Scientists from the University of Würzburg and the University of Strasbourg identified a new important molecular region in an essential human DNA repair complex, consisting of the proteins XPD and MAT1. This complex forms a central unit in the nucleotide excision DNA repair mechanism (NER) and thus protects our genetic information. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications and could provide new starting points for cancer therapy.

Scientists from the University of Würzburg and the University of Freiburg succeeded in determining the complex molecular structure of the bacterial enzyme cytochrome bd oxidase. Since humans do not have this type of oxidase, this enzyme could be an interesting target for novel antibiotics.

A team of researchers lead by Helmholtz Zentrum München and the University of Würzburg identified an enzyme as a novel and strong inhibitor of ferroptosis, the iron dependent form of cell death: ferroptosis suppressor protein-1, short FSP1. This protein is expressed in a variety of cancer cell lines and therefore represents an attractive drug target for cancer treatment. The results were published in the journal Nature.