PhD

X-ray-crystallography

I did my Ph.D.-thesis at the Max-Planck-Institut für molekulare Physiologie in the group of Dr.Ingrid Vetter (Department I, Prof. Dr. A.Wittinghofer) .

My work was related to the characterization, crystallization and structure refinement of Ran-binding Proteins involved in the transport-processes through the nuclear pores into and out of the nucleus of eucaryotic cells.

I crystallized a ternary complex of Importin-beta bound to Ran and a RanBD1 fragment, proving that such a ternary complex could exist -at least in vitro- and form a stable intermediate in the import-export process through the nuclear pores.

I also did some biochemical analysis regarding the dissociation of this complex.

You can download my thesis (in german) from the Library of the University of Bochum.

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Pictures

Some images of the crystal structure, taken from my thesis:

From left to right: Crystals of the ternary complex, B-factor distribution of the structural model, the asymmetric unit with two complexes.

Parts of my thesis have been published.