Servicenavigation

Project Details

Back

Projekt Print View

SFB 613:  Physics of Single-Molecule Processes and of Molecular Recognition in Organic Systems

Subject Area Physics
Biology
Chemistry
Term from 2002 to 2012
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5485220
 
This research project with interdisciplinary emphasis was initiated to identify and investigate the physical mechanisms which control single-molecule processes in complex organic-chemical and biological molecular systems. This question embraces a complex of problems: molecular structure and functionality, dynamics, the influence of the surroundings on single-molecule processes and the overriding structure formation. Here it is molecular recognition that forms a central principle: a selective, highly specific interaction between molecular species. It enables selection and functionality though recognition of spatial and chemical patterns and can hence be seen as a basis for self-organisation and structure formation. This principle of specific selection, so extremely successful in nature, is based on a combination of a finite number of initially unspecific non-covalent physical interactions which on account of their spatial layout and chemical structure allow specificity, selectiveness and diversity. Examples of such are the regular layout of the S-layer proteins which form the cell cover in bacteria, the V-ATPase-membrane proteins responsible for the transport of protons through membrane or the sequence-specific compounding of proteins to DNA responsible for the regulation of genes. Although such systems have already been investigated physiologically, bio-chemically or molecular-genetically and a picture already exists for the biological function, we are still very far from understanding the molecular interaction mechanisms which play the underlying part in these processes or the overriding principles for structure formation. The objective of this research programme is the more precise investigation of this molecular principle in organic and bioorganic systems by applying a wide range of physical methods: The main emphasis lies on the investigation of specific interactions in DNA-protein-, protein-protein and special organic supra-molecular molecule systems with selective recognition motives and switching molecular compounds. The term ‘single-molecule process’ refers to the immobilised molecule systems which are free in solution, in a cell or on a surface.
DFG Programme Collaborative Research Centres

Completed projects

Applicant Institution Universität Bielefeld
 
 

Additional Information

© 2024 DFG Disclaimer / Copyright / Privacy Policy

Textvergrößerung und Kontrastanpassung