discovered_01_2015 - A Cellular Watchdog

FOCUS// THE HZDR RESEARCH MAGAZINE WWW.HZDR.DE 16 17 Elisabeth Fischermeier takes an interest in bouncers. Not the scowling, muscle-bound hunks in front of night clubs, but a much smaller type of watchdog: the protein CopA, which does a very similar job on the molecular level. CopA is a transport enzyme which ensures that only a certain amount of ‘visitors’ – in this case copper ions – can enter the hip hangout, which is a human, animal or plant cell. Copper is a heavy metal and a problematic guest. On the one hand, copper is a popular visitor in the cell because it can really get the party going. Too much of it, however, can make the party derail and end in disaster. Elisabeth Fischermeier, doctoral candidate at the HZDR Institute of Resource Ecology, explains: ‘Copper is an important trace element for the cell because certain enzymes need it in order to function properly. On the other hand, an excess of copper can poison the cell. Getting the amount just right is a tightrope act.’ This is what stirred her interest in the topic. It’s all about the right mix Fischermeier studies how cells regulate their copper levels. The ‘bouncer’, the protein CopA, plays a central role in this process. It is situated in the lipid bilayer that surrounds the cell. When the copper level is balanced, CopA does not interfere with the heavy metal. As soon as things get too crowded, however – that is, as soon as there is too much // How do cells regulate their copper levels? Elisabeth Fischermeier is looking to answer this question. Her basic research might one day lead to technologies that can remove heavy metals from contaminated soils and bodies of water. BIOLOGICAL BOUNCER: Elisabeth Fischermeier takes a stand in front of her bio-lab at the HZDR Institute of Resource Ecology. Photo: André Forner _TEXT . Simon Schmitt A CELLULAR WATCHDOG

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