TRR 83

Biological membranes with their two key constituents - proteins and lipids - mediate an astonishing array of functions ranging from simple barriers to complex signal transduction platforms. In contrast to an aqueous solution, where protein interactions are controlled by a single solvent - water -, lipid bilayers contain hundreds of different acyl chains and head groups providing distinct amphipathic interfaces and thus open another dimension to create architectural and functional diversity. The central aims of the TRR 83 are to characterize the molecular composition and structural organization of distinct membrane domains, to elucidate their physical and chemical properties and to understand their physiological functions. The TRR 83 joins scientists from three locations - Bonn, Dresden, and Heidelberg - and has significantly advanced the current status in lipid analysis, lipid imaging, and lipid cross-linking by developing various new chemical tools. For example, TRR 83 members have..