Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie und Biophysik

Biophysics of Fungi & Optogenetics

Protein Engineering & Dynamics

Collaborative Research Center / Transregio 166
High-end light microscopy elucidates membrane receptor function

In the CRC/TRR 166 ReceptorLight high-end light microscopy techniques with highest spatial and time resolution are applied and further developed to gain deeper insight into the function of membrane receptors. The participating groups in Jena and Würzburg bundle their methodological expertise in the field of super-resolution microscopy, electrophysiology, and biophysics of membrane receptors to generate new insights into the function and distribution of diverse membrane receptors, and in parallel, to induce the development of new high-end light-microscopy methods.

For more informations see receptorlight

Center for Personalized Molecular Immunotherapy

The European Structural Fund supports two new projects of the University of Würzburg with more than EUR 4.3 million. In close cooperation with the University Hospital and regional companies, research activities aim to drive medical progress.

"The Bavarian State Ministry for Education, Science and the Arts funds two seminal projects which the University of Würzburg runs jointly with regional companies by providing more than EUR 4.3 million in total from funds of the European Regional Development Fund", Bavarian Minister of State, Dr Ludwig Spaenle, announced a few days ago. more >>

Light-induced cell damage in live-cell super-resolution microscopy

Super-resolution microscopy can unravel previously hidden details of cellular structures but requires high irradiation intensities to use the limited photon budget efficiently. Such high photon densities are likely to induce cellular damage in live-cell experiments. more >>

Latest Publications

Super-resolution imaging reveals the nanoscale organization of metabotropic glutamate receptors at presynaptic active zones. Siddig, Sana; Aufmkolk, Sarah; Doose, Sören; Jobin, Marie-Lise; Werner, Christian; Sauer, Markus; Calebiro, Davide. In Sci Adv, 6(16), S. eaay7193-. 2020.
- [ Abstract ]
- [ BibTeX ]
- [ EndNote ]
- [ URL ]
G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a fundamental role in the modulation of synaptic transmission. A pivotal example is provided by the metabotropic glutamate receptor type 4 (mGluR4), which inhibits glutamate release at presynaptic active zones (AZs). However, how GPCRs are organized within AZs to regulate neurotransmission remains largely unknown. Here, we applied two-color super-resolution imaging by direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) to investigate the nanoscale organization of mGluR4 at parallel fiber AZs in the mouse cerebellum. We find an inhomogeneous distribution, with multiple nanodomains inside AZs, each containing, on average, one to two mGluR4 subunits. Within these nanodomains, mGluR4s are often localized in close proximity to voltage-dependent CaV2.1 channels and Munc-18-1, which are both essential for neurotransmitter release. These findings provide previously unknown insights into the molecular organization of GPCRs at AZs, suggesting a likely implication of a close association between mGluR4 and the secretory machinery in modulating synaptic transmission.

@article{siddig2020superresolution, abstract = {G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a fundamental role in the modulation of synaptic transmission. A pivotal example is provided by the metabotropic glutamate receptor type 4 (mGluR4), which inhibits glutamate release at presynaptic active zones (AZs). However, how GPCRs are organized within AZs to regulate neurotransmission remains largely unknown. Here, we applied two-color super-resolution imaging by direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) to investigate the nanoscale organization of mGluR4 at parallel fiber AZs in the mouse cerebellum. We find an inhomogeneous distribution, with multiple nanodomains inside AZs, each containing, on average, one to two mGluR4 subunits. Within these nanodomains, mGluR4s are often localized in close proximity to voltage-dependent CaV2.1 channels and Munc-18-1, which are both essential for neurotransmitter release. These findings provide previously unknown insights into the molecular organization of GPCRs at AZs, suggesting a likely implication of a close association between mGluR4 and the secretory machinery in modulating synaptic transmission.}, author = {Siddig, Sana and Aufmkolk, Sarah and Doose, Sören and Jobin, Marie-Lise and Werner, Christian and Sauer, Markus and Calebiro, Davide}, journal = {Sci Adv}, keywords = {home}, month = {04}, number = 16, pages = {eaay7193–}, title = {Super-resolution imaging reveals the nanoscale organization of metabotropic glutamate receptors at presynaptic active zones}, volume = 6, year = 2020 }

%0 Journal Article %1 siddig2020superresolution %A Siddig, Sana %A Aufmkolk, Sarah %A Doose, Sören %A Jobin, Marie-Lise %A Werner, Christian %A Sauer, Markus %A Calebiro, Davide %D 2020 %J Sci Adv %N 16 %P eaay7193-- %R 10.1126/sciadv.aay7193 %T Super-resolution imaging reveals the nanoscale organization of metabotropic glutamate receptors at presynaptic active zones %U http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/16/eaay7193.abstract %V 6 %X G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a fundamental role in the modulation of synaptic transmission. A pivotal example is provided by the metabotropic glutamate receptor type 4 (mGluR4), which inhibits glutamate release at presynaptic active zones (AZs). However, how GPCRs are organized within AZs to regulate neurotransmission remains largely unknown. Here, we applied two-color super-resolution imaging by direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) to investigate the nanoscale organization of mGluR4 at parallel fiber AZs in the mouse cerebellum. We find an inhomogeneous distribution, with multiple nanodomains inside AZs, each containing, on average, one to two mGluR4 subunits. Within these nanodomains, mGluR4s are often localized in close proximity to voltage-dependent CaV2.1 channels and Munc-18-1, which are both essential for neurotransmitter release. These findings provide previously unknown insights into the molecular organization of GPCRs at AZs, suggesting a likely implication of a close association between mGluR4 and the secretory machinery in modulating synaptic transmission.
Targeting GABAAR-Associated Proteins: New Modulators, Labels and Concepts. Khayenko, Vladimir; Maric, Hans Michael. In Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, 12, S. 162-. 2019.
- [ Abstract ]
- [ BibTeX ]
- [ EndNote ]
- [ URL ]
γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAARs) are the major mediators of synaptic inhibition in the brain. Aberrant GABAAR activity or regulation is observed in various neurodevelopmental disorders, neurodegenerative diseases and mental illnesses, including epilepsy, Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia. Benzodiazepines, anesthetics and other pharmaceutics targeting these receptors find broad clinical use, but their inherent lack of receptor subtype specificity causes unavoidable side effects, raising a need for new or adjuvant medications. In this review we introduce a new strategy to modulate GABAeric signaling: Targeting the intracellular protein interactors of GABAARs. Of special interest are scaffolding, anchoring and supporting proteins that display high GABAAR subtype specificity. Recent efforts to target gephyrin, the major intracellular integrator of GABAergic signaling, confirm that GABAAR-associated proteins can be successfully targeted through diverse molecules, including recombinant proteins, intrabodies, peptide-based probes and small molecules. Small-molecule artemisinins and peptides derived from endogenous interactors, that specifically target the universal receptor binding site of gephyrin, acutely affect synaptic GABAAR numbers and clustering, modifying neuronal transmission. Interference with GABAAR trafficking provides another way to modulate inhibitory signaling. Peptides blocking the binding site of GABAAR to AP2 increase the surface concentration of GABAAR clusters and enhance GABAergic signaling. Engineering of gephyrin binding peptides delivered superior means to interrogate neuronal structure and function. Fluorescent peptides, designed from gephyrin binders, enable live neuronal staining and visualization of gephyrin in the post synaptic sites with nanometer resolution. We anticipate that in the future, novel fluorescent probes, with improved size and binding efficiency, may find wide application in super resolution microscopy studies, enlightening the nanoscale architecture of the inhibitory synapse. Broader studies on GABAAR accessory proteins and the identification of the exact molecular binding interfaces and affinities will advance the development of novel GABAAR modulators and following in-vivo studies will reveal their clinical potential as adjuvant or stand-alone drugs.

@article{khayenko2019targeting, abstract = {γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAARs) are the major mediators of synaptic inhibition in the brain. Aberrant GABAAR activity or regulation is observed in various neurodevelopmental disorders, neurodegenerative diseases and mental illnesses, including epilepsy, Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia. Benzodiazepines, anesthetics and other pharmaceutics targeting these receptors find broad clinical use, but their inherent lack of receptor subtype specificity causes unavoidable side effects, raising a need for new or adjuvant medications. In this review we introduce a new strategy to modulate GABAeric signaling: Targeting the intracellular protein interactors of GABAARs. Of special interest are scaffolding, anchoring and supporting proteins that display high GABAAR subtype specificity. Recent efforts to target gephyrin, the major intracellular integrator of GABAergic signaling, confirm that GABAAR-associated proteins can be successfully targeted through diverse molecules, including recombinant proteins, intrabodies, peptide-based probes and small molecules. Small-molecule artemisinins and peptides derived from endogenous interactors, that specifically target the universal receptor binding site of gephyrin, acutely affect synaptic GABAAR numbers and clustering, modifying neuronal transmission. Interference with GABAAR trafficking provides another way to modulate inhibitory signaling. Peptides blocking the binding site of GABAAR to AP2 increase the surface concentration of GABAAR clusters and enhance GABAergic signaling. Engineering of gephyrin binding peptides delivered superior means to interrogate neuronal structure and function. Fluorescent peptides, designed from gephyrin binders, enable live neuronal staining and visualization of gephyrin in the post synaptic sites with nanometer resolution. We anticipate that in the future, novel fluorescent probes, with improved size and binding efficiency, may find wide application in super resolution microscopy studies, enlightening the nanoscale architecture of the inhibitory synapse. Broader studies on GABAAR accessory proteins and the identification of the exact molecular binding interfaces and affinities will advance the development of novel GABAAR modulators and following in-vivo studies will reveal their clinical potential as adjuvant or stand-alone drugs.}, author = {Khayenko, Vladimir and Maric, Hans Michael}, journal = {Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience}, keywords = {home}, pages = {162–}, title = {Targeting GABAAR-Associated Proteins: New Modulators, Labels and Concepts}, volume = 12, year = 2019 }

%0 Journal Article %1 khayenko2019targeting %A Khayenko, Vladimir %A Maric, Hans Michael %D 2019 %J Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience %P 162-- %T Targeting GABAAR-Associated Proteins: New Modulators, Labels and Concepts %U https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnmol.2019.00162 %V 12 %X γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAARs) are the major mediators of synaptic inhibition in the brain. Aberrant GABAAR activity or regulation is observed in various neurodevelopmental disorders, neurodegenerative diseases and mental illnesses, including epilepsy, Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia. Benzodiazepines, anesthetics and other pharmaceutics targeting these receptors find broad clinical use, but their inherent lack of receptor subtype specificity causes unavoidable side effects, raising a need for new or adjuvant medications. In this review we introduce a new strategy to modulate GABAeric signaling: Targeting the intracellular protein interactors of GABAARs. Of special interest are scaffolding, anchoring and supporting proteins that display high GABAAR subtype specificity. Recent efforts to target gephyrin, the major intracellular integrator of GABAergic signaling, confirm that GABAAR-associated proteins can be successfully targeted through diverse molecules, including recombinant proteins, intrabodies, peptide-based probes and small molecules. Small-molecule artemisinins and peptides derived from endogenous interactors, that specifically target the universal receptor binding site of gephyrin, acutely affect synaptic GABAAR numbers and clustering, modifying neuronal transmission. Interference with GABAAR trafficking provides another way to modulate inhibitory signaling. Peptides blocking the binding site of GABAAR to AP2 increase the surface concentration of GABAAR clusters and enhance GABAergic signaling. Engineering of gephyrin binding peptides delivered superior means to interrogate neuronal structure and function. Fluorescent peptides, designed from gephyrin binders, enable live neuronal staining and visualization of gephyrin in the post synaptic sites with nanometer resolution. We anticipate that in the future, novel fluorescent probes, with improved size and binding efficiency, may find wide application in super resolution microscopy studies, enlightening the nanoscale architecture of the inhibitory synapse. Broader studies on GABAAR accessory proteins and the identification of the exact molecular binding interfaces and affinities will advance the development of novel GABAAR modulators and following in-vivo studies will reveal their clinical potential as adjuvant or stand-alone drugs.
Opsin 1 and Opsin 2 of the Corn Smut Fungus Ustilago maydis Are Green Light-Driven Proton Pumps. Panzer, Sabine; Brych, Annika; Batschauer, Alfred; Terpitz, Ulrich. In Frontiers in Microbiology, 10. 2019.
- [ Abstract ]
- [ BibTeX ]
- [ EndNote ]
- [ URL ]
In fungi green light is absorbed by rhodopsins, opsin proteins carrying a retinal molecule as chromophore. The basidiomycete Ustilago maydis, a fungal pathogen that infects corn plants, encodes three putative photoactive opsins, called ops1 (UMAG_02629), ops2 (UMAG_00371) and ops3 (UMAG_04125). UmOps1 and UmOps2 are expressed during the whole life cycle, in axenic cultures as well as in planta, whereas UmOps3 was recently shown to be absent in axenic cultures but highly expressed during plant infection. Here we show that expression of UmOps1 and UmOps2 is induced by blue light under control of White Collar 1 (Wco1). UmOps1 is mainly localized in the plasma membrane, both when expressed in HEK cells and U. maydis sporidia. In contrast, UmOps2 was mostly found intracellularly in the membranes of vacuoles. Patch-clamp studies demonstrated that both rhodopsins are green light-driven outward rectifying proton pumps. UmOps1 revealed an extraordinary pH dependency with increased activity in more acidic environment. Also, UmOps1 showed a pronounced, concentration-dependent enhancement of pump current caused by weak organic acids, especially by acetic acid and indole-3-acetic acid. In contrast, UmOps2 showed the typical behavior of light-driven, outwardly directed proton pumps, whereas UmOps3 did not exhibit any electrogenity. With this work, insights were gained into the localization and molecular function of two U. maydis rhodopsins, paving the way for further studies on the biological role of these rhodopsins in the life cycle of U. maydis.

@article{panzer2019opsin, abstract = {In fungi green light is absorbed by rhodopsins, opsin proteins carrying a retinal molecule as chromophore. The basidiomycete Ustilago maydis, a fungal pathogen that infects corn plants, encodes three putative photoactive opsins, called ops1 (UMAG_02629), ops2 (UMAG_00371) and ops3 (UMAG_04125). UmOps1 and UmOps2 are expressed during the whole life cycle, in axenic cultures as well as in planta, whereas UmOps3 was recently shown to be absent in axenic cultures but highly expressed during plant infection. Here we show that expression of UmOps1 and UmOps2 is induced by blue light under control of White Collar 1 (Wco1). UmOps1 is mainly localized in the plasma membrane, both when expressed in HEK cells and U. maydis sporidia. In contrast, UmOps2 was mostly found intracellularly in the membranes of vacuoles. Patch-clamp studies demonstrated that both rhodopsins are green light-driven outward rectifying proton pumps. UmOps1 revealed an extraordinary pH dependency with increased activity in more acidic environment. Also, UmOps1 showed a pronounced, concentration-dependent enhancement of pump current caused by weak organic acids, especially by acetic acid and indole-3-acetic acid. In contrast, UmOps2 showed the typical behavior of light-driven, outwardly directed proton pumps, whereas UmOps3 did not exhibit any electrogenity. With this work, insights were gained into the localization and molecular function of two U. maydis rhodopsins, paving the way for further studies on the biological role of these rhodopsins in the life cycle of U. maydis.}, author = {Panzer, Sabine and Brych, Annika and Batschauer, Alfred and Terpitz, Ulrich}, journal = {Frontiers in Microbiology}, keywords = {home}, series = 735, title = {Opsin 1 and Opsin 2 of the Corn Smut Fungus Ustilago maydis Are Green Light-Driven Proton Pumps}, volume = 10, year = 2019 }

%0 Journal Article %1 panzer2019opsin %A Panzer, Sabine %A Brych, Annika %A Batschauer, Alfred %A Terpitz, Ulrich %B 735 %D 2019 %J Frontiers in Microbiology %T Opsin 1 and Opsin 2 of the Corn Smut Fungus Ustilago maydis Are Green Light-Driven Proton Pumps %U https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00735 %V 10 %X In fungi green light is absorbed by rhodopsins, opsin proteins carrying a retinal molecule as chromophore. The basidiomycete Ustilago maydis, a fungal pathogen that infects corn plants, encodes three putative photoactive opsins, called ops1 (UMAG_02629), ops2 (UMAG_00371) and ops3 (UMAG_04125). UmOps1 and UmOps2 are expressed during the whole life cycle, in axenic cultures as well as in planta, whereas UmOps3 was recently shown to be absent in axenic cultures but highly expressed during plant infection. Here we show that expression of UmOps1 and UmOps2 is induced by blue light under control of White Collar 1 (Wco1). UmOps1 is mainly localized in the plasma membrane, both when expressed in HEK cells and U. maydis sporidia. In contrast, UmOps2 was mostly found intracellularly in the membranes of vacuoles. Patch-clamp studies demonstrated that both rhodopsins are green light-driven outward rectifying proton pumps. UmOps1 revealed an extraordinary pH dependency with increased activity in more acidic environment. Also, UmOps1 showed a pronounced, concentration-dependent enhancement of pump current caused by weak organic acids, especially by acetic acid and indole-3-acetic acid. In contrast, UmOps2 showed the typical behavior of light-driven, outwardly directed proton pumps, whereas UmOps3 did not exhibit any electrogenity. With this work, insights were gained into the localization and molecular function of two U. maydis rhodopsins, paving the way for further studies on the biological role of these rhodopsins in the life cycle of U. maydis.

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Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie und Biophysik

Super-Resolution Microscopy

Quantification of Receptors

Biophysics of Fungi & Optogenetics

Protein Engineering & Dynamics

Center for Personalized Molecular Immunotherapy

Light-induced cell damage in live-cell super-resolution microscopy

Latest Publications

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Multiple-Labeled Antibodies Behave Like Single Emitters in Photoswitching Buffer

Molecular resolution imaging by post-labeling expansion single-molecule localization microscopy (Ex-SMLM)

High-end Microscopy Refined

Impulse for Research on Fungi

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