My aim in teaching is to facilitate the aquisition of knowledge as a basis for further learning and thinking. My teaching comprises lectures in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biostatistics for undergraduate medical students as well as specialized topics for medical and biology graduate students. I frequently integrate questions, procedures and results (including failures and mistakes) of my own research into my lectures. In laboratory courses students must understand not only the methods but also the principles and mechanisms underlying the question addressed in an experiment. I tell them my expectations of the contents of laboratory reports and provide them with well written examples. I consider these reports an opportunity for the students to improve their writing skills.
The mechanisms controlling growth and cell cycle are essential for the mammalian cell. Perturbations like DNA damage result in cell cycle arrest, senescence, or apoptosis. Dysfunction of these mechanisms often give rise to cancer. Involved in these processes on different levels is a protein called EAPP (E2F Associated PhosphoProtein) that we have identified and characterized. Tumor cells often overex-press EAPP, indicating that it confers a selective advantage to these cells. EAPP levels increase upon DNA damage and higher EAPP levels protect cells from apoptosis. Scrutinizing the function of EAPP is currently our main goal.
Johann Rotheneder studied Biochemistry at the University of Vienna, Austria and obtained a PhD at the Institute of Molecular Biology in Vienna where he continued as a postdoctoral fellow. In 2002 he became tenured as an Associate Professor at the Department of Medical Biochemistry of the Medical University of Vienna.
We identified EAPP in a yeast two-hybrid screen for E2F1-interacting proteins. It also interacts with E2F2 and E2F3a, the other activating members of the E2F family of transcription factors. These interactions result in elevated E2F-dependent transcription.
Overexpression of EAPP results in cell cycle arrest. This is mediated by the cdk inhibitor p21. We could show that EAPP associates with the p21 promoter and is required for the assembly of the transcription pre-initiation complex. EAPP levels increase upon cellular stress resulting in elevated p21 which is anti-apoptotic. Lower EAPP thus facilitates, higher EAPP prevents apoptosis.
DNA double strand breaks result in rapid activation of Chk2. This kinase phosphorylates and inactivates cdc25C, a phosphatase required for entry of mitosis. After repair of the breaks Chk2 has to be inactivated to allow continuation of the cell cycle. We showed that EAPP specifically binds phosphorylated Chk2 and this results in its inactivation by the recruitment of specific phosphatases.
EAPP: gatekeeper at the crossroad of apoptosis and p21-mediated cell-cycle arrest.
Andorfer, P; Rotheneder, H
Regulation of the E2F-associated phosphoprotein promoter by GC-box binding proteins.
Schwarzmayr, Ludwig; Andorfer, Peter; Novy, Michael; Rotheneder, Hans
EAPP modulates the activity of p21 and Chk2.
Andorfer, Peter; Schwarzmayr, Ludwig; Rotheneder, Hans
Nutrient-regulated control of lysosome function by signaling lipid conversion
Shedding Light on the Dark Side of Terrestrial Ecosystems: Assessing Biogeochemical Processes in Soils
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Pikobodies: What does it take to bioengineer NLR immune receptor-nanobody fusions
When all is lost? Measuring historical signals
Gene regulatory mechanisms governing human development, evolution and variation
Regulation of Cerebral Cortex Morphogenesis by Migrating Cells
Phage therapy for treating bacterial infections: a double-edged sword
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Using the house mouse radiation to study the rapid evolution of genes and genetic processes
CRISPR jumps ahead: mechanistic insights into CRISPR-associated transposons
SLiMs and SHelMs: Decoding how short linear and helical motifs direct PPP specificity to direct signaling
Title to be announced
Visualising mitotic chromosomes and nuclear dynamics by correlative light and electron microscopy
Enigmatic evolutionary origin and multipotency of the neural crest cells - major drivers of vertebrate evolution
Engineered nanocarriers for imaging of small proteins by CryoEM
Bacterial cell envelope homeostasis at the (post)transcriptional level
Title to be announced
Hydrologic extremes alter mechanisms and pathways of carbon export from mountainous floodplain soils
Dissecting post-transcriptional gene expression regulation in humans and viruses
Polyploidy and rediploidisation in stressful times
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Title to be announced
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Programmed DNA double-strand breaks during meiosis: Mechanism and evolution
Title to be announced