GRK 1422:  Metal Sites in Biomolecules: Structures, Regulation and Mechanisms

• Subject Area: Biological Chemistry and Food Chemistry ; Basic Research in Biology and Medicine
• Term: from 2006 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 20170465

The International Research Training Group is located at the interface of chemistry and biology, dealing with the role of metal ions in biological systems. It is estimated that over one third of all proteins contain at least one metal ion as essential prosthetic group, and it is well recognised that those metallobiomolecules are of key importance for a large number of biological processes and phenomena, including enzymatic catalysis, electron transfer, regulation of protein expression, cell signalling, etc. A detailed understanding of the molecular structures of metalloproteins as well as their functional regulation and mechanisms is not only of fundamental interest, but offers great potential for applications in related disciplines such as medical sciences and environmental chemistry. In particular, knowledge about the functional principles of metalloproteins may pave the way for the development of new bioinspired catalysts, since metalloenzymes are capable of carrying out energetically difficult chemical transformations (such as the fixation of dinitrogen to ammonia or the oxidation of methane to methanol) under mild and environmentally safe conditions.
The International Research Training Group involves seven research groups from Göttingen and Lund. It brings together expertise and skills from chemists, biologists and biophysicists with complementary experimental and theoretical approaches. Such cross-discplinary collaboration is advantageous for a comprehensive investigation of metallobiosites and for cutting-edge research in the biometals field. The International Research Training Group provides a stimulating environment for young researchers, and it offers a high-level teaching programme that enables the PhD students to tackle their specific scientific objectives - these objectives may comprise the preparation and identification of metalloproteins, their functional analysis and modification, and their chemical emulation via chemical synthesis for applications in bioinspired catalysis. Both graduate training and research are highly intertwined between the groups in Lund and Göttingen, including joint workshops and an active exchange programme for the PhD students.

• DFG Programme: International Research Training Groups
• International Connection: Denmark, Sweden
• Applicant Institution: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
• IRTG-Partner Institution: Lunds Universitet
• Cooperation Partners: Professor Dr. Salam Al-Karadaghi; Professorin Dr. Sofi Elmroth; Professor Dr. Mats Hansson, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Derek Logan; Professor Dr. Ulf Ryde; Professorin Dr. Marjolein Thunnissen
• Participating Researchers: Professorin Dr. Marina Bennati; Professor Dr. Guido Clever; Professor Dr. Ivo Feußner; Professorin Dr. Claudia Höbartner; Professor Dr. Ricardo Mata; Professor Dr. Franc Meyer; Professor Dr. Kai Tittmann; Professor Dr. Oliver S. Wenger
• IRTG-Partner: Spokesperson: Professor Ebbe Nordlander
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Ulf Diederichsen (†)