Taming inflammation by licensed elimination of mRNAs
Inflammation – a physiological and important response to infection – can result in undesirable tissue damage if not carefully controlled. Inflammatory mediators are, therefore, tightly regulated. In a new study published in Molecular Cell, the Kovarik lab reveals a novel mechanism for the targeted elimination of pro-inflammatory pre-mRNAs in the nucleus, which prevents the over-production of cytokines in the cytoplasm. The study is a collaborative effort, involving three Perutz labs and expertise from the Mass Spectrometry facility. It highlights the critical role of mRNA decay in maintaining immune system balance.
Tenure for two Perutz group leaders
Elif Karagöz and Shotaro Otsuka have been promoted to tenured professors. Both group leaders started their labs in 2019, with the Karagöz lab focusing on unraveling how cells maintain protein homeostasis and the Otsuka lab exploring the communication between the endoplasmic reticulum and the nucleus.
The coding-binding paradigm
While RNA-protein interactions are well-documented, their relationship with biological coding has remained elusive – until now. In a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Marlene Adlhart, a Master’s student in the Žagrović lab, uncovers specific examples of RNA-protein interactions embedded directly within the genetic code. This research marks a significant step toward the lab's overarching goal: uncovering the fundamental connections between nucleic acids, proteins, and the origin of the genetic code.
ERC Proof of Concept grant for Jonas Ries
Jonas Ries has been awarded an ERC Proof of Concept grant, building on his 2023 ERC Consolidator Grant. With his project ‘PhaseFLUX’, Jonas aims to develop a prototype of a new microscope with advanced 3D and multi-color imaging capabilities. Specifically, the Ries lab is developing a novel technical enhancement to MINFLUX, a super-resolution microscopy technology that can achieve precise, sub-nanometer localization of individual fluorescently labeled molecules. The ERC Proof of Concept grant, providing €150,000 for one year, supports projects with the potential to translate ERC-funded research into commercial applications or societal impact.
Marco Hein awarded WWTF grant
In the 2024 Life Sciences call for proposals in Synthetic Biology, the Vienna Science and Technology Fund (WWTF) funded Perutz PI Marco Hein's project ‘Deconstructing and Reconstructing Anelloviruses’. In collaboration with Irene Görzer from the Medical University of Vienna, Marco will merge clinical virology with synthetic biology to unravel the molecular biology of anelloviruses. The team has been granted nearly €900,000 to bring this innovative research to life.
In the right place, at the right time
The precise orchestration of cellular processes requires proteins and other macromolecules to be organized in space and time. While working in the lab of Manuel Leonetti at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, first author Marco Hein and Biohub colleagues mapped the subcellular distributions of more than 7,600 human proteins. Using a viral infection model, the authors then showed that many proteins are regulated by changes in their subcellular localization rather than by changes in their abundance. The study, published in Cell, is the culmination of research Marco conducted during his work as a Biohub fellow.
Imaging across scales
Scientific facilities at the Perutz support research groups at the institute and beyond. In our third part of the ‘Scientific Facilities - Behind the Scenes’ series, we explore how the BioOptics Light Microscopy and Histology facilities drive cutting-edge research at the Perutz by providing state-of-the-art tools and expert support.
Lisa Appel and Johannes Benedum are Researchers of the Month at the Medical University of Vienna
Every month, the Medical University of Vienna features outstanding researchers by presenting and honoring their research achievements. For the month of December, Perutz scientists Johannes Benedum and Lisa Appel from the Slade lab are named Researchers of the Month for their respective first-author publications in Nature Communications in 2023.
Seipin: Guardian of Lipid Balance
The inner nuclear membrane, a hub of genome regulation and nuclear envelope organization, holds untapped mysteries in lipid metabolism. In a study published in Nature Communications, the Köhler lab identified Seipin – a protein previously linked to a severe lipid storage disorder – as a key regulator of inner nuclear membrane lipid homeostasis and nuclear envelope integrity.
Christa Bücker awarded ERC Consolidator Grant
Perutz group leader Christa Buecker has been awarded the prestigious ERC Consolidator Grant for her project ‘GENE-TUNE’, securing nearly €2 million in funding over the next five years. With this support, the Buecker lab will take a bottom-up approach to unravel the complexities of gene regulatory landscapes, focusing on a wide range of regulatory elements. This grant brings the total number of ERC grants awarded to scientists at the Perutz to 20.
More than the sum of its parts
Precise regulation of gene expression is crucial for the development and homeostasis of multicellular organisms. However, regulatory sequences, such as enhancers, are often located at vast genomic distances from their target gene, and it is still a mystery how enhancers communicate with their target gene. The Buecker lab has recently demonstrated how enhancers differentially located in the genome can cooperate to drive gene expression. In their study published in Molecular Cell, the researchers used a novel synthetic platform to reveal how weak and strong enhancers work together to amplify gene expression.
One step back, two steps forward
Many organisms are capable of regenerating damaged or lost tissue, but why some can, while others cannot, is not known. In work published in Nature Communications, first authors Alexander Stockinger and Leonie Adelmann from the Raible lab show that specialized marine worm cells de-differentiate into stem cells to regenerate the lost tissue. The researchers’ findings support hypotheses posited over 60 years ago and suggest new directions for future studies on regeneration.
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