CRC 1078 mourns the death of Dieter Oesterhelt

Dec 09, 2022

SFB Publications by Brünig et al (TP C1, Netz) analyze excess-proton spectra beyond the normal-mode scenario

In a recent publication in Nature Communications, Brünig et al. show how the infrared spectroscopic signatures of hydrochloric acid solutions are related to proton-transfer processes between water molecules, the elementary step of the long-range Grotthus transport. In a second work that just appeared in the Journal of Chemical Physics, the IR band shapes produced by proton-transfer events are derived using analytical models for the barrier-crossing dynamics as a proton moves from one water molecule to a neighbouring one.

Nov 24, 2022

Joachim Heberle co-organises well-known Heraeus Workshop on Advanced Microscopy and Spectroscopy methods

In this seminar, we bring together leading experts in modern, evolving fields such as super-resolution microscopy, near-field microscopy and in-cell spectroscopy with colleagues from medicine to discuss latest advances in biophysical techniques and their possible application to medical questions. Challenges remaining for translation into routine procedures will be discussed.

Nov 14, 2022

Dr. Anastasia Kraskov Receives the Tiburtius Prize 2022

Congrats to Dr. Anastasia Kraskov (SFB project B6) for receiving the Tiburtius Prize 2022 for her outstanding dissertation.

Nov 09, 2022

SFB Publication in Nature Communications

Together with colleagues, SFB 1078 PIs Peter Hegemann (TP B2), Han Sun (TP C8), Ulrike Alexiev (TP A2), and Peter Hildebrandt (B6) and their coworkers shed new light on the molecular basis of fluorescence in microbial rhodopsins named QuasArs and their peculiar voltage sensitivity using a combination of spectroscopic studies and molecular dynamics simulations which reveal a unique photoreaction scheme and voltage-dependent changes of the hydrogen-bonding networks. The results pave the way for the development of next generation voltage sensors for optogenetics applications and were recently published in the September issue of Nature Communications.

Oct 18, 2022

SFB Publication by Patricia Saura and Ville Kaila (SFB 1078 Mercator fellow) in PNAS

In this recent publication in PNAS, Saura et al. show that internal redox changes in C c O create orientated electric fields that sort the protons along the chemical and pumping pathways, while preventing back leakage reactions.

Oct 13, 2022

New algae rhodopsin published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology

The SFB 1078 PIs Igor Schapiro (C6) and Peter Hegeman (B2) were involved in the discovery, structure and biophysical characterization of bestrhodopsins, a microbial rhodopsin subfamily from marine unicellular algae, in which one rhodopsin domain of eight transmembrane helices or, more often, two such domains in tandem, are C-terminally fused to a bestrophin channel.

Jun 16, 2022

SFB Publication in Nature Chemistry

In a joint publication by SFB 1078 colleagues from six different subprojects, a combination of quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations and ultrafast visible and infrared spectroscopies demonstrates how proton-coupled dynamics in the excited state of Pfr leads to a restructured hydrogen-bond environment of early Lumi-F, which is interpreted as a trigger for downstream protein structural changes.

May 16, 2022

Joachim Heberle visits Israel for a guest lecture in May 2022

Guest lecture on “Biophysical Chemistry” from 2.-23. May at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Apr 28, 2022

Best Talk Award for Luiz Schubert at the 2021 Time Resolved Vibrational Spectroscopy (TRVS) Conference

Congrats to Luiz Schubert (SFB project B3) for receiving the Best Early Career Symposium Talk Award at the TRVS2021 conference.

Mar 15, 2022

SFB Publication by K. Heyne (B07)

In this recent publication by K. Heyne (PI of SFB project B07) in the Journal of Physical Chemistry B they present a new perspective on protein-cofactor interactions via an impulsive electric field change in the electronic excited state: Heyne, K. (2022). Impact of Ultrafast Electric Field Changes on Photoreceptor Protein Dynamics. 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c08131 .

Feb 10, 2022

Joint Science Publication by J. Heberle and I. Schapiro

A brand-new publication by SFB 1078 PIs and colleagues from Switzerland proposes the ion transfer pathway in bacterial halorhodopsin and discusses the interplay between the driving force created by the protein dipole moment and the control of transport by molecular gates. Furthermore, the authors provide details of how light energy is converted into kinetic energy for chloride translocation. The resulting charge separation represents a fundamental feature for light energy conversion in nature as well as in technology: Mous et al. 2022. Dynamics and mechanism of a light-driven chloride pump. Science (3 Feb 2022) , DOI: 10.1126/science.abj6663

Feb 04, 2022

Han Sun is appointed as a W2 professor at the TU Berlin

We congratulate Dr. Han Sun for being appointed a W2-S professor at the Institute of Chemistry of the Technical University of Berlin. As PI of the SFB 1078 project C8 she aims to obtain a comprehensive picture of proton and cation permeation in several viroporins such as the M proteins of the Dengue and West Nile viruses that pose high biomedical threats. She is also involved in other projects that can assist drug discovery.

Feb 01, 2022

SFB Sprecher Joachim Heberle referiert in seiner Funktion als Ombudsmann für gute wissenschaftliche Praxis

Titel: Verantwortung für die eigene Forschung, 25.11.2021 | 18:15 - 19:45

Nov 23, 2021

SFB Publication in Nature Communications

A brand-new SFB 1078 publication is shedding light on the substrate water intake channel and the proton egress pathway of the Photosystem II protein: Hussein et al. 2021.  Structural dynamics in the water and proton channels of photosystem II during the S 2 to S 3 transition. Nat Commun 12, 6531. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-26781-z

Nov 11, 2021

Peter Hegemann receives Lasker Award 2021

The Lasker Foundation announces the 2021 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award to Karl Deissenroth (Stanford University), Peter Hegemann (Humboldt Universität zu Berlin)  and Dieter Oesterhelt (Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, Martinsried) " for the discovery of light-sensitive microbial proteins that can activate or silence individual brain cells and for their use in developing optogenetics—a revolutionary technique for neuroscience".

Sep 24, 2021

SFB Speaker Joachim Heberle Co-organizer of Telluride Workshop 2021

Joachim Heberle, speaker of SFB 1078, organized this year's virtual Telluride Workshop "Proton Transfer in Biology" and was re-elected as co-organizer for the next on-site workshop in 2023.

Jul 05, 2021

Young Investigator Award for Mohamed Ibrahim at 2020 Virtual SSRL/LCLS Users Meeting

Congratulations to Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim (SFB project A5) for receiving the Young Investigator Award for his exceptional research on Photosystem II!

Jun 04, 2021

New DFG Guidelines for effective Career Support

The DFG has now published principles for effective career development in science. They are intended as a supplement to the guidelines for ensuring good scientific practice. They summarize how the conditions for scientists in early career phases - in particular doctoral and postdoctoral researchers - should be structured.

Apr 08, 2021

SFB Publication in J. Am. Chem. Soc.

A joint publication by the PIs Inez Weidinger (A1), Joachim Heberle (A1), Peter Hildebrandt (B6) and Maria Andrea Mroginski (C2) on cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) has been published in J. Am. Chem. Soc. In this work the authors identify a resonance Raman marker band that is characteristic for the active and inactive state of CcO. Using a combination of spectroscopy, electrochemistry and DFT calculations they could identify protonation of Tyr 288 in the resting state of CcO to be the origin of catalytic inactivity.

Feb 11, 2021