Welcome to the Computational Biophysics Group at Saarland University.
We develop methods related to molecular dynamics simulations, with the aim to understand the relationship between structure, dynamics, and function of biological macromolecules.
We have several interesting Bachelor and Master projects available. Find out more.
The function of biological membranes goes far beyond the formation of a mere barrier. Membranes are subject to ongoing structural remodeling, which is controlled by interactions with proteins and by the lipid composition. We develop free energy calculation techniques to understand how membrane composition and interactions with proteins (such as viral fusion proteins) enable functionally important events at membranes including membrane fusion, pore formation, or drug permeation.
Collecting experimental data is often difficult – but the interpretation of the data may be even more challenging, for instance because the information content of the experimental signals is low. We develop methods for combining MD simulations with experimental data to get the best of two worlds, with some focus on small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering data (SAXS/SANS). Our developments involve accurate SAXS/SANS predictions, protein structure and ensemble refinement, studies on the protein hydration shell, and modeling of experiments at X-ray free electron lasers. We share our methods via the web server WAXSiS and GROMACS-SWAXS.
Proteins are not static building blocks but instead carry out their function –and malfunction– by structural transitions (Structure-function-dynamics relationship). We combine MD simulations with experiential data and enhanced-sampling techniques, to observe proteins while they function in atomic detail. Our portfolio comprises studies of molecular motors, protein-RNA/DNA complexes, membrane channels, and enzymes related to cancer progression.
Mpox is a zoonotic disease endemic in central and west Africa. However, since 2022, human-adapted mpox virus (MPXV) strains are causing large outbreaks spreading outside these regions, leading the World Health Organization to declare public health emergency twice. Tecovirimat, the most widely used drug to treat these infections, blocks viral egress through a poorly understood mechanism. Tecovirimat-resistant strains, all with mutations in the viral phospholipase F13, pose public health concerns. Herein, we report the structure of an F13 homodimer, both alone and in complex with tecovirimat. We demonstrate that tecovirimat acts as a molecular glue, inducing the dimerization of the phospholipase. F13 escape mutations in MPXV clinical isolates are at the dimer interface and prevent drug-induced dimerization in solution and cells. These findings, which decipher tecovirimat’s mode of action, will allow better monitoring of poxvirus outbreaks and pave the way for developing more potent and resilient therapeutics.
Proton translocation through lipid membranes is a fundamental process in the field of biology. Several theoretical models have been developed and presented over the years to explain the phenomenon, yet the exact mechanism is still not well understood. Here, we show that proton translocation is directly related to membrane potential fluctuations. Using high-throughput wide-field second harmonic (SH) microscopy, we report apparently universal transmembrane potential fluctuations in lipid membrane systems. Molecular simulations and free energy calculations suggest that H+ permeation proceeds predominantly across a thin, membrane-spanning water needle and that the transient transmembrane potential drives H+ ions across the water needle. This mechanism differs from the transport of other cations that require completely open pores for transport and follows naturally from the well-known Grotthuss mechanism for proton transport in bulk water. Furthermore, SH imaging and conductivity measurements reveal that the rate of proton transport depends on the structure of the hydrophobic core of bilayer membranes.
Lipid droplet (LD) function relies on proteins partitioning between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) phospholipid bilayer and the LD monolayer membrane to control cellular adaptation to metabolic changes. It has been proposed that these hairpin proteins integrate into both membranes in a similar monotopic topology, enabling their passive lateral diffusion during LD emergence at the ER. Here, we combine biochemical solvent-accessibility assays, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and intra-molecular crosslinking experiments with molecular dynamics simulations, and determine distinct intramembrane positionings of the ER/LD protein UBXD8 in ER bilayer and LD monolayer membranes. UBXD8 is deeply inserted into the ER bilayer with a V-shaped topology and adopts an open-shallow conformation in the LD monolayer. Major structural rearrangements are required to enable ER-to-LD partitioning. Free energy calculations suggest that such structural transition is unlikely spontaneous, indicating that ER-to-LD protein partitioning relies on more complex mechanisms than anticipated and providing regulatory means for this trans-organelle protein trafficking.
Present and former