Martin Scheffner's Group (»Add to Infobox)

Internet:  http://www.biologie.uni-konstanz.de/scheffner/i...

General description: The research program of our group focuses on the enzymology of ubiquitination, with a special emphasis on the the role of the ubiquitin-conjugation system in human disease and the mechanisms involved in substrate recognition and polyubiquitin chain formation. As model systems, we study several ubiquitin ligases and Nedd8 ligases that are involved in the regulation of cell regulatory proteins including the tumor suppressor p53 ("mechanism of action", "regulatory principles"). Furthermore, we are involved in studies characterizing the oncogenic activities of the E6 protein of cancer-associated human papillomaviruses and the influence of E6 on the activity of the ubiquitin ligase E6-AP. Role in RUBICON: We will focus mainly on two projects. The first project deals with the mechanisms and cofactors involved in the formation of different polyubiquitin chains and with the identification/characterization of factors that selectively bind to different polyubiquitin chains. In the second project, substrates and modulators of the ubiquitin ligase E6-AP shall be identified at a proteomic level. The Konstanz laboratory provides expertise in the establishment/analysis of in vitro and in cellulo conjugation systems for ubiquitin and Nedd8. In addition, in conjunction with the Dept. of Chemistry, synthetic chemistry is used to generate tools to characterize the biochemical and physiological role of different polyubiquitin chains.

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Scheffner Martin (Principal Investigator / Martin Scheffner's Group)