Clausen Group
Tim Clausen (Senior Scientist)
Molecular mechanisms of protein quality control
The misfolding and aggregation of protein molecules is a major threat to all living organisms. Cells have therefore evolved a sophisticated network of molecular chaperones and proteases to prevent protein aggregation (Fig. 1A). In addition, protein quality control and regulatory proteolysis are important mechanisms in the defense line of several bacterial pathogens. My group is performing a structure-function analysis of prokaryotic and eukaryotic factors that combat folding stress and, in parallel, ensure controlled digestion of specific target proteins. A better understanding of protein quality control might disclose novel strategies to counteract protein folding diseases and bacterial pathogenicity.
Movie 1: The protease-chaperone DegP at work.
Selected Publications
- Fuhrmann, J., Schmidt, A., Spiess, S., Lehner, A., Turgay, K., Mechtler, K., Charpentier, E., Clausen, T. (2009). McsB is a protein arginine kinase that phosphorylates and inhibits the heat-shock regulator CtsR. Science. 324(5932):1323-7 (abstract) (fulltext)
- Krojer, T., Pangerl, K., Kurt, J., Sawa, J., Stingl, C., Mechtler, K., Huber, R., Ehrmann, M., Clausen, T. (2008). Interplay of PDZ and protease domain of DegP ensures efficient elimination of misfolded proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 105(22):7702-7 (abstract)
- Krojer, T., Sawa, J., Schäfer, E., Saibil, HR., Ehrmann, M., Clausen, T. (2008). Structural basis for the regulated protease and chaperone function of DegP. Nature. 453(7197):885-90 (abstract)
- Hasselblatt, H., Kurzbauer, R., Wilken, C., Krojer, T., Sawa, J., Kurt, J., Kirk, R., Hasenbein, S., Ehrmann, M., Clausen, T. (2007). Regulation of the sigmaE stress response by DegS: how the PDZ domain keeps the protease inactive in the resting state and allows integration of different OMP-derived stress signals upon folding stress. Genes Dev. 21(20):2659-70 (abstract)
