Biological polymers: Mesoscale structure formation and interactions

Interactions and adoption of higher order organisation of biological macromolecules are of fundamental importance in maintaining biological function and technological exploitation. In our research group, the activities within this area include the study of mesoscale structure formation and interactions of non-crystalline biological macromolecules. The topics adressed include polyelectrolyte complexation, biopolymer multilayers, gelation kinetics and structure of polysaccharide gels, as well as responsive gels as biospecific signal transducers. Further research topics include immunologically active (1,3)-β-D-glucans and their interactions with polynucleotides, physics of enzymatic mode of action, toll-like receptors and their primary activation step and the target search strategy of DNA repair enzymes. Monte Carlo simulations of coarse-grained models are used to study the complexation of oppositely charged polyelectriolytes and polyplex formation, the adsorption of macromolecules onto model lipid membranes, and nanoparticle-polyacid interactions.

In addition to classical ensemble averaging techniques, application of single-molecule techniques is a distinctive facet of our approach to tackle core issues within these topics. The tools implemented locally for this research include atomic force microscopy, total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, dynamic force spectroscopy, high resolution interferometry and rheology. These tools are complemented by additional techniques made available to through collaborations with laboratories either locally, or within national and international collaborations.