life and death of bloom-forming jellyfish

The ultimate objective of this project is to understand the effect of the microbiome on the ‘bloom and bust’ lifestyle of jellyfish. This involves investigating the composition and functional traits of the jellyfish microbiome during the transition from a healthy to a senescent stage in the host’s life.

This is a joint Slovenian-Austrian research project.
PIs:  Dr. Tinkara Tinta and Prof. Gerhard J Herndl