Institute of Biology
The Institute of Biology comprises the departments of
Bioenergetics,
Biophysics, Molecular Biology and Virology of Plants, Plant
Biotechnology, Animal Physiology and Zoology (planned:
Nanobiotechnology / Biomaterials), which are integrated into the
interdisciplinary concept of Technical Biology at the University of
Stuttgart.
Links to the dapartments can be found on the left and at the end of
this page. An overview of research topcis of the departments can
be found here.
Research update:
Förster F, Beisser D,
Grohme MA, Liang C, Mali B, Siegl AM, Engelmann JC, Shkumatov AV,
Schokraie E, Müller T, Schnölzer M, Schill RO,
Frohme M, Dandekar T (2012), Transcriptome Analysis in
Tardigrade Species Reveals Specifc Molecular pathways for stress
Adaptations. Bioinformatics and Biology Insights
6, 69-96, DOI: 10.4137/BBI.S9150
Tardigrades survive extreme cold, heat, radiation and vacuum. Protein clusters and pathways involved in resistance were identified using data from a transcriptome study on Milnesium tardigradum. The analysis showed that RNA stability motifs for M. tardigradum are different from typical motifs in higher animals. [more]
Wyant PS, Strohmeier S, Schaefer
B, Krenz B, Assuncao IP, de Andrade L, Gaus S, Jeske H (2012), Circular DNA genomics
(circomics) exemplified for geminiviruses in bean crops and weeds of
northeastern Brazil. Virology 427,
151-157, DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2012.02.007
Circomics was coined to describe the combination of rolling circle amplification (RCA), RFLP and pyro-sequencing to investigate the genome structures of small circular DNAs. A batch procedure is described using 61 plant samples from Asia, South America and Central America. Circomics turns out as a major step forward to economize costs and labor. [more]
Mai B, Sommer S,
Hauber W (2012), Motivational states influence
effort-based decision making in rats: The role of dopamine in the
nucleus accumbens. Cognitive Affective &
Behavioral Neuroscience 12, 74-84, DOI:
10.3758/s13415-011-0068-4
Decision making depends on motivation of the subject. The neuro-chemical basis of this phenomenon is poorly understood. The study investigates the role of the neutransmitter dopamine and shows that without the signalling molecule, are less motivated to perform demanding tasks even if the reward is large. [more]
Departments of the Institute of Biology:
