TUM-IAS Rudolf Mößbauer Tenure Track Professor Franz Hagn and TUM-IAS PhD Candidate David Goricanec, both members of the TUM-IAS Focus Group Structural Membrane Biochemistry have discovered the switching mechanism of an important signal protein.
G proteins are molecular switches on the insides of cell membranes. They convey important signals to the inner workings of the cells. The associated receptors are targeted by all kinds of medications. The researcher team lead by Prof. Hagn is now shedding light on precisely how the individual amino acids of the G protein move during the switching process. The discovered mechanism signposts new approaches to the design of new active agents.
The manuscript "Conformational dynamics of a G-Protein α subunit is tightly regulated by nucleotide binding" presenting this study was published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
For more information, please see the official TUM press release.