The Group

Head: Prof. Dr. Knud H. Nierhaus,

Studied medicine and joined the Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Genetik in Berlin in 1968. He published about 300 papers and book chapters, and presently leads a research group studying different aspects of translation. The most significant achievements of the group:

• The reconstitution system for the large subunit from E. coli ribosomes from its isolated components. Elucidation of the principles of assembly of the large ribosomal subunit in vitro.

• The detection of the third tRNA binding site, the E site, present on all ribosomes. Unraveling the importance of this site (allosteric three-site model).

• Universally conserved in bacteria, mitochondria and chloroplasts: LepA, a new ribosomal elongation factor termed EF4

Current Research Group Members:

Postdocs

* Markus Pech

* Oliver Vesper

Graduate Students:

* Witold Szaflarski

* Daniela Wittek

* Romi Gupta

* Zhala Karim

Students:

* Daniela Kaul (Diploma)

Technicians:

* Edda Einfeldt

* Detlev Kamp

* Renate Albrecht

Contact:

Knud H. Nierhaus
Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Genetik
Ihnestrasse 73
D-14195 Berlin, Germany
Tel.: +49-30-8413-1700
Fax: +49-30-8413-1594
e-mail: nierhaus@molgen.mpg.de