Hopfner Lab - Structural Molecular Biology

Research Topics

Cryo-EM and crystallography
Structural Genome Biology
Innate Immune RNA and DNA Sensing
Therapeutic Protein Engineering

Prof. Karl-Peter Hopfner

phone: +49 (0)89 - 2180 76953
hopfner@genzentrum.lmu.de

Assistant: Dr. Sabine Bergelt

phone: +49 (0)89 - 2180 76950
bergelt@genzentrum.lmu.de

We are interested in how cells shape and protect their genomic information. Using cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography and functional approaches, we study the architectures and mechanisms of macromolecular complexes in genome biology with a focus on chromatin remodelers, DNA double-strand break repair enzymes and innate immune nucleic acid sensors. Moreover, we also focus on innovative antibody engineering with the aim of exploiting immune checkpoints to improve cancer immunotherapy. Read more...

Selected Publications

Cryo-EM structure of the Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 complex reveals the molecular mechanism of scaffolding functions.
Rotheneder M, Stakyte K, van de Logt E, Bartho JD, Lammens K, Fan Y, Alt A, Kessler B, Jung C, Roos WP, Steigenberger B, Hopfner KP.
Mol Cell. 2022 Dec 20:S1097-2765(22)01138-8. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.12.003. PubMed

Structural mechanism of extranucleosomal DNA readout by the INO80 complex.
Kunert F, Metzner FJ, Jung J, Höpfler M, Woike S, Schall K, Kostrewa D, Moldt M, Chen JX, Bantele S, Pfander B, Eustermann S, Hopfner KP.
Sci Adv. 2022 Dec 9;8(49):eadd3189. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.add3189. PubMed

Structural basis for sequestration and autoinhibition of cGAS by chromatin.
Michalski S, de Oliveira Mann CC, Stafford CA, Witte G, Bartho J, Lammens K, Hornung V, Hopfner KP.
Nature. 2020 Nov;587(7835):678-682. doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2748-0. PubMed

Structural basis for ATP dependent chromatin remodelling by the INO80 complex.
Eustermann S, Schall K, Kostrewa D, Lakomek K, Strauss M, Moldt M, Hopfner KP.
Nature. 2018 April 11; doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0029-y. PubMed