Proteins

Wolfgang Bauermeister at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried near Munich

The biophysicist is being honoured for his groundbreaking development and application of cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) more

Microscopic view displaying blue-stained nuclei and yellow cellular formations within a dense tissue network.

Researchers have used spatial Deep Visual Proteomics workflow to reveal why some patients with the hereditary disease remain healthy more

Prestigious award for Maria Sokolova

Maria Sokolova, head of the Lise Meitner Research Group Bacteriophages at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, receives this year's Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize 2025 more

Cracking the Code of Protein Degradation

With the help of a new technology, researchers can analyze the function of the different ubiquitin chains on proteins more

Structure of the glycocalyx

Proteins in the sheath of cellular protrusions regulate the ability of cells to adhere to surfaces more

Scientists discover the function of a mysterious HIV component

Researchers reveal new insights into the how the matrix layer of HIV-1 becomes mature more

Optical nanoscopy without the ON/OFF

Researchers from Göttingen and Heidelberg have increased the resolution in fluorescence microscopy by a factor of 30 without switching fluorescent molecules sequentially into a fluorescent and a non-fluorescent state. more

The HIV-1 capsid cracks the rings of the nuclear pore complex as it traverses the channel from the cytosol to the nucleus.

For the first time, researchers have observed how HIV penetrates the nuclear pores to the genome of human immune cells more

An Enzyme in training camp

‘Lactyl-CoA mutase’, which is not found in nature, was specifically developed for efficient synthetic metabolic pathways more

The hidden potential of enzyme promiscuity

Evolution in the laboratory can turn a familiar enzyme into a potential hotspot of innovation in synthetic biology more

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Wolfgang Bauermeister at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried near Munich

The biophysicist is being honoured for his groundbreaking development and application of cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) more

Microscopic view displaying blue-stained nuclei and yellow cellular formations within a dense tissue network.

Researchers have used spatial Deep Visual Proteomics workflow to reveal why some patients with the hereditary disease remain healthy more

Prestigious award for Maria Sokolova

Maria Sokolova, head of the Lise Meitner Research Group Bacteriophages at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, receives this year's Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize 2025 more

Scientists discover the function of a mysterious HIV component

Researchers reveal new insights into the how the matrix layer of HIV-1 becomes mature more

The HIV-1 capsid cracks the rings of the nuclear pore complex as it traverses the channel from the cytosol to the nucleus.

For the first time, researchers have observed how HIV penetrates the nuclear pores to the genome of human immune cells more

New technology saves the lives of patients with fatal skin reactions

Spatial proteomics provides therapeutic approach for patients with toxic epidermal necrolysis more

Researchers can measure distances in molecules optically

MINFLUX microscopy allows the determination of distances within biomolecules using an optical microscope more

Alzheimer’s disease: It’s not only neurons

It is not only nerve cells that produce harmful beta-amyloid proteins. Glial cells also contribute to this more

Egg cell maintenance

Female mammals, including humans, are born with all of their egg cells. Some egg cells therefore survive for several decades – and need to remain functional over this long time. Extremely long-lived proteins in the ovary seem to play an important role in this. They appear to help maintain fertility for as long as possible. more

This is a picture of Erin Schuman, who has been director at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt since 2009. In this picture, Schuman is wearing a white lab coat buttoned over a purple shirt. She is standing in what appears to be a lab setting, with one hand resting on the counter, and the other one in the pocket of her lab coat. She is looking into the camera. Her brown hair is of medium lenght and curly.

The director at the MPI for Brain Research is honoured for pioneering research on neuronal protein synthesis more

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Scientific highlights 2020

Scientific highlights 2020

December 21, 2020

Many publications by Max Planck scientists in 2020 were of great social relevance or met with a great media response. We have selected 13 articles to present you with an overview of some noteworthy research of the year more

Secretin protein with a crown

Researchers elucidate the structure of a molecular machine that allows bacteria to import foreign DNA and become resistant to antibiotics more

Structure of channelrhodopsin determined

Researchers discover structure and mechanism of action of molecular light switch, paving the way for new applications more

Stiff fibres spun from slime

Under the influence of shear forces, nanoparticles from the secretion of velvet worms form polymer fibres that can be recycled in water more

<p>Shining a light on molecular switches</p>

First structural insights obtained from femtosecond X-ray crystallography more

Deceptive teeth

Although the dentition of the wedgefish appear designed to crush shellfish, it also eats stingrays more

Green chemistry from the mussel foot

The byssus threads of the common mussel are produced by a combination of self-assembly processes and biologically active steps more

The first glimpse of a single protein

A folded protein molecule can be clearly imaged with the help of electron holograms more

Light microscopy provides a deep look into protein structure

An innovative fluorescence microscopy method makes it possible to image protein structures with a resolution of less than half an Angstrom more

Why is Usain Bolt the fastest person on Earth?

Max Planck researchers observe muscles at work with the help of new microscopes more

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