Division of Pathobiology of the Nervous System (Center for Brain Research)
Position: Research Assistant
Location: Spitalgasse 4, first floor
Phone: +43 1 40160-34094
E-Mail: markus.kunze@meduniwien.ac.at
Research Area
Peroxisomes in Brain Disorders
Research Interests
Adrenoleukodystrophy, Metabolic Diseases, Protein Transport
Principle Investigator(s)
Interest Group(s)
Abstract
A variety of metabolic pathways are sequestered within peroxisomes. Thus, the participating enzymes and the metabolic substrates have to be imported into this organelle. The mechanisms mediating an efficient and specific transport of soluble and membrane proteins to peroxisomes are a major focus of interest. The transfer of small organic compounds across the peroxisomal membrane by specific transporter proteins and the metabolic interconversion of these compounds within peroxisomes are the second major focus. Both aspects are of medical importance, because a dysfunction in transport processes has been linked to human diseases such as X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, Alzheimers disease or metabolic disorders.
Techniques
Immunofluorescence Microscopy, Western Blot, Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), Subcellular Fractionation, Density Gradient Centrifugation, Yeast Two Hybrid Assay, Mammalian Two Hybrid Assay, Immunoprecipitation, Cell Culture Techniques, PCR, qRT-PCR
Selected publications
- Kunze M, Malfatti F (2025) Towards a Conceptual Framework to Better Understand the Advantages and Limitations of Model Organisms Eur J Neurosci, 61 (7)
- Hochreiter B, Chong C, Hartig A, Maurer-Stroh S, Berger J, Schmid J, Kunze M (2020) A Novel FRET Approach Quantifies the Interaction Strength of Peroxisomal Targeting Signals and Their Receptor in Living Cells Cells, (10): 3389
- Kunze M (2020) The type-2 peroxisomal targeting signal BBA Mol Cell Res, 1867 (2): 118609
- Chong* , Kunze* , Hochreiter , Krenn , Berger , Maurer-Stroh (*equal contribution) (2019) Rare Human Missense Variants can affect the Function of Disease-Relevant Proteins by Loss and Gain of Peroxisomal Targeting Motifs Int J Mol Sci, 20 (18): 4609
| Article (PDF) | - Berger J, Dorninger F, Forss-Petter S, Kunze M (2016) Peroxisomes in brain development and function Biochim Biophys Acta, 863: 934-955
| Article (PDF) |