Structural Studies on Adipokines and Other Proteins Related to Obesity (C04+)

• Subject Area: Biochemistry
• Term: from 2013 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 209933838

This projects aims to characterize the molecular function of adipokines in obesity. The crystal structures of several proteins related to obesity will be determined in order to identify inhibitors and to clarify the function of these proteins in obesity. For chemerin, the spatial structure of the protein and the proform (prochemerin) shall be determined in project C4 to understand the molecular basis of the activation of this ligand of the chemerin receptor by proteolytic cleavage of the C-terminus of prochemerin. To characterize DLK1 as a non-canonical ligand of the Notch1 receptor, C4 will produce various constructs of the EGF repeats in the ectodomains of ligand and receptor and determine their binding affinity and the crystal structure of a complex.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1052: Obesity Mechanisms
• Applicant Institution: Universität Leipzig
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Norbert Sträter