Subarea 4: Cell Dynamics and Molecular Damages in Aging

The research focus of Subarea 4 is on studying damages of macromolecules (proteins, nucleic acids) and determining the structure-function relationship of biomolecules relevant to damage and damage repair processes and responses to molecular damage that might lead to aging and aging-associated pathologies.

The studies are focused on the following research areas: DNA replication, DNA damage responses (DDR), stress responses, metabolic stresses, protein trafficking and protein damages.

The research is defined by four focus areas:

  • DNA damage response in tissue homeostasis and neuropathies,
  • Quality control in the endoplasmic reticulum for secretory pathway in aging processes,
  • Intrinsic and extrinsic factors implicated in cellular decline during aging, and
  • DNA replication and genomic integrity preventing premature aging and diseases.

Research focus of Subarea 4.

The accumulation of damaged macromolecules or subcellular organelles is associated with dysfunction of a cell, which contributes to tissue & organ failure. DNA damage, genomic instability, protein misfolding or defects in toxic protein degradation can compromise cell functionality. Alterations of mitochondrial DNA and protein complexes affect cellular metabolism, which will have a general impact on cell integrity.

Publications

(since 2016)

2018

  • Tuberous sclerosis complex is required for tumor maintenance in MYC-driven Burkitt's lymphoma.
    Hartleben G, Müller C, Krämer A, Schimmel H, Zidek LM, Dornblut C, Winkler R, Eichwald S, Kortman G, Kosan C, Kluiver J, Petersen I, van den Berg A, Wang ZQ, Calkhoven CF
    EMBO J 2018, 37(21), e98589
  • Species comparison of liver proteomes reveals links to naked mole-rat longevity and human aging.
    Heinze* I, Bens* M, Calzia* E, Holtze S, Dakhovnik O, Sahm A, Kirkpatrick JM, Szafranski K, Romanov N, Sama SN, Holzer K, Singer S, Ermolaeva M, Platzer** M, Hildebrandt** T, Ori** A
    BMC Biol 2018, 16(1), 82 * equal contribution, ** co-senior authors
  • CENP-C/H/I/K/M/T/W/N/L and hMis12 but not CENP-S/X participate in complex formation in the nucleoplasm of living human interphase cells outside centromeres.
    Hoischen* C, Yavas* S, Wohland T, Diekmann S
    PLoS One 2018, 13(3), e0192572 * equal contribution
  • The Nup214/88 complex is a negative regulator of Notch signaling.
    Kindermann B
    Dissertation 2018, Jena, Germany
  • Candida albicans β-Glucan Differentiates Human Monocytes Into a Specific Subset of Macrophages.
    Leonhardt J, Große S, Marx C, Siwczak F, Stengel S, Bruns T, Bauer R, Kiehntopf M, Williams DL, Wang ZQ, Mosig AS, Weis S, Bauer M, Heller R
    Front Immunol 2018, 9, doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02818
  • Cystatin A suppresses tumor cell growth through inhibiting epithelial to mesenchymal transition in human lung cancer.
    Ma Y, Chen Y, Li Y, Grün K, Berndt A, Zhou Z, Petersen I
    Oncotarget 2018, 9(18), 14084-98
  • DNA-Damage-Induced Hormetic Responses
    Mägdefrau AS, Ludwig K, Weigel C, Köse N, Guerra GM, Dakhovnik A, Kosan C
    In: The Science of Hormesis in Health and Longevity, Chapter 13 (edited by Suresh ISR, Marios K) 2018, 149-159, Academic Press, London
  • The sirtuin 1/2 inhibitor tenovin-1 induces a nonlinear apoptosis-inducing factor-dependent cell death in a p53 null Ewing's sarcoma cell line.
    Marx C, Marx-Blümel L, Lindig N, Thierbach R, Hoelzer D, Becker S, Wittig S, Lehmann R, Slevogt H, Heinzel T, Wang ZQ, Beck JF, Sonnemann J
    Invest New Drugs 2018, 36(3), 396-406
  • Thyroid Hormone Transporters MCT8 and OATP1C1 Control Skeletal Muscle Regeneration.
    Mayerl S, Schmidt M, Doycheva D, Darras VM, Hüttner SS, Boelen A, Visser TJ, Kaether C, Heuer** H, von Maltzahn** J
    Stem Cell Reports 2018, 10(6), 1959-74 ** co-corresponding authors
  • Reduced expression of C/EBPβ-LIP extends health- and lifespan in mice.
    Müller* C, Zidek* LM, Ackermann T, de Jong T, Liu P, Kliche V, Zaini MA, Kortman G, Harkema L, Verbeek DS, Tuckermann JP, von Maltzahn J, de Bruin A, Guryev V, Wang ZQ, Calkhoven CF
    Elife 2018, 7, e34985 * equal contribution