Institute of Clinical Biochemistry: Difference between revisions

The mitogroup focuses on function of mitochondria in relation to oxidative stress and mtDNA damage. Oxidative stress damages mtDNA but also suppresses respiratory function of mitochondria. Particular interest is the interplay between respiration function and mtDNA damage accumulation/repair. Molecular methods are used to characterize damage and repair of mtDNA, assembly of mitochondrial complexes in the mitochondrial inner membrane in addition to functional assessment by high-resolution respirometry and in vivo confocal imaging.

The DNA repair group focuses on how DNA base lesions are detected and processed by the various DNA repair proteins within the cell. We aim at mapping the molecular principles of recognition of specific base lesions that occur in DNA as a consequence of different processes like oxidation of DNA, damages by electromagnetic radiation, contact with reactive chemicals or different carcinogenic compounds. We use both biological and biochemical methods to study the function of single DNA repair proteins as well as the interplay between different proteins. Further, we also use methods within molecular biology like site-spesific mutagenesis and cloning in order to map the function and lesion specificity of the DNA repair proteins. We also take the advantage of structural biology (protein structure determination) and the optical laser tweezers to study the molecular interactions and dynamics of the different repair proteins.