Bacteria use specific signaling nucleotides as second messengers to adapt their cellular activities to changing environmental conditions. Among all known second messengers, cyclic di-AMP is unique as it is essential in the Gram-positive model organism Bacillus subtilis and in related pathogenic bacteria. Several protein and RNA targets for c-di-AMP have been identified. We have demonstrated that the control of potassium homeostasis is the essential function of c-di-AMP.

In this project, we want to unravel the mechanistic details of c-di-AMP action as well as the so far unknown functions of the target proteins that are not directly involved in potassium homeostasis.