Research Topics: Group Becker
Synthesis and Semisynthesis of (Membrane-) proteins with selective modifications
- Access to proteins with rare or/and multiple postranslational modifications
- Investigating the impact of these modifications on folding, function and in diseases
- Extending the Frontiers of chemical protein synthesis to obtain larger, homogenously modified proteins
- Stabilization of proteins to create new basic structures for peptide and protein based therapheutics und diagnostics
Schematic illustration of a native chemical ligation (NCL) in which synthetic and/or recombinantly expressed peptide fragments are connected to each other
Example of a molecule which was generated by NCL: Prion proteins (PrP) are attached to the cell membrane via GPI anchors. PrP is involved in the formation of neurodegenerative diseases
Aggregation of Tau proteins is involved in the formation of neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. Alzheimer). The illustration shows that a modified Tau protein (generated by semisynthesis) has an altered aggregation behavior.
Cover Picture: Impaired Chaperone Activity of Human Heat Shock Protein Hsp27 Site-Specifically Modified with Argpyrimidine (M. Matveenko 2016)
Immobilization of functional proteins
- Attachment of Biopolymers and incorporation of postranslational modifications to immobilize functional proteins inside and on the surface of silica particles
- Optimization of the properties of silica particels for different requirements like targeted drug delivery or to enhance the immune response of vaccines
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) image of Nanoparticles, which have been generated by silica precipitation
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) image of Nanoparticles, which have been generated by silica precipitation
Nanodiscs are used to incorporate Membrane Proteins into Nanoparticles: Phospholipids and MSP proteins stabilize the membrane protein. The R5 silica precipitating peptide (yellow) which is attached to MSP is required to incorporate the Nano Disc into particles
The project "SILAVAC" is focused on the development of potential vaccine enhancers from proteins of the marine diatom
Synthetic Immune Stimulators for the targeted Immune therapy
- Production of synthetic antibodies with different binder- and effectorpeptides with SPPS
- Labeling with fluorescent dyes and Biotin to observe the selective binding on the surface of cancer cells
- Optimization of the binding properties and the ability to provoke a targeted immune response
Biological antibody compared to synthetic immune stimulator
Fluoreszent miscroscopy image: Binding of synthetic immune stimulators to human cells
Generation of synthetic immune stimulators by Ligations of immunstimulating molecules with cancer-cell binding peptides
Cover Feature: Synthetic Cancer-Targeting Innate Immune Stimulators Give Insights into Avidity Effects (A. C. Conibear 2018)