GRK 2937:  Nucleotide Metabolism in Microbes

• Subject Area: Microbiology, Virology and Immunology
• Term: since 2023
• Website: Homepage
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 505997786

Nucleotides are at the heart of cellular life in all domains of life, and have key roles in metabolism and the formation of subcellular structures as well as in regulation of cellular processes. Therefore, understanding nucleotide-related processes is of immense importance for a fundamental understanding of core cellular functions, and is becoming increasingly relevant for applications in medicine and biotechnology. However, despite decades of inten-sive research, their biology remains incompletely understood. In the proposed research training group (RTG) „Nucleotide Metabolism in Microbes”, “MiNu”, eleven research groups from Marburg investigate central aspects in the biology of nucleotides, with a focus on nucleotide-mediated RNA and protein modifications, synthesis of nucleotide-derived signaling molecules, turnover and dynamics of polynucleotides, as well nucleotide-depen¬dent protein regulation. These topics are studied in various microbial species to reveal both con¬served principles and species-specific adaptations in nucleotide-related pathways. The consortium is multidisciplinary, including molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, biological chemistry and bioinformatics. Its broad expertise enables the study of nucleotide functions at different levels, ranging from the atomic structure of enzymes over the biological activities and diffusional dynamics of proteins and nucleotides to enzyme evolution and the rational design of nucleotide inhibitors. Research in MiNu is facilitated by cutting-edge technologies, such as cryo-electron microscopy, X-ray crystallo¬graphy, super-resolution and single-particle fluores-cence imaging, and state-of-the-art molecular interaction analyses, and RNA sequencing.MiNu thus offers cutting edge research and a technological and methodological scope that is ideally suited for scientific excellence training of doc¬toral and postdoctoral researchers (ECRs), in one of the largest microbial research communities worldwide. Training of ECRs in MiNu will foster advancement of its timely research field in academia and beyond. A central goal of MiNu is to promote the development of ECRs into mature, critically thinking and independent scientists, ready to take the next step of their professional career. MiNu’s comprehensive doctoral training program will feature workshops, seminars, lectures, retreats, laboratory exchanges, and thesis advisory committees. It will foster self-motivated knowledge exchange and guarantee an in-depth scientific education and mentoring by senior scientists. MiNu will involve biotechnology industry partners in its training activities and will be embedded in the overarching graduate training network of the University of Marburg offering transferable and soft skill training. Together with excellent university structures to support international ECRs, gender equality and family-friendliness, this comprehensive training network will qualify for future careers in and outside academia.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Philipps-Universität Marburg
• Participating Institution: Max-Planck-Institut für terrestrische Mikrobiologie
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Peter Graumann
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Gert Bange; Professorin Dr. Anke Becker; Dr. Patricia Bedrunka; Professor Dr. Lars-Oliver Essen; Dr. Katharina Höfer; Dr. Marcus Lechner; Professor Dr. Lennart Randau; Dr. Jan Michael Schuller; Professor Dr. Martin Rudolf Thanbichler; Professorin Dr. Olalla Vazquez