In the course of evolution, the human body has developed diverse strategies to protect itself from harmful substances. In the intestine, the placenta and also in the blood-brain barrier are tiny transport proteins, which…
Odors, light, hormones and a tremendous variety of signaling molecules are recognized by a large family of cell receptors, known as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). They are located on the cell surface and transduce…
The jury recognizes Prof. Spang’s rigorous pursuit of knowledge and novel discoveries regarding the compartmentalization of cellular organelles, proteins, and mRNA. They also greatly appreciated her ambition to study these…
Extremely dry – the habitat of killifish The turquoise killifish inhabits areas characterized by extreme conditions. The species, native to Africa, can survive prolonged periods of drought due to its unique life cycle.…
The unusual enzyme HDCR produces formic acid from gaseous hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), thus removing CO 2 from the environment and storing it in the cell. In this process, HDCR transfers electrons from hydrogen…
In nature, bacteria usually live in communities. They collectively colonize our gut, also known as the gut microbiome, or form biofilms such as dental plaque. Living in communities provides many advantages to the individual…
Ribosomes produce all the body’s proteins and are therefore also referred to as "protein factories". Their architecture and function have largely remained unchanged over millions of years, highlighting their importance for…
The ability to turn experiences into memories allows us to learn from the past and use what we learned as a model to respond appropriately to new situations. For this reason, as the world around us changes, this memory model…
An increasing number of bacterial pathogens are resistant to antibiotics. And the most dangerous pathogens share a common feature: a double membrane that is difficult to penetrate. Even when antibiotic agents are able to…
Cells proliferate by dividing repeatedly. Each cell division produces two daughter cells, which must first grow to a certain size before they can divide, too. This requires an increased production of cell components,…
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