Max-Planck-Gesellschaft Minerva
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Transmembrane Signal Transduction

Group Leader: Murray Coles

NMR spectroscopy is a powerful tool for examining the structure, dynamics and interactions of biological macromolecules in solution. The NMR spectroscopy group is part of the wider structural biology platform within the Department of Protein Evolution, and is involved in several projects investigating protein structure and function. Several projects study the evolution of complex protein folds from simpler peptide units.

Protein Folding, Unfolding and Degradation

Group Leader: Jörg Martin

Folding, unfolding and degradation of proteins is mediated by complex macromolecular assemblies in the cell. We investigate the structure, function and evolution of these nanomachines.

Conservation of Protein Structure and Function

Group Leader: Birte Hernandez

We use various biochemical, biophysical and microbiological techniques to explore conserved structural characteristics of proteins and their importance for function, by going from prokaryotes to eukaryotes.

Molecular Recognition and Catalysis

Group Leader: Marcus Hartmann

We employ classical biochemistry, X-ray crystallography and spectroscopic approaches to study biomolecular interactions in contexts ranging from enzymatic catalysis to macromolecular complexes.

Protein Bioinformatics

Group Leader: Vikram Alva

We use bioinformatic approaches to elucidate the structure, function, and evolution of proteins.

RNA Biology and Translational Control

Group Leader: Cátia Igreja

We are interested in how different protein complexes assemble and operate in the regulation of translation, particularly at the initiation step.

Retrotransposition and Regulatory RNAs

Group Leader: Oliver Weichenrieder

We study the molecular basis of cellular processes that are mediated by RNA. Our focus is on molecular parasites in the human genome (LINE-1 and Alu retrotransposons) and on the regulation of mRNA degradation. We use x-ray crystallography together with biochemical approaches and cell-based assays.

Host Phenotype Effects of Heritable Gut Microbiota

Group Leader: Jillian Waters

We study the relationship between humans and their gut microbiota by focusing on associations between specific microbes that are under the influence of host genetics (i.e., heritable microbes) and their effect on host weight, adiposity, and other health-associated phenotypes. We are interested in the mechanisms underlying the associations between host phenotype and the ecology of heritable microbes.

Ecology and Evolution of Host-Associated Methanogens

Group Leader: Nicholas Youngblut

Methanogenic archaea inhabiting the gut are under the influence of host genetics (i.e., they are heritable) and are also associated with host metabolism and other health-associated phenotypes. We are interested in the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying these associations.

Evolutionary Genomics and Bioinformatics

Group Leader: Christian Rödelsperger

Our group is analyzing large-scale sequencing data for finding the genetic basis for various traits and to characterize general patterns of genome evolution in nematodes.

Parasitic Nematodes

Group Leader: Adrian Streit

We combine molecular and genetic approaches to study life history switches and reproductive strategies in parasitic nematodes of the genera Strongyloides and Onchocerca.

Entomo-Nematology

Group Leader: Matthias Herrmann

Nematode biology, phylogeny and ecology: Being convinced that environments shape genomes we hope that the study of ecology, behaviour, interactions and relationships of nematodes in nature will explain many results molecular biology provided already but could not be explained so far.

Reproductive isolation and speciation in the brown algae

Group Leader: Aga Lipinska

We use molecular, genetic and bioinformatic approaches to study the genomic barriers to reproduction in brown algae, with a specific focus on the role of sex chromosomes.

Fertilization and Embryogenesis in Plants

Group Leader: Martin Bayer

Our group is interested in signaling pathways that link fertilization with the onset of embryogenesis in plants. We are focusing on factors provided by the male gametophyte that play an important role in gamete interaction and early embryogenesis.

Computational Biology

Group Leader: Hajk-Georg Drost

We use a comparative approach to study the evolution of gene regulation and aim to associate gene regulatory changes with the adaptive evolution of complex traits.

Ecological Genetics

Group Leader: Rebecca Schwab

We study spatio-temporal dynamics of plant disease resistance, and investigate the molecular evolution of the genes involved.