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Staff photo Felipe Cava

Felipe Cava

I am a group leader at MIMS and researching the cell walls of bacteria.

I am Director of Umeå Hypoxic Research Facility, UHRF.

Educational qualifications: Recognised university teacher

Contact

E-mail
felipe.cava@umu.se
Phone
+46 90 786 94 96, +46 90 785 67 55

Works as

Affiliation
Professor at Department of Molecular Biology Section: Research group Felipe Cava
Location
6K och 6L, Sjukhusområdet Umeå universitet, 901 87 Umeå SE
Affiliation
Professor at Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS) Section: Research groups
Location
6L, Institutionen för molekylärbiologi Institutionen för molekylärbiologi, 90187 Umeå SE

The Cava lab aims at deciphering new knowledge on one of the most remarkable structures of bacteria – their cell wall – both to provide answers to scientific fundamental questions and to improve our options to combat long-standing and emerging infectious diseases.

We have launched an integrative research program to uncover and exploit the unnoticed variability of the bacterial cell wall. This investigation is imperative for a realistic understanding of cell wall biology in nature, in particular its role in environmental adaptation and signaling.

More information about projects, publications, and open positions in my group

I am also affiliated researcher at Icelab at Umeå University

Mutation of lipoprotein processing pathway gene lspA or inhibition of LspA activity by globomycin increases MRSA resistance to β-lactam antibiotics
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, American Society for Microbiology 2026, Vol. 70, (2)
Fingleton, Claire; Zeden, Merve S.; Bueno, Emilio; et al.
Functional characterization of the polar organizer protein FimV in Pseudomonas putida
Journal of Bacteriology, American Society for Microbiology 2026, Vol. 208, (2)
Schmidt, Lisa Marie; Pulido-Sánchez, Marta; Treuner-Lange, Anke; et al.
Statin-induced lipid carrier stress reveals a conserved vulnerability in β-lactam-resistant Gram-positive bacteria
Nature Communications, Nature Portfolio 2026, Vol. 17, (1)
Torrens, Gabriel; Bisset, Sean; López-Bravo, Maria; et al.
A metabolite morphogen coordinates multicellular development in Bacillus subtilis
Science Advances, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2026, Vol. 12, (32)
Updegrove, Taylor B.; Pande, Vani; She, Fukang; et al.
LD-transpeptidation in bacterial cell walls: biochemical principles and functional diversity
Microbiology and molecular biology reviews
Walenkiewicz, Barbara; Alvarez, Laura; Cava, Felipe
SpoIIIL is a forespore factor required for efficient cell-cell signalling during Bacillus subtilis sporulation
PLOS Genetics, Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025, Vol. 21, (7)
Angeles, Danae Morales; Coleman, Kaitlyn; Odika, Chimezie Progress; et al.
Activation of the ChvG–ChvI pathway promotes survival during cell wall stress in Agrobacterium tumefaciens
Molecular Biology of the Cell, American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) 2025, Vol. 36, (7)
Bouchier, Jacob M.; Knebel, Emily; Amstutz, Jennifer; et al.
Bacterial peptidoglycan recycling
Trends in Microbiology, Elsevier 2025, Vol. 33, (3) : 340-353
Gilmore, Michael C.; Cava, Felipe
Disruption of undecaprenyl phosphate recycling suppresses ampC beta-lactamase induction in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
PLoS Pathogens, Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025, Vol. 21, (10)
Klycheva, Karina; Gyger, Joël; Frund, Mélissa; et al.
Deficiency in peptidoglycan recycling promotes β-lactam sensitivity in Caulobacter crescentus
mBio, American Society for Microbiology 2025, Vol. 16, (4)
Modi, Malvika; Chauhan, Deepika; Gilmore, Michael C.; et al.
Salmonella encodes murein lipoproteins differing in the anchoring to peptidoglycan and intermolecular association
Cell Surface, Elsevier 2025, Vol. 14
Peñalver, Marcos; Cestero, Juan J.; Paradela, Alberto; et al.
Spatial, temporal and numerical regulation of polar flagella assembly in Pseudomonas putida
Microbiological Research, Elsevier 2025, Vol. 292
Pulido-Sánchez, Marta; Leal-Morales, Antonio; López-Sánchez, Aroa; et al.
Maintenance of cell wall remodeling and vesicle production are connected in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
eLIFE, eLife Sciences Publications Ltd 2025, Vol. 13
Salgueiro-Toledo, Vivian C.; Bertol, Jorge; Gutierrez, Claude; et al.
Genome-scale resources in the infant gut symbiont Bifidobacterium breve reveal genetic determinants of colonization and host-microbe interactions
Cell, Cell Press 2025, Vol. 188, (7) : 2003-2021.e19
Shiver, Anthony L.; Sun, Jiawei; Culver, Rebecca; et al.
Bacteria use exogenous peptidoglycan as a danger signal to trigger biofilm formation
Nature Microbiology, Springer Nature 2025, Vol. 10, (1) : 144-157
Vaidya, Sanika; Saha, Dibya; Rode, Daniel K. H.; et al.
Evolutionary rescue of spherical mreB deletion mutants of the rod-shape bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25
eLIFE, eLife Sciences Publications Ltd 2025, Vol. 13
Yulo, Paul Richard J.; Desprat, Nicolas; Gerth, Monica L.; et al.
Streptomyces uses both polar and dispersed cell wall synthesis during exploratory growth
Nature Microbiology, Nature Publishing Group 2025, Vol. 10, (9) : 2245-2256
Zambri, Matthew P.; Baglio, Christine R.; Irazoki, Oihane; et al.
LD-transpeptidation is crucial for fitness and polar growth in Agrobacterium tumefaciens
PLOS Genetics, Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2024, Vol. 20, (10)
Aliashkevich, Alena; Guest, Thomas; Alvarez, Laura; et al.
Control of bacterial cell wall autolysins by peptidoglycan crosslinking mode
Nature Communications, Springer Nature 2024, Vol. 15, (1)
Alvarez, Laura; Hernandez, Sara B.; Torrens, Gabriel; et al.
Bacterial spore surface nanoenvironment requires a AAA+ ATPase to promote MurG function
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 2024, Vol. 121, (43)
Delerue, Thomas; Updegrove, Taylor B.; Chareyre, Sylvia; et al.
A distinctive family of L,D-transpeptidases catalyzing L-Ala-mDAP crosslinks in Alpha- and Betaproteobacteria
Nature Communications, Springer Nature 2024, Vol. 15, (1)
Espaillat, Akbar; Alvarez, Laura; Torrens, Gabriel; et al.
A peptidoglycan N-deacetylase specific for anhydroMurNAc chain termini in Agrobacterium tumefaciens
Journal of Biological Chemistry, Elsevier 2024, Vol. 300, (2)
Gilmore, Michael C.; Yadav, Akhilesh K.; Espaillat, Akbar; et al.
A potential space-making role in cell wall biogenesis for SltB1and DacB revealed by a beta-lactamase induction phenotype in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
mBio, American Society for Microbiology 2024, Vol. 15, (7)
Gyger, Joël; Torrens, Gabriel; Cava, Felipe; et al.
Genetic interaction mapping reveals functional relationships between peptidoglycan endopeptidases and carboxypeptidases
PLOS Genetics, Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2024, Vol. 20, (4)
Obando, Manuela Alvarado; Rey-Varela, Diego; Cava, Felipe; et al.
A dispensable SepIVA orthologue in Streptomyces venezuelae is associated with polar growth and not cell division
BMC Microbiology, BioMed Central (BMC) 2024, Vol. 24, (1)
Sen, Beer Chakra; Mavi, Parminder Singh; Irazoki, Oihane; et al.
Escherichia coli CadB is capable of promiscuously transporting muropeptides and contributing to peptidoglycan recycling
Journal of Bacteriology, American Society for Microbiology 2024, Vol. 206, (1)
Simpson, Brent W.; Gilmore, Michael C.; McLean, Amanda Briann; et al.
Breaking barriers: pCF10 type 4 secretion system relies on a self-regulating muramidase to modulate the cell wall
mBio, American Society for Microbiology 2024, Vol. 15, (8)
Sun, Wei-Sheng; Torrens, Gabriel; ter Beek, Josy; et al.
Mechanisms conferring bacterial cell wall variability and adaptivity
Biochemical Society Transactions, Portland Press 2024, Vol. 52, (5) : 1981-1993
Torrens, Gabriel; Cava, Felipe
Flotillin-mediated stabilization of unfolded proteins in bacterial membrane microdomains
Nature Communications, Springer Nature 2024, Vol. 15, (1)
Ukleja, Marta; Kricks, Lara; Torrens, Gabriel; et al.
Identification of genes required for long-term survival of Legionella Pneumophila in water
mSphere, Washington: American Society for Microbiology 2023, Vol. 8, (2)
Aurass, Philipp; Kim, Seongok; Pinedo, Victor; et al.
Peptidoglycan deacetylation controls type IV secretion and the intracellular survival of the bacterial pathogen Legionella pneumophila
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 2023, Vol. 120, (23)
Boamah, David; Gilmore, Michael C.; Bourget, Sarah; et al.
EstG is a novel esterase required for cell envelope integrity in Caulobacter
Current Biology, Cell Press 2023, Vol. 33, (2) : 228-240.e7
Daitch, Allison K.; Orsburn, Benjamin C.; Chen, Zan; et al.
Quantitative analysis of morphogenesis and growth dynamics in an obligate intracellular bacterium
Molecular Biology of the Cell, American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) 2023, Vol. 34, (7)
Figueroa-Cuilan, Wanda M.; Irazoki, Oihane; Feeley, Marissa; et al.
Staphylococcus aureus susceptibility to complestatin and corbomycin depends on the VraSR two-component system
Microbiology Spectrum, American Society for Microbiology 2023, Vol. 11, (5)
Gómez-Arrebola, Carmen; Hernandez, Sara B.; Culp, Elizabeth J.; et al.
D-amino acids signal a stress-dependent run-away response in Vibrio cholerae
Nature Microbiology, Springer Nature 2023, Vol. 8, (8) : 1549-1560
Irazoki, Oihane; ter Beek, Josy; Alvarez, Laura; et al.
MacP bypass variants of Streptococcus pneumoniae PBP2a suggest a conserved mechanism for the activation of bifunctional cell wall synthases
mBio, American Society for Microbiology 2023, Vol. 14, (6)
Midonet, Caroline; Bisset, Sean; Shlosman, Irina; et al.
Escherichia coli utilizes multiple peptidoglycan recycling permeases with distinct strategies of recycling
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 2023, Vol. 120, (44)
Simpson, Brent W.; Gilmore, Michael C.; McLean, Amanda Briann; et al.
Undecaprenyl phosphate translocases confer conditional microbial fitness
Nature, Springer Nature 2023, Vol. 613, (7945) : 721-728
Sit, Brandon; Srisuknimit, Veerasak; Bueno, Emilio; et al.
At-home sampling to meet geographical challenges for serological assessment of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in a rural region of northern Sweden, March to May 2021: a retrospective cohort study
Eurosurveillance, European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) 2023, Vol. 28, (13)
Wigren, Julia; Vikström, Linnea; Rosendal, Ebba; et al.
Metabolic reprogramming and altered cell envelope characteristics in a pentose phosphate pathway mutant increases MRSA resistance to β-lactam antibiotics
PLoS Pathogens, Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023, Vol. 19, (7)
Zeden, Merve S.; Gallagher, Laura A.; Bueno, Emilio; et al.
LD-transpeptidases: the great unknown among the peptidoglycan cross-linkers
The FEBS Journal, John Wiley & Sons 2022, Vol. 289, (16) : 4718-4730
Aliashkevich, Alena; Cava, Felipe
Transient glycolytic complexation of arsenate enhances resistance in the enteropathogen Vibrio cholerae
mBio, American Society for Microbiology 2022, Vol. 13, (5)
Bueno, Emilio; Pinedo, Victor; Shinde, Dhananjay D.; et al.
Genetic screens identify additional genes implicated in envelope remodeling during the engulfment stage of bacillus subtilis sporulation
mBio, American Society for Microbiology 2022, Vol. 13, (5)
Chan, Helena; Taib, Najwa; Gilmore, Michael C.; et al.
Bacterial developmental checkpoint that directly monitors cell surface morphogenesis
Developmental Cell, Elsevier 2022, Vol. 57, (3) : 344-360
Delerue, Thomas; Anantharaman, Vivek; Gilmore, Michael C.; et al.
Induction of AmpC-Mediated β-Lactam resistance requires a single lytic transglycosylase in agrobacterium tumefaciens
Applied and Environmental Microbiology, American Society for Microbiology 2022, Vol. 88, (12)
Figueroa-Cuilan, Wanda M.; Howell, Matthew; Richards, Christopher; et al.
Hydroxyl Radical Overproduction in the Envelope: An Achilles' Heel in Peptidoglycan Synthesis
Microbiology Spectrum, American Society for Microbiology 2022, Vol. 10, (1)
Giacomucci, Sean; Alvarez, Laura; Rodrigues, Christopher D.A.; et al.
Peptidoglycan recycling mediated by an ABC transporter in the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens
Nature Communications, Nature Publishing Group 2022, Vol. 13, (1)
Gilmore, Michael C.; Cava, Felipe
Peptidoglycan editing in non-proliferating intracellular Salmonella as source of interference with immune signaling
PLoS Pathogens, Public Library of Science 2022, Vol. 18, (1)
Hernández, Sara B.; Castanheira, Sónia; Graciela Pucciarelli, M.; et al.
Brucella melitensis Wzm/Wzt System: Changes in the Bacterial Envelope Lead to Improved Rev1Δwzm Vaccine Properties
Frontiers in Microbiology, Frontiers Media S.A. 2022, Vol. 13
Mena-Bueno, Sara; Poveda-Urkixo, Irati; Irazoki, Oihane; et al.
Evolution of longitudinal division in multicellular bacteria of the Neisseriaceae family
Nature Communications, Springer Nature 2022, Vol. 13, (1)
Nyongesa, Sammy; Weber, Philipp M.; Bernet, Ève; et al.
View publications in DiVA

Research groups

Head of research
Felipe Cava Lab

Research projects

1 September 2022
Should I stay or should I go? How Vibrio cholerae controls biofilm dispersal
Published: 10 Sep, 2026
Published: 09 Jun, 2026
Published: 06 May, 2026
Published: 26 Sep, 2024
Published: 26 Mar, 2024
Published: 19 Feb, 2024
Published: 23 Nov, 2023
Published: 20 Nov, 2023
Published: 02 Nov, 2023
Published: 26 Jun, 2023
Published: 04 Apr, 2023
Published: 29 Mar, 2023
Published: 10 Feb, 2023
Published: 25 Jan, 2023
Published: 02 Dec, 2022
Published: 07 Oct, 2022
Published: 18 May, 2020
Published: 14 May, 2019
Published: 14 Sep, 2018
Porträtt på Felipe Cava, universitetslektor vid Institutionen för molekylärbiologi, Umeå universitet.
The aim is to develop new antibiotics

Felipe Cava wants to learn more about the small and complex microbes.