GRK 541:  Protein Function at the Atomic Level

• Subject Area: Basic Research in Biology and Medicine
• Term: from 1999 to 2005
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 272835

In order to understand the function of proteins, their analysis has toadvance to the atomic level. Until to date functions at the atomic level have only been elucidated for several model proteins. Nowadays the modern methods of molecular biology and biochemistry as well as the refined spectroscopies allow to tackle this problem on a much broader aspect. After establishing X-ray crystallography in Marburg, all methods for the production, purification and analysis of proteins are available in the Philipps-Universität and the Max-Planck-Institut für terrestrische Mikrobiologie. Following topics will be pursued:-- One and two electron transfer enzymes-- Hydrolases and synthetases-- Transport and receptor proteins-- Nucleic acid binding proteinsIt is the aim of the research training group to give the Ph. D. students a broad and intensive training in this field. Therefore workshops on special methods, seminars by the Ph. D. students on their own work and on topics from the literature as well as colloquia by guest scientists will be held and the attendance of international meetings and workshops will be encouraged and financed. The research training group, which is advertised nation-wide, only takes young and excellent students, which required not more than 11 semesters to get their diploma. A special certificate will acknowledge the successful participation in the research training group, which usually ends after three years with a Ph. D. (disputation).

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Philipps-Universität Marburg
• Participating Institution: Max-Planck-Institut für terrestrische Mikrobiologie
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Wolfgang Buckel
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Alfred Batschauer; Professor Dr. Erhard Bremer; Professor Dr. Thomas Carell; Professor Dr. Lars-Oliver Essen; Professor Dr. Wolfgang Garten; Privatdozent Dr. Reiner Hedderich; Professor Dr. Gerhard Klebe; Professor Dr. Monika Johanna Löffler; Professor Dr. Mohamed A. Marahiel; Professor Dr. Edmund Maser; Professor Dr. Klaus Reuter; Professor Dr. Klaus-Heinrich Röhm; Professor Dr. Lutz Schmitt; Dr. Thorsten Selmer; Professor Dr. Milton T. Stubbs; Professor Dr. Robert Tampé; Professor Dr. Thomas Thauer; Professor Dr. Uwe Völker