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Researcher in Laboratory © HIPS

Dr Ronald Garcia

About

Dr. Garcia studied Microbiology in his Bachelor and Masters at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila. After working in industry and academia in the Philippines for a couple of years, he decided to join Rolf Müller’s laboratory for doctoral studies in 2006 under the Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at the Saarland University. When HIPS was founded in 2009, his position was changed under the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research. In 2011, he obtained his Doctor’s degree and since then, he continued his work on microbial natural products and anti-infective research of novel myxobacteria.

Dr. Garcia has shown interest and passion working on combining multidisciplinary fields in microbial diversity, ecology, metagenomics, systematics, phylogenetics, and microbial physiology to unravel the uncultured myxobacteria and their frontier. Through the years, he established a one of a kind strain collection that houses unique and rare myxobacteria for novel natural product discovery, which is primarily aimed at finding novel antibiotics. Currently, he is working on an anti-infective research project from untapped myxobacterial sources to help to combat the problem of human-threatening antibiotic resistance.


2024

Discovery of the Pendulisporaceae: An extremotolerant myxobacterial family with distinct sporulation behavior and prolific specialized metabolism

Garcia R, Popoff A, Bader C, Löhr J, Walesch S, Walt C, Boldt J, Bunk B, Haeckl F, Gunesch A, …, Bach T, Müller R (2024)

Chem 10: 1-20DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2024.04.019

New myxobacteria of the Myxococcaceae clade produce angiolams with antiparasitic activities

Walesch S, Garcia R, Mahmoud A, Panter F, Bollenbach S, Mäser P, Kaiser M, Krug D, Müller R (2024)

Microbiology SpectrumDOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03689-23

2023

Discovery and Characterization of a Myxobacterial Lanthipeptide with Unique Biosynthetic Features and Anti-inflammatory Activity

Wang X, Chen X, Wang Z, Zhuang M, Zhong L, Fu C, Garcia R, Müller R, Zhang Y, Yan J, Wu D, Huo L (2023)

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 145 (30): 16924-16937DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c06014

Structure Elucidation and Biosynthesis of Nannosterols A and B, Myxobacterial Sterols from Nannocystis sp. MNa10993

Akone S, Hug J, Kaur A, Garcia R, Müller R (2023)

Journal of natural products 86 (4): 915-923DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.2c01143

2022

The inherent antibiotic activity of myxobacteria-derived autofluorescent outer membrane vesicles is switched on and off by light stimulation

Lapuhs P, Heinrich E, Garcia R, Goes A, Frank N, Bollenbach L, Stibane V, Kuhn T, Koch M, Kiemer A, …, Fuhrmann K, Fuhrmann G (2022)

NanoscaleDOI: 10.1039/d2nr02743g

Discovery, Biosynthesis and Biological Activity of a Succinylated Myxochelin from the Myxobacterial strain MSr12020

Okoth D, Hug J, Garcia R, Müller R (2022)

BookDOI: 10.20944/preprints202209.0147.v1

Thiamyxins: Structure and Biosynthesis of Myxobacterial RNA-Virus Inhibitors

Haack P, Harmrolfs K, Bader C, Garcia R, Gunesch A, Haid S, Popoff A, Voltz A, Kim H, Bartenschlager R, Pietschmann T, Müller R (2022)

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)DOI: 10.1002/anie.202212946

Three New Stigmatellin Derivatives Reveal Biosynthetic Insights of Its Side Chain Decoration

Okoth D, Hug J, Garcia R, Müller R (2022)

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) 27 (14)DOI: 10.3390/molecules27144656

Corallococcus soli sp. Nov., a Soil Myxobacterium Isolated from Subtropical Climate, Chalus County, Iran, and Its Potential to Produce Secondary Metabolites

Babadi Z, Garcia R, Ebrahimipour G, Risdian C, Kämpfer P, Jarek M, Müller R, Wink J (2022)

Microorganisms 10 (7)DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10071262

Myxobacteria of the Cystobacterineae Suborder Are Producers of New Vitamin K2 Derived Myxoquinones

Panter F, Popoff A, Garcia R, Krug D, Müller R (2022)

Microorganisms 10 (3)DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10030534

New Deoxyenhygrolides from Plesiocystis pacifica Provide Insights into Butenolide Core Biosynthesis

Hug J, Kjaerulff L, Garcia R, Müller R (2022)

Marine drugs 20 (1)DOI: 10.3390/md20010072

Sandacrabins - Structurally Unique Antiviral RNA Polymerase Inhibitors from a Rare Myxobacterium

Bader C, Panter F, Garcia R, Tchesnokov E, Haid S, Walt C, Spröer C, Kiefer A, Götte M, Overmann J, Pietschmann T, Müller R (2022)

Chem. Eur. J. 28 (10)DOI: 10.1002/chem.202104484

2021

Structure and Biosynthesis of Myxofacyclines: Unique Myxobacterial Polyketides Featuring Varing and Rare Heterocycles *

Popoff A, Hug J, Walesch S, Garcia R, Keller L, Müller R (2021)

Chem. Eur. J. 27 (67): 16654-16661DOI: 10.1002/chem.202103095

Structure and biosynthesis of sorangipyranone - a new γ-dihydropyrone from the myxobacterial strain MSr12020

Okoth D, Hug J, Mándi A, Kurtán T, Garcia R, Müller R (2021)

Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology 48 (3-4)DOI: 10.1093/jimb/kuab029

2020

Myxobacteria-Derived Outer Membrane Vesicles: Potential Applicability Against Intracellular Infections

Goes A, Lapuhs P, Kuhn T, Schulz E, Richter R, Panter F, Dahlem C, Koch M, Garcia R, Kiemer A, Müller R, Fuhrmann G (2020)

Cells 9 (1)DOI: 10.3390/cells9010194

2-Hydroxysorangiadenosine: Structure and Biosynthesis of a Myxobacterial Sesquiterpene-Nucleoside

Okoth D, Hug J, Garcia R, Spröer C, Overmann J, Müller R (2020)

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) 25 (11)DOI: 10.3390/molecules25112676

Myxobakterielle Naturstofffabriken

Krug D, Garcia R, Müller R (2020)

Biospektrum 26 (1): 32-36DOI: 10.1007/s12268-020-1334-1

2019

Corrigendum to biocompatible bacteria-derived vesicles show inherent antimicrobial activity (Journal of Controlled Release (2018) 290 (46–55), (S0168365918305698) (10.1016/j.jconrel.2018.09.030))

Schulz E, Goes A, Garcia R, Panter F, Koch M, Müller R, Fuhrmann K, Fuhrmann G (2019)

Journal of Controlled Release 293: 155-157DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2018.11.027

Production of a Dibrominated Aromatic Secondary Metabolite by a Planctomycete Implies Complex Interaction with a Macroalgal Host

Panter F, Garcia R, Thewes A, Zaburannyi N, Bunk B, Overmann J, Gutierrez M, Krug D, Müller R (2019)

ACS Chem. Biol. 14 (accepted // 12): 2713-2719DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00641

Two Biosynthetic Pathways in Jahnella thaxteri for Thaxteramides, Distinct Types of Lipopeptides

Oueis E, Klefisch T, Zaburannyi N, Garcia R, Plaza A, Müller R (2019)

Org. Lett. 21 (14): 5407-5412DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.9b01524

2018

Biocompatible bacteria-derived vesicles show inherent antimicrobial activity

Schulz E, Goes A, Garcia R, Panter F, Koch M, Müller R, Fuhrmann K, Fuhrmann G (2018)

Journal of Controlled Release 290: 46-55DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2018.09.030

Metabolic and Biosynthetic Diversity in Marine Myxobacteria

Gemperlein K, Zaburannyi N, Garcia R, La Clair J, Müller R (2018)

Mar. Drugs 16 (9)DOI: 10.3390/md16090314

Future Directions of Marine Myxobacterial Natural Product Discovery Inferred from Metagenomics

Garcia R, La Clair J, Müller R (2018)

Mar. Drugs 16 (9)DOI: 10.3390/md16090303

Simulacricoccus ruber gen. nov., sp. nov., a microaerotolerant, non-fruiting, myxospore-forming soil myxobacterium and emended description of the family Myxococcaceae

Garcia R, Müller R (2018)

Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 68 (10): 3101-3110DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.002936

Correlating chemical diversity with taxonomic distance for discovery of natural products in myxobacteria

Hoffmann T, Krug D, Bozkurt N, Duddela S, Jansen R, Garcia R, Gerth K, Steinmetz H, Müller R (2018)

Nat. Commun. 9 (1)DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03184-1

2017

Pyxipyrrolones: Structure elucidation and biosynthesis of cytotoxic myxobacterial metabolites

Kjaerulff L, Raju R, Panter F, Scheid U, Garcia R, Herrmann J, Müller R (2017)

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 56 (32): 9614-9618DOI: 10.1002/anie.201704790

Vitiosangium cumulatum gen. nov., sp. nov. and Vitiosangium subalbum sp. nov., soil myxobacteria, and emended descriptions of the genera Archangium and Angiococcus, and of the family Cystobacteraceae

Awal R, Garcia R, Gemperlein K, Wink J, Kunwar B, Parajuli N, Müller R (2017)

Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 67 (5): 1422-1430DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.001829

Solving the puzzle of the one-carbon loss in ripostatin biosynthesis

Fu C, Auerbach D, Li Y, Scheid U, Luxenburger E, Garcia R, Irschik H, Müller R (2017)

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 56 (8): 2192-2197DOI: 10.1002/anie.201609950

2016

Racemicystis crocea gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel soil myxobacterium in Polyangiaceae

Awal R, Garcia R, Müller R (2016)

Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. (66)DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.001045

Aetherobacter fasciculatus gen. nov., sp. nov. and Aetherobacter rufus gen. nov., sp. nov., two novel myxobacteria with promising biotechnological applications

Garcia R, Stadler M, Gemperlein K, Müller R (2016)

Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 66: 928-938DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.000813

2015

Synthetic pathway enzymes for the production of Argyrins

Müller R, Wenzel S, Garcia R (2015)

Patent (US9217169 B2)

Cystochromones, unusual chromone-containing polyketides from the myxobacterium Cystobacter sp. MCy9104

Nadmid S, Plaza A, Garcia R, Müller R (2015)

J. Nat. Prod. 78 (8): 2023-8DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.5b00343

Aggregicoccus edonensis gen. nov., sp. nov., an unusually aggregating myxobacterium isolated from a soil sample

Sood S, Awal R, Wink J, Mohr K, Rohde M, Stadler M, Kämpfer P, Glaeser S, Schumann P, Garcia R, Müller R (2015)

Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 65 (Pt 3): 745-753DOI: 10.1099/ijs.0.061176-0

2014

Minicystis rosea gen. nov., sp. nov., a polyunsaturated fatty acid-rich and steroid-producing soil myxobacterium

Garcia R, Gemperlein K, Müller R (2014)

Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 64 (Pt 11): 3733-3742DOI: 10.1099/ijs.0.068270-0

Hyalachelins A-C, unusual siderophores isolated from the terrestrial myxobacterium Hyalangium minutum

Nadmid S, Plaza A, Lauro G, Garcia R, Bifulco G, Müller R (2014)

Org. Lett. 16 (16): 4130-4133DOI: 10.1021/ol501826a

Cystomanamides: structure and biosynthetic pathway of a family of glycosylated lipopeptides from myxobacteria

Etzbach L, Plaza A, Garcia R, Baumann S, Müller R (2014)

Org. Lett. 16 (9): 2414-2417DOI: 10.1021/ol500779s

Angiolactone, a new Butyrolactone isolated from the terrestrial myxobacterium, Angiococcus sp.

Raju R, Garcia R, Müller R (2014)

J. Antibiot. epub ahead of printDOI: 10.1038/ja.2014.55

Polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis in myxobacteria

Gemperlein K, Rachid S, Garcia R, Wenzel S, Müller R (2014)

Chem. Sci. 5 (5): 1733-1741DOI: 10.1039/C3SC53163E

2013

Jahnellamides, a-keto-ß-methionine-containing peptides from the terrestrial myxobacterium Jahnella sp.: structure and biosynthesis

Plaza A, Viehrig K, Garcia R, Müller R (2013)

Org. Lett. 15 (22): 5882-5885DOI: 10.1021/ol402967y

Microsclerodermins from terrestrial myxobacteria: An intriguing biosynthesis likely connected to a sponge symbiont

Hoffmann T, Müller S, Nadmid S, Garcia R, Müller R (2013)

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 45 (135): 16904-16911DOI: 10.1021/ja4054509

2012

Aetheramides A and B, potent HIV-inhibitory depsipeptides from a myxobacterium of the new genus 'Aetherobacter'

Plaza A, Garcia R, Bifulco G, Martinez J, Hüttel S, Sasse F, Meyerhans A, Stadler M, Müller R (2012)

Org. Lett. 14 (11): 2854-2857DOI: 10.1021/ol3011002

Sandaracinus amylolyticus gen. nov., sp. nov., a starch-degrading soil myxobacterium, and description of Sandaracinaceae fam. nov

Mohr K, Garcia R, Gerth K, Irschik H, Müller R (2012)

Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 62 (Pt 5): 1191-1198DOI: 10.1099/ijs.0.033696-0

2011

Bendigoles D-F, bioactive sterols from the marine sponge-derived Actinomadura sp. SBMs009

Simmons L, Kaufmann K, Garcia R, Schwär G, Huch V, Müller R (2011)

Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 19 (22): 6570-6575DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2011.05.044

A highly conjugated dihydroxylated C28 steroid from a myxobacterium

Gawas D, Garcia R, Huch V, Müller R (2011)

Journal of natural products 74 (5): 1281-1283DOI: 10.1021/np100682c

Fatty acid-related phylogeny of myxobacteria as an approach to discover polyunsaturated omega-3/6 fatty acids

Garcia R, Pistorius D, Stadler M, Müller R (2011)

J. Bacteriol. 193 (8): 1930-1942DOI: 10.1128/JB.01091-10

2010

Production of omega-3 fatty acids by myxobacteria International Patent

Stadler M, Roemer E, Müller R, Garcia R, Pistorius D, Brachmann A (2010)

Patent (International Patent WO 2010/063451 A2)

Expanded phylogeny of myxobacteria and evidence for cultivation of the 'unculturables'

Garcia R, Gerth K, Stadler M, Dogma Jr. I, Müller R (2010)

Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 57 (2): 878-887DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2010.08.028

2009

Phaselicystis flava gen. nov., sp. nov., an arachidonic acid-containing soil myxobacterium, and the description of Phaselicystidaceae fam. nov

Garcia R, Reichenbach H, Ring M, Müller R (2009)

Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 59 (6): 1524-1530DOI: 10.1099/ijs.0.003814-0

2008

Efficient mining of myxobacterial metabolite profiles enabled by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry and compound-based principal component analysis

Krug D, Zurek G, Schneider B, Garcia R, Müller R (2008)

Anal. Chim. Acta 624 (1): 97-106DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2008.06.036