Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg explained

The Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), founded in 1988, is an internationally recognized molecular neuroscience research center, part of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Germany. Headed by Matthias Kneussel, the ZMNH is currently home to 190 scientists and staff from 20 different countries (2024).

Research

The focus of the ZMNH is basic research in neurobiology and neuroimmunology, combining molecular genetics with anatomical, biochemical and physiological approaches. The ZMNH is structured into six departments and several independent research groups.

Departments/Institutes

Independent Research Groups

Guest Groups

Research is supported by in-house facilities for bioanalytics, morphology and ultrastructure, transgenic animals, machine shop, IT department, and administration

Major discoveries

Several proteins that are key to synaptic function were first cloned and characterized at the ZMNH, for example the presynaptic proteins Piccolo (PCLO) and Bassoon and the major organizer of the postsynaptic density, PSD-95 (a.k.a. SAP90).[1] [2] Synaptic activity controls the activity of certain genes, the so-called immediate early genes. Arg3.1/Arc, a prominent example of this gene family, was discovered at the ZMNH and found to have important functions in learning and memory.[3] [4]

An early focus of the center was understanding the structure and function of ion channels. The famous 'ball-and-chain' mechanism of potassium channel inactivation was discovered at the ZMNH.[5] A number of human diseases (hereditary forms of myotonia, osteopetrosis, retinal degeneration, kidney stone diseases, epilepsy, deafness) could be mapped to mutations in specific ion channels.[6] [7] [8] [9] These fundamental insights allowed researchers to mimic important aspects of human diseases in genetically accurate animal models, a key step in the development of new drugs.[10]

More recently, ZMNH researchers developed novel genetic tools to control neuronal activity with light (optogenetics), including the first light-gated chloride channel ChloC and the light-activated potassium channel PACK.[11]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Dieck. S.. Bassoon, a Novel Zinc-finger CAG/Glutamine-repeat Protein Selectively Localized at the Active Zone of Presynaptic Nerve Terminals. The Journal of Cell Biology. 27 July 1998. 142. 2. 499–509. 10.1083/jcb.142.2.499. 9679147. 2133055.
  2. Kistner. U. Wenzel. BM. Veh. RW. Cases-Langhoff. C. Garner. AM. Appeltauer. U. Voss. B. Gundelfinger. ED. Garner. CC. SAP90, a rat presynaptic protein related to the product of the Drosophila tumor suppressor gene dlg-A.. The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 5 March 1993. 268. 7. 4580–3. 10.1016/S0021-9258(18)53433-5. 7680343. free.
  3. Link. W.. Konietzko. U.. Kauselmann. G.. Krug. M.. Schwanke. B.. Frey. U.. Kuhl. D.. Somatodendritic expression of an immediate early gene is regulated by synaptic activity.. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 6 June 1995. 92. 12. 5734–5738. 10.1073/pnas.92.12.5734. 7777577. 41771. free. 1995PNAS...92.5734L .
  4. Plath. Niels. Ohana. Ora. Dammermann. Björn. Errington. Mick L.. Schmitz. Dietmar. Gross. Christina. Mao. Xiaosong. Engelsberg. Arne. Mahlke. Claudia. Welzl. Hans. Arc/Arg3.1 Is Essential for the Consolidation of Synaptic Plasticity and Memories. Neuron. 9 November 2006. 52. 3. 437–444. 10.1016/j.neuron.2006.08.024. 17088210. free.
  5. Rettig. Jens. Heinemann. Stefan H.. Wunder. Frank. Lorra. Christoph. Parcej. David N.. Dolly. J. O.. Pongs. Olaf. Inactivation properties of voltage-gated K+ channels altered by presence of β-subunit. Nature. 26 May 1994. 369. 6478. 289–294. 10.1038/369289a0. 8183366. 4318700.
  6. Kubisch. Christian. Schroeder. Björn C. Friedrich. Thomas. Lütjohann. Björn. El-Amraoui. Aziz. Marlin. Sandrine. Petit. Christine. Jentsch. Thomas J. KCNQ4, a Novel Potassium Channel Expressed in Sensory Outer Hair Cells, Is Mutated in Dominant Deafness. Cell. February 1999. 96. 3. 437–446. 10.1016/S0092-8674(00)80556-5. 10025409. free.
  7. Biervert. C.. A Potassium Channel Mutation in Neonatal Human Epilepsy. Science. 16 January 1998. 279. 5349. 403–406. 10.1126/science.279.5349.403. 9430594. 1998Sci...279..403B .
  8. Koch. M.. Steinmeyer. K. Lorenz. C. Ricker. K. Wolf. F. Otto. M. Zoll. B. Lehmann-Horn. F. Grzeschik. K.. Jentsch. T.. The skeletal muscle chloride channel in dominant and recessive human myotonia. Science. 7 August 1992. 257. 5071. 797–800. 10.1126/science.1379744. 1379744. 1992Sci...257..797K .
  9. Kornak. Uwe. Kasper. Dagmar. Bösl. Michael R. Kaiser. Edelgard. Schweizer. Michaela. Schulz. Ansgar. Friedrich. Wilhelm. Delling. Günter. Jentsch. Thomas J. Loss of the ClC-7 Chloride Channel Leads to Osteopetrosis in Mice and Man. Cell. January 2001. 104. 2. 205–215. 10.1016/S0092-8674(01)00206-9. 11207362. free.
  10. Dahme. Miriam. Bartsch. Udo. Martini. Rudolf. Anliker. Brigitte. Schachner. Melitta. Mantei. Ned. Disruption of the mouse L1 gene leads to malformations of the nervous system. Nature Genetics. November 1997. 17. 3. 346–349. 10.1038/ng1197-346. 9354804. 30308518.
  11. Wietek. Jonas. Wiegert. J. Simon. Adeishvili. Nona. Schneider. Franziska. Watanabe. Hiroshi. Tsunoda. Satoshi P.. Vogt. Arend. Elstner. Marcus. Oertner. Thomas G.. 2014-04-25. Conversion of Channelrhodopsin into a Light-Gated Chloride Channel. Science. en. 344. 6182. 409–412. 10.1126/science.1249375. 0036-8075. 24674867. 206554245. free. 2014Sci...344..409W .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.