A5005948644- Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Light effects on plants
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Spaceflight effects on biology
- Plant Molecular Biology Research
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
- Enzyme Structure and Function
- DNA Repair Mechanisms
- Environmental Monitoring and Data Management
- Microtubule and mitosis dynamics
- Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Underwater Vehicles and Communication Systems
- Advanced Computational Techniques and Applications
- Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing
- Philosophy, Science, and History
- Polyamine Metabolism and Applications
- Ubiquitin and proteasome pathways
- Plant and Biological Electrophysiology Studies
- Impact of Light on Environment and Health
- Bioethics and Human Rights Issues
- Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities
- Hemoglobin structure and function
- Plant Reproductive Biology
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
1978-2025
Institute of Molecular Biology
2014-2023
Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry
2012-2014
Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich
2013-2014
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
2013-2014
Novo Nordisk (Denmark)
2012
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology
2002-2011
Max Planck Society
2001-2011
Max Planck Institute for Medical Research
2004
Rockefeller University
1998-2002
A method is presented that predicts coiled-coil domains in protein sequences by using pairwise residue correlations obtained from a (two-stranded) database of 58,217 amino acid residues. program called PAIRCOIL implements this and significantly better than existing methods at distinguishing coiled coils alpha-helices are not coils. The suggests structural features stabilize or destabilize
Cryptochromes are flavoproteins that evolutionary related to the DNA photolyases but lack repair activity. Drosophila cryptochrome (dCRY) is a blue light photoreceptor involved in synchronization of circadian clock with environmental light-dark cycle. Until now, spectroscopic and structural studies on this other animal cryptochromes have largely been hampered by difficulties their recombinant expression. We therefore established an expression purification scheme enables us purify mg amounts...
Cryptochromes are a class of flavoprotein blue-light signaling receptors found in plants, animals, and humans that control plant development the entrainment circadian rhythms. In cryptochromes, light activation is proposed to result from photoreduction protein-bound flavin chromophore through intramolecular electron transfer. However, although similar structure light-response mechanism animal cryptochromes remains entirely unknown. To complicate matters further, there currently debate on...
Summary The clock‐regulated RNA‐binding protein At GRP7 ( Arabidopsis thaliana glycine‐rich protein) influences circadian oscillations of its transcript by negative feedback at the post‐transcriptional level. Here we show that site‐specific mutation one conserved arginine to glutamine within RNA recognition motif impairs binding recombinant pre‐mRNA in vitro . This correlates with loss auto‐regulation vivo : transgenic plants constitutively overexpressing GRP7‐ox), a shift occurs an...
The vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) is a key regulator of actin dynamics. We have determined the 1.3-Å resolution crystal structure 45-residue-long tetramerization domain (TD) from human VASP. This forms right-handed α-helical coiled-coil with similar degree supercoiling as found in widespread left-handed coiled coils heptad repeats. basis for geometry VASP TD 15-residue repeat its amino acid sequence, which reveals characteristic pattern hydrophobic residues. Hydrophobic...
Abstract The recently identified p47 GTPases are one of the most effective cell-autonomous resistance systems known against intracellular pathogens in mouse. One member family, LRG-47, has been shown to be essential for immune control vivo Listeria monocytogenes, Toxoplasma gondii, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and avium, possibly by promoting acidification phagosome. However, localization nature its association with phagosomal or any other membrane system is unknown. In this study, we show...
PERIOD proteins are central components of the Drosophila and mammalian circadian clocks. The crystal structure a (dPER) fragment comprising two PER-ARNT-SIM (PAS) domains (PAS-A PAS-B) additional C-terminal α-helices (αE αF) has revealed homodimer mediated by intermolecular interactions PAS-A with tryptophane 482 in PAS-B helix αF. Here we present monomeric PAS domain dPER lacking αF helix. Moreover, have solved mouse homologue mPER2. mPER2 shows different dimer interface than dPER, which is...
The three PERIOD homologues mPER1, mPER2, and mPER3 constitute central components of the mammalian circadian clock. They contain two PAS (PER-ARNT-SIM) domains (PAS-A PAS-B), which mediate homo- heterodimeric mPER-mPER interactions as well with transcription factors kinases. Here we present crystal structures domain fragments mPER1 compare them previously reported mPER2 structure. reveal homodimers, are mediated by PAS-B β-sheet surface including a highly conserved tryptophan (Trp448 ,...
Many species synchronize their physiology and behavior to specific hours. It is commonly assumed that sunlight acts as the main entrainment signal for ∼24-h clocks. However, moon provides similarly regular time information. Consistently, a growing number of studies have reported correlations between diel lunidian cycles. Yet, mechanistic insight into possible influences on timers remains scarce. We explored marine bristleworm Platynereis dumerilii investigate role moonlight in timing daily...
The moon's monthly cycle synchronizes reproduction in countless marine organisms. mass-spawning bristle worm Platynereis dumerilii uses an endogenous oscillator set by full moon to phase specific days. But how do organisms recognize phases? We uncover that the light receptor L-Cryptochrome (L-Cry) discriminates between different moonlight durations, as well sun- and moonlight. A biochemical characterization of purified L-Cry protein, exposed naturalistic or moonlight, reveals formation...
Abstract Members of the phage shock protein A (PspA) family, including inner membrane-associated 30 kDa (IM30), are suggested to stabilize stressed cellular membranes. Furthermore, IM30 is essential in thylakoid membrane-containing chloroplasts and cyanobacteria, where it involved membrane biogenesis and/or remodeling. While well known that PspA bind membranes, mechanism stabilization still enigmatic. Here we report ring-shaped super-complexes disassemble on resulting formation a...
Chronobiology investigations have revealed much about cellular and physiological clockworks but we are far from having a complete mechanistic understanding of the ecological implications. Here present some unresolved questions in circadian biology research as posed by editorial staff guest contributors to Journal Circadian Rhythms. This collection ideas is not meant be comprehensive does reveal breadth our observations on emerging trends chronobiology biology. It amazing what could achieved...