Dr. Tobias Dick Redox Regulation

Cells are continuously in contact with their surroundings: Adhesion molecules connect them with other cells, signal molecules and receptors transmit chemical messages. Most of these molecules are proteins, i.e. amino acid chains folded into predetermined three-dimensional structures during their production within the cell. The folded structure is held in place by crosslinks called disulfide bridges, which keep the protein scaffold together. Researchers have recently found out that some disulfide bridges can also act as dynamical molecular switches that activate or deactivate signal proteins. Disulfide bridges are formed and removed by what are called redox reactions. These involve reactive oxygen compounds or special enzymes termed oxidoreductases. Some oxidoreductases act similar to growth factors, stimulating tumor cells to proliferate. We are studying the mechanisms by which redox reactions influence the interactions between signal molecules and their receptors, thereby changing the behavior of cells.

Detailed information on the project can be found at
www.dkfz.de/en/redoxregulation/index.php