SFB 646:  Networks in Genome Expression and Maintenance

Subject Area Biology
Term from 2005 to 2016
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5486242
 

Project Description

In order to express and maintain their genome, cells use a multitude of macromolecular machines that are built up by multiprotein or RNA-protein complexes. The activities of many of these machines are well coordinated to achieve synergism or to avoid deleterious effects that could lead to cell death or disease.
The aim of the Collaborative Research Centre is to study the interactions between multiprotein complexes that govern essential processes associated with eukaryotic genomes. Such complexes are involved in processes such as transcription of the genome, faithful duplication of the genome followed by segregation of the two genomes, or preservation of the genome by DNA repair. It will be crucial for our understanding of processes in normal and malignant cells to obtain detailed insights into the function and structure but also into the coordination of the underlying multiprotein complexes.
In the past decade, considerable progress was made by identification and functional/structural characterisation of individual protein complexes that carry out processes connected to the expression or maintenance of the genome. These complexes include the transcription key enzyme RNA polymerase II, ribonucleoprotein complexes for RNA transport, components of the mitotic cell division apparatus, and DNA repair enzymes.
With our improved knowledge of these assemblies, we must now try to reach the next level of understanding, which involves the regulation of multiprotein complexes in a cell context-specific manner, and the functional and physical coupling of different protein complexes that results in regulatory networks. Although still in its infancy, this aspect of understanding genome expression and maintenance will certainly flourish over the next 10-15 years and requires the underlying networks at all levels of organisation of cells, from the molecular to the cellular level. Molecular coupling events in these networks ensure the correct transfer of substrates and information between interlinked processes, and allow for coordination and feedback control. The Collaborative Research Centre will therefore focus on the elucidation of the highly complex interplay between genome-associated processes, and work towards an understanding of the underlying regulatory networks .
DFG Programme Collaborative Research Centres

Completed projects

Applicant Institution Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Business and Industry Helmholtz Zentrum München
Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt; Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie (MPIB)
Spokespersons Professor Dr. Roland Beckmann, since 7/2014; Professor Dr. Patrick Cramer, until 7/2014