Prof. Dr. Alexander Gottschalk
Institute of Biochemistry
Frankfurt Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (FMLS)
Max von Laue Strasse 15
D-60438 Frankfurt
Tel ++49-69-798 42518
Fax ++49-69-798 763 42518
E-Mail: a.gottschalk@em.uni-frankfurt.de
Scientific Focus
Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience in the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
Functional Proteomics in the Nervous System of C. elegans
Identification and Functional Characterization of:
-Post-synaptic proteins associated with nicotinic Acetylcholine receptors
-Pre-synaptic proteins associated with synaptic vesicles and SNARE complexes
In-vivo stimulation (light-activation) of individual neurons using Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2)
Functional Characterization of Neurons in the locomotory circuit
Methods
Protein Biochemistry (tandem affinity purification of nervous system components), Cell Biology, in-vivo cell-surface immunostaining, Genetics, RNAi, Pharmacological and behavioural assays, Electrophysiology (patch clamp) from C. elegans muscle cells, in-vivo light-stimulation of excitable cells using Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2)
Selected Publications
Steuer Costa W, Yu S-c, Liewald JF, Gottschalk A. (2017) Fast cAMP modulation of neurotransmission via neuropeptide signals and vesicle loading. Current Biology 27: 495-507
Gao S, Nagpal J, Schneider M, Kozjak-Pavlovic J, Nagel G*, Gottschalk A*. (2015) Optogenetic manipulation of cGMP in cells and animals by the tightly light-regulated guanylyl-cyclase opsin CyclOp. Nature Communications 6: 8046.
AzimiHashemi N., Erbguth, K., Vogt, A., Riemensperger, T., Rauch, E., Woodmansee, D., Nagpal, J., Sheves, M., Fiala, A., Kattner, L., Trauner, D., Hegemann, P., Gottschalk, A.*, and Liewald, J.F.*. (2014) Synthetic retinal analogs modify spectral and kinetic characteristics of microbial rhodopsin optogenetic tools. Nature Communications 5: 5810
Kittelmann M., Liewald J.F., Hegermann J., Schultheis C., Brauner M., Steuer Costa W., Wabnig S., Eimer S.*, Gottschalk A.* (2013) In vivo synaptic recovery following optogenetic hyperstimulation. PNAS 110: E3007-E3016
Husson, S.J., Steuer Costa, W., Wabnig, S., Stirman, J.N., Watson, J.D., Spencer, W.C., Akerboom, J., Looger, L.L., Treinin, M., Miller, III, D.M., Lu, H., and Gottschalk, A. (2012) Optogenetic analysis of a nociceptor neuron and network reveals modulatory ion channels acting downstream of nociceptive sensors Curr. Biol. 22: 743-752.