Krukau, A.; Knecht, V.; Lipowsky, R.: Allosteric control of kinesin's motor domain by tubulin: a molecular dynamics study. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 16 (13), pp. 6189 - 6198 (2014)
Miettinen, M. S.; Monticelli, L.; Nedumpully-Govindan, P.; Knecht, V.; Ignatova, Z.: Stable polyglutamine dimers can contain β-hairpins with interdigitated side chains but not α-helices, β-nanotubes, β-pseudohelices, or steric zippers. Biophysical Journal 106 (8), pp. 1721 - 1728 (2014)
Pobandt, T.; Knecht, V.: Free energy of lipid bilayer defects affected by Alzheimer's disease-associated amyloid-ß42 monomers. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B 118 (13), pp. 3507 - 3516 (2014)
Awasthi, N.; Ritschel, T.; Lipowsky, R.; Knecht, V.: Standard Gibbs energies of formation and equilibrium constants from ab-initio calculations: covalent dimerization of NO2 and synthesis of NH3. The Journal of Chemical Thermodynamics 62, pp. 211 - 221 (2013)
Grafmüller, A.; Lipowsky, R.; Knecht, V.: Effect of tension and curvature on the chemical potential of lipids in lipid aggregates. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 15 (3), pp. 876 - 881 (2013)
Kar, P.; Lipowsky, R.; Knecht, V.: Importance of polar solvation and configurational entropy for design of antiretroviral drugs targeting HIV-1 protease. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B 117 (19), pp. 5793 - 5805 (2013)
Knecht, V.; Klasczyk, B.: Specific binding of chloride ions to lipid vesicles and implications at molecular scale. Biophysical Journal 104 (4), pp. 818 - 824 (2013)
Knecht, V.; Klasczyk, B.; Dimova, R.: Macro- versus microscopic view on the electrokinetics of a water-membrane interface. Langmuir 29 (25), pp. 7939 - 7948 (2013)
Shapovalov, V. L.; Möhwald, H.; Konovalov, O. V.; Knecht, V.: Negligible water surface charge determined using Kelvin probe and total reflection X-ray fluorescence techniques. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 15 (33), pp. 13991 - 13998 (2013)
Smirnova, Y. G.; Aeffner, S.; Risselada, H. J.; Salditt, T.; Marrink, S. J.; Müller, M.; Knecht, V.: Interbilayer repulsion forces between tension-free lipid bilayers from simulation. Soft Matter 9 (45), pp. 10705 - 10718 (2013)
Hausmann, R.; Grepl, M.; Knecht, V.; Moeller, M. J.: The glomerular filtration barrier function: new concepts. Current Opinion in Nephrology and Hypertension 21 (4), pp. 441 - 449 (2012)
Kar, P.; Knecht, V.: Energetics of mutation-induced changes in potency of lersivirine against HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. Journal of Physical Chemistry B 116 (22), pp. 6269 - 6278 (2012)
Kar, P.; Knecht, V.: Mutation-induced loop opening and energetics for binding of tamiflu to influenza N8 neuraminidase. Journal of Physical Chemistry B 116 (21), pp. 6137 - 6149 (2012)
Kar, P.; Knecht, V.: Origin of decrease in potency of darunavir and two related antiviral inhibitors against HIV-2 compared to HIV-1 protease. Journal of Physical Chemistry B 116 (8), pp. 2605 - 2614 (2012)
Kar, P.; Knecht, V.: Energetic basis for drug resistance of HIV-1 protease mutants against amprenavir. Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design 26 (2), pp. 215 - 232 (2012)
Miettinen, M. S.; Knecht, V.; Monticelli, L.; Ignatova, Z.: Assessing polyglutamine conformation in the nucleating event by molecular dynamics simulations. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B 116 (34), pp. 10259 - 10265 (2012)
von Deuster, C. I. E.; Knecht, V.: Antimicrobial selectivity based on zwitterionic lipids and underlying balance of interactions. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: BBA 1818 (9), pp. 2192 - 2201 (2012)
Kar, P.; Lipowsky, R.; Knecht, V.: Importance of polar solvation for cross-reactivity of antibody and its variants with steroids. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B 115 (23), pp. 7661 - 7669 (2011)
Klasczyk, B.; Knecht, V.: Validating affinities for ion-lipid association from simulation against experiment. Journal of Physical Chemistry A 115 (38), pp. 10587 - 10595 (2011)
Challenge: It's not just whether a membrane is in a "solid" or "liquid" state that matters—how tightly its molecules are packed also influences how protein-rich droplets (condensates) stick to it Finding: More tightly packed membranes push away condensates, while loosely packed ones attract them Impact: Understanding these interactions is key to grasping essential cellular functions and disease progression
Scientists can now predict structural colors in bacteria. By sequencing a wide range of bacterial DNA and developing an accurate predictive model, reseachers uncovered how bacteria organize themselves into specific patterns within colonies to interfere with light and create iridescence.Their findings hold great promise for sustainable, pigment-free color production.
Biomolecular condensates may play a crucial but overlooked role in remodeling membrane structures within cells. Rumiana Dimova and her team demonstrated that these droplets can shape parts of the endoplasmic reticulum into nanotubes and double-membrane discs without the need for specific curvature-molding proteins.
Imagine switching on a light and being able to understand and control the inner dynamics of a cell. This is what the Dimova group has achieved: by shining lights of different colors on replicates of cells, they altered the interactions between cellular elements. Controlling these complex interactions enables us to deliver specific drugs directly into the cells.
Little is known yet about the interaction between these biomolecular condensate droplets and the membrane-bound organelles. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam developed synthetic membraneless organelles and visualized what happens when they meet a membrane.
Prof Silvia Vignolini, Ph.D. is establishing the new Department "Sustainable and Bio-inspired Materials". She is working at the interface of physics, chemistry, biology and materials science and perfectly complements the institute's profile of research on chemistry, materials and sustainability.