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discovered_01_2015

discovered 01.15 FOCUS WWW.HZDR.DE copper in the cell – CopA does its job and kicks out the excess copper. ‘The question is how exactly this process works,’ says Elisabeth Fischermeier describing the focus of her dissertation. She packages the proteins in small particles called nanodiscs. ‘Imagine moving a plant from your yard into a flower pot,’ Fischermeier explains. ‘In these nanodiscs, we simulate the natural cell environment under simplified conditions. This makes it easier for us to study the CopA.’ The challenge is removing the protein from the cell. The doctoral candidate uses a special rinsing agent to remove the ‘potting soil’ – the lipid bilayer. Then, she puts the CopA into the ‘flower pots’, which measure ten to twelve nanometers. Elisabeth Fischermeier was able to demonstrate for the first time that the protein can be transferred to nanodiscs without being destroyed in the process. In the future, her procedure could also be used to study bio-molecules at the European X-ray laser XFEL in Hamburg. A special task force of tiny creatures The Nuremberg-born scientist, who started her doctorate at HZDR in 2011 after studying biochemistry in Regensburg and Berlin, is looking to gain a fundamental understanding of processes inside the cell: ‘In my case, mainly the transport of copper.’ Eventually, this research might yield new ways to remove heavy metals from soils and bodies of water. This idea is not new. Bacteria that can remove harmful substances were first discovered in the 1970s. The euphoria about this discovery, however, did not last long. Scientists were unable to transfer their promising lab results into the real environment. In nature, the toxic substances and the microorganisms hardly ever come in contact, because there are too many other, highly impactful factors that were not considered in the lab. Some bacteria did indeed prove their potency. The microbe Geobacter metallireducens, for example, was used to remove uranium from the groundwater surrounding the abandoned ‘Rifle Mill’ mine in western Colorado. Fischermeier thinks that in the past insight tended to be gained by chance: ‘So far, science has only been searching for specific microorganisms that are able to fulfil a certain function on their own. In some cases, that has been successful.’ But the biochemist wants to do the reverse: ‘Once we understand precisely how cellular processes work, we might succeed in breeding tailor-made microorganisms for specific purposes. In the case of CopA, it might be microorganisms that are particularly resistant to heavy metals.’ Elisabeth Fischermeier knows that in order to achieve this, it is necessary to thoroughly decode the characteristics of these tiny creatures. Her research helps discover individual components and their interactions – even though she predicts that it will probably take another few years before they can be used in practice. Nonetheless, the ‘watchdog’ CopA could rise from cellular bouncer to a veritable security force against heavy metals for entire regions. The brightest bioscientific minds Elisabeth Fischermeier came to HZDR via the Dresden International Graduate School for Biomedicine and Bioengineering (DIGS-BB) where she also met her supervisor Karim Fahmy. The head of department for biophysics at HZDR wholeheartedly supports teaching and research in this program, which TU Dresden launched with numerous partners from the DRESDEN-concept alliance in 2006. Its mission is to offer optimal support to the best doctoral candidates in the fields of cell biology, biomedicine, biophysics and biotechnology. At DIGS-BB, doctoral candidates are supported by an advisory committee of three or four experienced scientists. At regular meetings, the young researchers are given independent advice on how to systematically advance their work. At DIGS-BB, the candidates are subjected to a rigid selection process. Their knowledge and motivation is put to the test during an ‘interview week’. At the same time, intensive discussions with participating scientists serve to assemble a suitable team of supervisors for each successful candidate. DIGS-BB is funded by the Excellence Initiative of the German Federal and Länder governments. In cooperation with the International Max Planck Research School for Cell, Developmental and Systems Biology, it serves four scientific fields: regenerative medicine, biophysics and biotechnology, cell and developmental biology as well as computer biology. Currently, about 200 candidates are pursuing a doctorate at the Graduate School. www.dresden-ipp.de CONTACT _Institute of Resource Ecology at HZDR Elisabeth Fischermeier e.fischermeier@hzdr.de WWW.HZDR.DE

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