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SciLifeLab

SciLifeLab is a national infrastructure for research in Life Science based in Stockholm and Uppsala. On this page we collect articles on research at SciLifeLab conducted by research groups at Stockholm University.

Read more on SciLifeLab: www.scilifelab.se

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News

Eva Hedlund's basic research aims to find new treatments for patients with diseases such as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and SMA (spinal muscle atrophy). Photo: Sören Andersson
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics

Basic research for the benefit of ALS patients

By understanding why certain nerve cells and the muscles they control are resistant to fading in the deadly disease ALS, it is possible to create new possibilities for treatments. Researchers at Stockholm University are now trying to identify and transfer the properties of these resistant nerve cells.

Basic research for the benefit of ALS patients - Read the full article
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Foto: Mostphotos

The Swedish COVID-19 Data Portal after one year

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way research is conducted. Openly sharing data and code, data reuse and collaborations have proven to be important tools for the rapid pace of research, but also to provide transparency and to enhance the reproducibility of research. The national Swedish COVID-19 Data Portal, operated by SciLifeLab, supports COVID-19 related data sharing and was launched one year ago on June 3.

The Swedish COVID-19 Data Portal after one year - Read the full article
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Photo: Hyunho Kim

Mapping energy conversion in cells

Billions of years of evolution are behind the ingenious protein machinery in nature’s cells, which captures and converts energy. Professor Ville Kaila is conducting a detailed study of the structure and function of the proteins to learn more about the energy conversion process. That knowledge may eventually result in therapies for diseases where the powerhouses of the cells fall short.

Mapping energy conversion in cells - Read the full article
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Electron cryo-microscopy sheds light on how bioenergy makers are made in our body

Using advanced infrastructure at SciLifeLab and Stockholm University, scientists uncover how the body’s energy makers are made. A new paper published in Science by Alexey Amunts’ laboratory with an international team of researchers reports the molecular mechanism of membrane-tethered protein synthesis in mitochondria.

Electron cryo-microscopy sheds light on how bioenergy makers are made in our body - Read the full article
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Research projects

Cell Biology of nutrient regulated gene expression

Proteins with multiple membrane-segments (MS) initially insert into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of eukaryotic cells. Little is known how such proteins attain native functional structures. We study the ER membrane chaperone Shr3 that specifically facilitates the folding of all 18 members of the yeast amino acid permease family of proteins with 12 MS.

Research
Establishment of epigenetic landscapes

Epigenetic patterns of histone modifications contribute to the maintenance of tissue-specific gene expression, but little is known about how such patterns are initially formed during early embryo development. We study this process in Drosophila.

The Dorsal protein forms a gradient along the ventral-dorsal axis to specify mesoderm, neurogenic ectoderm, and dorsal ectoderm. High Dorsal concentration activates genes in the mesoderm, whereas intermediate Dorsal concentration activates neurogenic ectoderm genes that are repressed in the mesoderm by Snail. Dorsal can be converted to a repressor to prevent expression of dorsal ectoderm targets in mesoderm and neurogenic ectoderm. In Toll10B mutants, the entire embryo is converted to mesoderm, Tollrm9/rm10 mutant embryos become neurogenic ectoderm, and in gd7 embryos all cells are turned into dorsal ectoderm.
Metabolic regulation and spatio-temporal aspects of fungal virulence in situ

Amino acids are essential nutrients that serve as building blocks of proteins and some are efficiently metabolized for energy. Eukaryotic cells respond to extracellular amino acids by enhancing their uptake. We study the molecular mechanisms underlying this response and the role of amino acid metabolism in promoting virulent growth of human fungal pathogens.

Fig. 1. Proline metabolism in C. albicans is key to signaling, morphogenesis, escape from macrophages and invasive growth. A) Extracellular amino acids, e.g., arginine (Arg), are sensed by the SPS (Ssy1-Ptr3-Ssy5) sensor, initiating signaling events leading to the activation of transcription factors Stp1 and Stp2. These factors induce the expression of genes encoding amino acid permeases (e.g., CAN1) and secreted aspartyl proteases (e.g., SAP2), increasing amino acid uptake and breakdown of host proteins, respectively. B)Proline is metabolized in the mitochondria; the resulting reduced electron carriers are oxidized leading to ATP production. C) Elevated levels of ATP activate the Ras1/cAMP/PKA pathway, which induces filamentation via the Egf1, a transcription factor that induces the expression of Hyphal Specific Genes (HSG). D) HSGs encode proteins promoting the yeast-to-hyphal switch required for escape from macrophages (Mφ) and invasive growth. E) Gdh2 activity and mitochondrial function is repressed by high glucose (≥ 0.2%). Hence, proline utilization and hyphal growth is greater at low glucose (< 0.2%) concentrations.
The importance of the MEP pathway in the microbiome and its effect on behavior

Our main aim is to study the effects of bacterial phosphoantigens (HMBPP and IPP) on appetite. We introduced these into mice by gavage and followed the differences in weight gain and gene transcription from relevant tissues. An unexpected effect on male salivary glands focused our interest also on their effects on immune response.

Research
Transcription, coregulators and histone acetylation

Gene transcription is essential for cell identity and its misregulation causes disease. This project explores the connection between transcription and chromatin modifications that make genes accessible to the transcriptional machinery.

Transcriptional coregulators associate with DNA bound transcription factors (activators or repressors) and promote or prevent binding of RNA polymerase II to the transcription start site.
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Research groups

Group Faye

Our aim is to study the effects of bacterial phosphoantigens (HMBPP and IPP) on appetite. We introduced these into mice by gavage and followed the differences in weight gain and gene transcription from relevant tissues. An unexpected effect on male salivary glands focused our interest also on their effects on immune response.

Ingrid Faye
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Group Jonas

Our group studies how bacteria grow and reproduce in fluctuating environments. We use a combination of genetics, cell biology and biochemistry to dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial growth and cell cycle progression and how these processes are regulated under changing environmental conditions to ensure bacterial survival.

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Group Ljungdahl

Amino acids are essential nutrients that serve as building blocks of proteins and some are efficiently metabolized for energy. Eukaryotic cells respond to extracellular amino acids by enhancing their uptake. We study the molecular mechanisms underlying this response and the role of amino acid metabolism in promoting virulent growth of human fungal pathogens.

Per Ljungdahl
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Group Samakovlis

Branched tubular organs are found in most animals. They include tissues like the lung, kidney and the vascular system. Many of the basic principles of tube construction in these organs are conserved among species. We aim to describe the genetic programs leading to the formation of a functional epithelial tubular network.

Christos Samakovlis
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Group Theopold

We are interested in the innate immune system, its activation, development and interaction with other aspects of physiology. To understand innate immunity at the organismic level, we use the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster.

Ulrich Theopold
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Group Visa

Our research aims at understanding the mechanisms by which RNA and RNA degradation by the exosome contribute to chromatin regulation, gene expression and genome integrity.

Neus Visa
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