Research
Thorsten Lang, Dr. rer. nat.Professor of Membrane Biochemistryphone: +49 (0)2 28 / 73 - 6 28 23 |
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| 1990-1995 | Undergraduate studies in Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, Germany |
| 1995-1996 | Diploma theses in Biochemistry (Prof. Joachim Knappe/Dr. Dorothea Kessler) |
| 1996-1999 | Doctorate in Biology, Max-Planck-Institute for Medical Research (Prof. Wolfhard Almers), Heidelberg, Germany |
| 1999-2007 | Postdoctoral fellow and group leader at the Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry (Prof. Reinhard Jahn), Göttingen, Germany |
| 2005 | Habilitation in Zoology and Biochemistry at the University of Göttingen, Germany |
| since 2007 | Professor (W2) for Membrane Biochemistry, Life & Medical Sciences (LIMES)-Institute, University of Bonn, Germany |
Research Interests
The fluid mosaic model for the structure of biological membranes predicts individual membrane proteins to diffuse freely in a sea of lipids. However, in recent years it became increasingly clear that most plasmalemmal proteins organize in submicrometer-sized domains or clusters, whose functions still remain enigmatic.
Our group is investigating micropatterning mechanisms of membrane proteins and their functional consequences. In particular, we use a combination of biochemical and biophysical approaches for studying the anatomy, composition and dynamics of membrane protein clusters. Membrane proteins currently under focus include members of the so-called SNARE-protein family (catalysts of membrane fusion) and several plasma membrane receptors.
Key publications
Sieber, J.J., Willig, K.I., Kutzner, C., Gerding-Reimers, C., Harke, B., Donnert, G., Rammner, B., Eggeling, C., Hell, S.W., rubmüller, H. and Lang, T. (2007) Anatomy and dynamics of a supramolecular membrane protein cluster. Science 317, 1072-1076
Zilly, F.E., Sørensen, J.B., Jahn, R. and Lang, T. (2006). Munc18-bound syntaxin readily forms SNARE complexes with synaptobrevin in native plasma membranes . PLoS Biol.4, 1789-1797 (e330)
Sieber, J.J., Willig, K.I., Heintzmann, R., Hell, S.W. and Lang, T. (2006). The SNARE-motif is essential for the formation of syntaxin clusters in the plasma membrane. Biophys. J.90, 2843-2851
Lang, T. , Margittai, M., Hölzler, H. and Jahn, R. (2002). SNAREs in native plasma membranes are active and readily form core complexes with endogenous and exogenous SNAREs. J. Cell Biol.158 , 751-760
Lang, T. , Bruns, D., Wenzel, D., Riedel, D., Holroyd, P., Thiele, C. and Jahn, R. (2001). SNAREs are Concentrated in Cholesterol-Dependent Clusters that Define Docking and Fusion Sites for Exocytosis. EMBO J.20 , 2202-2213