2008-present W3 Professor for Molecular Biology, ZMBH, Heidelberg
2004-2008 W3 Professor for Biochemistry, University of Goettingen
1998-2004 Group leader, MPI for Biochemistry, Martinsried
1992-1998 Postdoctoral fellow, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, USA
1990-1992 Postdoctoral fellow, MPI for Biophysical Chemistry, Goettingen
1990 Dr. rer. nat. in Biochemistry, University of Marburg


Contact:
ZMBH, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282
69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Tel.: + 49-6221 54 6804

Fax.: +49-6221 54 5893
f.melchior@zmbh.uni-heidelberg.de



Frauke Melchior's Laboratory


Posttranslational modification with Ubiquitin related modifiers of the SUMO family

Research in our group centers around posttranslational modification with small ubiquitin-related proteins of the SUMO family. Like ubiquitin, these proteins can be covalently and reversibly linked to other proteins. Attachment of SUMO serves to regulate protein-protein interactions, subcellular localization, enzymatic activity and stability.

Projects in the lab aim at understanding mechanisms, regulation and function of SUMOylation in mammalian cells. We are interested in basic principles of reversible sumoylation (enzymes, targets and acceptor sites), connections between SUMOylation and nucleocytoplasmic transport (focusing, e.g., on the nucleoporin and E3 Ligase RanBP2/Nup358), links between SUMO- and ubiquitin-conjugation pathways, and regulation of sumoylation by redox-signaling.




Selected Publications

Original Papers

Meulmeester, E., Kunze, M., Hsiaoh, H.H., Urlaub, H., Melchior, F. (2008). Mechanism and consequences of paralog specific sumoylation of USP25. Mol Cell 30, 610-619.

Bossis, G. and Melchior, F. (2006). Regulation of SUMOylation by reversible oxidation of SUMO conjugating enzymes. Mol. Cell 21, 349-357.

Pichler, A., Gast, A., Seeler, J.S., Dejean, A. and Melchior, F. (2002). The nucleoporin RanBP2 is a SUMO1 E3 Ligase. Cell 108, 109-120

Mahajan, R., Delphin, C., Guan, T., Gerace, L. and Melchior, F. (1997). A small ubiquitin related polypeptide involved in targeting RanGAP1 to nuclear pore complex protein RanBP2. Cell 88, 97-107.

Reviews

Meulmeester, E. and Melchior, F. (2008). Cell Biology: SUMO. Nature 452, 709-711.

Geiss-Friedlander, R. and Melchior F. (2007). Concepts in SUMOylation: a decade on. Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol. 8, 947-956.

Methods

Stankovic-Valentin, N., Kozaczkiewicz, L., Curth, K. and Melchior, F. (2009). An in vitro FRET-based assay for the analysis of SUMO conjugation and isopeptidase cleavage. Methods in Molecular Biology: SUMO Protocols (Editor H. D. Ulrich): 497: 241-251.

Werner, A., Moutty, M.C., Moeller, U. and Melchior, F. (2009). Performing in vitro sumoylation reactions using recombinant enzymes. Methods in Molecular Biology: SUMO Protocols (Editor H. D. Ulrich): 497: 187-199.