A big thank you to all the wonderful people @mpi-ce.bsky.social for hosting us these last 2 days and introducing all kinds of different co-workers, large and small 🐜🪰🪲, stationary 🪴🌲🐢 and very(!) mobile🐛
Karin Groten, Claudia Voelckel and the entire Ulrich lab! 🥰
@yukoulrich.bsky.social

Quantifying Protein Homodimer Affinities and the Effect of Molecular Glues and Interface Residues Using Native Mass Spectrometry Biological processes rely on finely tuned homo- and heteromeric interactions between (biomacro)molecules. The strength of an interaction, typically given by the dissociation constant (KD), plays a crucial role in basic research and must be monitored throughout the development of drugs and agrochemicals. An ideal method for KD determination is applicable to various analytes with a large range of affinities, tolerates complex matrix compositions, does not require labeling, and simultaneously provides information on the structural integrity of the binding partners. Native mass spectrometry meets these criteria but typically struggles with homooligomeric complexes due to overlapping mass signals. To overcome this, we resolve monomer/dimer contributions to overlapping MS-peaks by separately analyzing the charge state distribution of each oligomeric species via sample dilution and covalent cross-linking. Following this approach, we show that quantitative laser-induced liquid bead ion desorption mass spectrometry (qLILBID-MS) accurately captures the affinities of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and chemically induced dimers of Tryparedoxin (Tpx), an oxidoreductase from human pathogenic Trypanosoma brucei parasites, with various molecular glues and homodimer affinities. Conveniently, qLILBID-MS requires a fraction of sample used by other methods such as isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and yields previously inaccessible protein homodimer KDs in the high micromolar range, which allowed us to monitor the gradual decrease in homodimer affinity via mutation of crucial dimer interface contacts. Overall, qLILBID-MS is a sensitive, robust, fast, scalable, and cost-effective alternative to quantify protein/protein interactions, that can accelerate contemporary drug discovery workflows, e.g. the efficient screening for proximity inducing molecules like proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTACs) and molecular glues.

New paper out with our friends the Nina Morgner Lab on how to quantify homodimer affinities by native MS 💕
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Never thought it possible, but this concludes our JACS triple - 3 papers in 3 months 😋🥳🧪

@crc1507.bsky.social @microverse.bsky.social
@lifeprofile.bsky.social

‘Truly spectacular’ drug for sleeping sickness simplifies treatment, raising hopes for eradication European regulators greenlight new one-dose compound that could help African countries get rid of an ancient burden

European regulators have approved acoziborole, a new treatment for sleeping sickness that cures the disease with a single oral dose. The drug replaces complex regimens requiring hospitalisation, spinal taps and weeks of monitoring. buff.ly/KX3Ld2B
#ShareGoodNewsToo

Standing ovations for an incredible Maya Schuldiner, who just received the Otto Warburg Metal at the #MosbacherKolloqium of the @gbmev.bsky.social and delivered the most impressive, passionate speeches one can imagine... beautiful oration by Christian Ungermann and many tears in the lecture hall 🧪💕

Organizers Inga, Eric and Joachim closing the famous Transport Colloquium of the GBM Study Group Biomembranes in a spectacular castle location - great fun to mingle with the German membrane transport crowd, now on to Mosbach! 😁 @gbmev.bsky.social @geertsmalab.bsky.social @ihaenelt.bsky.social

Chairs and Vice-chairs of the GRC Ligand Recognition and Molecular Gating... Enjoying the sun in Tuscany 🥰

Final symposium after 12 successful years: DFG-funded CRC1127 ChemBioSys - Chemical Mediators in complex Biosystems led by Christian Hertweck & Georg Pohnert is coming to an end 🥲 but so many cool things grew from it 🌱🦠

Wonderful plenary by Roderich Süssmuth in the beautiful @uni-jena.de aula 🤩

Thank you so much Peter Zygmunt and team for the invitation to Lund and two fantastic days of ion channels galore!😍

So glad I made the TRP and that we all agree mint ice cream is the best, even if TRPVs rule 😋🧊🌶
#LipidLove #TRPVanilloid

It's a date! ☺️

We were featured in C&EN! 🤯🥳🧪
Amazing experience with @pstallforth.bsky.social & @mlakemeyer.bsky.social! 😍

More on bacterial cooperation, D,L-peptidases, natural product structure determination & backstory:
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
@microverse.bsky.social @lifeprofile.bsky.social
@uni-jena.de

We will make up for it in Italy... TWICE! ✌️

Suffering through some serious #BPS2026 FOMO right now... 🥲🧪
So sad I coukdnt make it, but to everyone attending, I hope you have a fantastic week!!!!!!
(And keep posting, please! ☺️)

"Here, we measure the sensitivity of the force-gated ion channel Piezo2 and demonstrate that it is modulated by alternative splicing."

New preprint: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

😊

Microbial dl-Peptidases Enable Predator Defense and Facilitate Structure Elucidation of Complex Natural Products Peptidases are indispensable tools in biotechnology and chemical biology. However, the enzyme repertoire for the selective hydrolysis of dl-amide bonds in peptides is small. Here, we describe novel dl-peptidases that mediate complex microbial interactions. These enzymes, Lip3 and Lip7, convert lipopeptides into potent amoebicidal agents via selective dl-peptide bond cleavage. Using structural analyses and mutagenesis, we identified an unusual Ser–Lys–Lys–Tyr catalytic tetrad required for dl-specificity. Despite their high structural similarity, both enzymes show distinct substrate preferences: Lip3 acts primarily as a carboxypeptidase, removing a single C-terminal residue, while Lip7 excises a tripeptide. Although their substrate scopes are broad, they are highly specific with regard to their respective cutting sites. These features make these dl-peptidases powerful tools for elucidating the structure of complex peptide-based natural products, including tensin and WLIP. Overall, this work elucidates the molecular mechanisms of cooperative microbial defense and provides a new enzymatic toolbox for biocatalysis and natural product discovery.

Great paper by the groups of Pierre Stallforth, @hellmichgroup.bsky.social and @mlakemeyer.bsky.social of @uni-jena.de in @jacs.acspublications.org . Microbial DL-peptidases with an important role in predator defense.
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
#ChemSky #ChemBio #Biochemistry #Bacteria #Microbes

Wie der gemeinsame Verteidigungsmechanismus zweier Bakterien funktioniert haben das Team von Pierre Stallforth, Ute Hellmich @hellmichgroup.bsky.social und Markus Lakemeyer von @leibniz-hki.de herausgefunden.
doi.org/10.1021/jacs...

Bild: © Leibniz-HKI

In a darkened room, minerals can be seen under ultraviolet light at the Mineralogical Collection of the University of Jena. Image: Nicole Nerger (University of Jena)

UV radiation was discovered in Jena 225 years ago. To honour Johann Wilhelm Ritter's experiment, our University is holding an interdisciplinary symposium from 21 to 22 Feb with a focus on this historic leap in knowledge and its relevance to contemporary research. ➡️ www.uni-jena.de/en/387508/jen…

When it's the student's birthday AND the experiment they worked at so tirelessly finally worked out!!!
🥳🥳🥳 🍾🎁

Microbial dl-Peptidases Enable Predator Defense and Facilitate Structure Elucidation of Complex Natural Products Peptidases are indispensable tools in biotechnology and chemical biology. However, the enzyme repertoire for the selective hydrolysis of dl-amide bonds in peptides is small. Here, we describe novel dl...

🧪Bacterial DL-peptidases are key in coordindated predetor defenses AND powerful tools for natural product structure elucidation! 🦠✂️
New JACS paper with @pstallforth.bsky.social
@mlakemeyer.bsky.social @en-hxnu-enment.bsky.social & Hertweck labs
@microverse.bsky.social
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Thank you for the great talk @hellmichgroup.bsky.social 👏
Her lecture “Regulation through disorder” @mpip-mainz.mpg.de showed how IDPs are central to TRP channel regulation: example of how structural “disorder” is key to biological function. Wonderful to see Ute pushing this field forward in Jena.

Forschung zu resistenten Keimen macht Fortschritte | MDR.DE Seit 100 Jahren können Bakterien mit Antibiotika gut behandelt werden. Doch inzwischen sind auch multiresistente Keime im Umlauf, die immun gegen die Medikamente sind. An der Uni Jena forscht man an e...

TV feature alert! 📺 Great to see our PIs @hellmichgroup.bsky.social & Michael Bauer on MDR. They explain why understanding microbial balance is crucial for our future. 🦠

Catch the full clip here: www.mdr.de/video/mdr-vi...

🤝 @lifeprofile.bsky.social & @uni-jena.de

Bidirectional communication between nucleotide and substrate binding sites in a type IV multidrug ABC transporter - Nature Communications The communication hinge, found in type IV ABC transporters, forms a bidirectional communication between ATP- and substrate-binding sites. This is an unexplored allosteric pathway critical for function...

You can read more about Victor's recent study in coupling ATP and substrate binding in ABC transporters in collaboration with the Neuweiler, Marcoux, Orelle and Jalut labs here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Spying on ABC multidrug transporters in action, gently nudged by our Victor! 😍

ZDF Mittagsmagazin visited us & co-LIFE speaker Michael Bauer to discuss antibiotic resistance: mechanisms, why basic research matters, & clinical challenges
@microverse.bsky.social @uni-jena.de @lifeprofile.bsky.social

You never disappoint, André 😉

🧪If you love lipids,cell biology & chemical bioloy and wonder about the fundamental mechanisms of life, you'll be in for a treat! 🤩🥳

Don't miss the next @gbmev.bsky.social Lunch Seminar by @nadlerlab.bsky.social & Kristin Böhlig!

#ChemBio #LipidLove

Preregister for free
@gfg-chembio.bsky.social

Forschende der Uni Jena haben einen Mechanismus entdeckt, wie Bakterien sich gegen Antibiotika wehren. Diese Entdeckung soll im Kampf gegen Resistenzen helfen.
💊💊💊
Es gibt zu viele negative News, deswegen poste ich jeden Tag eine #guteNewsdesTages.

Have you registered yet? Early bird registration and abstract submission are open until January 31.
mosbacher-kolloquium.org

Specific activation instead of continuous operation: How bacteria save energy and what this means for antibiotic resistances Researchers in the Cluster of Excellence “Balance of the Microverse” at the University of Jena decipher a key mechanism of antibiotic resistance pumps

Researchers of @hellmichgroup.bsky.social at #UniJena Cluster of Excellence @microverse.bsky.social have deciphered a key mechanism of antibiotic resistance. They showed how the bacterium applies the energy required to transport the drug out of its cell.

➡️ www.uni-jena.de/en/381040/sp...

Consider joining us and many others at the German Peptide Symposium in Essen! Exciting talks in synthetic biology, natural products, antimicrobials, method development, chemical biology... 🧪🥽

POV: you don't need an entire protein to be happy 😜

www.uni-due.de/17gps/

The Taste of Carbonation The enzyme carbonic anhydrase mediates the taste sensation of carbonated drinks.

🧪HAPPY 2026 EVERYONE!!!! 🥂🍾🥳

When you enjoy your bubbly this evening, do spare a thought about carbonic anhydrase - it's an amazing enzyme (almost as fast as 2025 felt! 😜), and it turns out, it's also responsible for tasting CO2's "fizziness"!!! 🍾

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...