FORTSCHRITTSBERICHT JAHR 2006 - Helmholtz-Zentrum für ...

A 1.8.5 Structural Biology (SB)
Head of Division: Prof Dr. Dirk Heinz
54
Fortschrittsbericht 2006 HZI
Division of Structural Biology
Head: Prof Dr. Dirk Heinz
The Division of Structural Biology is focusing on the structural analysis of biomacromolecules
and small molecules using X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance
spectroscopy (NMR), mass spectrometry and protein sequencing. The main focus of the
group is on bacterial and viral virulence factors and their interacting cellular receptors. Examples
for structural protein determinations are PrFA, the principal transcriptional regulator for
virulence factors of L. monocytogenes and the M. tuberculosis thiol peroxidase Tpx.
RG Biophysical Analysis (BA)
Head: Dr. Victor Wray
This platform represents a central facility for determining the three dimensional structure of
all types of natural products and is equipped to carry out mass spectrometry (MS), nuclear
magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), X-ray crystallography, protein sequencing, electron
microscopy and confocal laser microscopy.
RG Molecular Host Pathogen Interactions (MHPI)
Head: Dr. Wolf-Dieter Schubert
This group aims at an understanding of the host-pathogen-interaction at the atomic level that
provides details for new approaches to specifically interfere with the infection processes. The
3D-structures of relevant proteins and their complexes are determined using X-ray crystallography
and NMR spectroscopy. The major focus of the project activities currently lies in the
structural investigation of the host innate immune reponse to bacterial challenges as well as
Pseudomonas quorum sensing proteins.
A 1.8.6 Medicinal Chemistry (MCH)
Head of Department: Prof. Dr. Markus Kalesse
Dept. Medicinal Chemistry (MCH)
Head: Prof. Dr. Markus Kalesse
Besides the more classical fields as isolation and structure elucidation, a special focus in this
group is placed on efficient and selective synthesis of biologically important natural products.
Synthesis of natural products is performed to unravel essential pharmaceutical subunits and to
gain insight into the structure-function relationships. In this context, the group has synthesized
the natural compounds Ratjadone and Callystatin and its derivatives to analyse their mode of
action.