Eva Wolf

Physiological processes that are regulated on a daily cycle, so-called circadian rhythms, can be found in all kingdoms of life. In humans, the circadian clock regulates many essential physiological processes, such as the sleep-wake cycle, metabolism and the immune system. Disturbed circadian rhythms cause sleep disorders and enhance the risk of many diseases including neurophysiological disorders, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, inflammation and cancer. Furthermore, ageing is associated with a dampening of the circadian clock and reprogramming of circadian gene regulation, which promotes sleep disruption and age-associated diseases in aged individuals. Our aim is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying circadian clocks and circadian gene regulation. We therefore perform structure-function analyses of circadian clock proteins and their functionally important molecular interactions.

Research website

Positions held

• Since 2013: Professor in Structural Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) and Adjunct Director, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz
• 2012 - 2013: Group Leader in Structural Biology at Adolf-Butenandt-Institute, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich
• 2009 - 2013: Private Lecturer for Biochemistry, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich
• 2009 - 2011: Cellular Structural Biology, Max-Planck-Institute for Biochemistry, Martinsried
• 2007 - 2009: Private Lecturer for Biochemistry at the Ruhr-University, Bochum
• 2000 - 2009: Group Leader, Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Physiology, Dortmund
• 1996 - 2000: Postdoc, Rockefeller University, New York, USA

Education

• 2007: Habilitation and venia legend in Biochemistry at Ruhr-University Bochum
• 1996: PhD in Biology at University Heidelberg
• 1991: Diploma in Biology at University Heidelberg

Selected publications by Eva Wolf

Garg A, Orru R, Ye W, Distler U, Chojnacki JE, Köhn M, Tenzer S, Sönnichsen C and Wolf E (2019) Structural and mechanistic insights into the interaction of the circadian transcription factor BMAL1 with the KIX domain of the CREB-binding protein. J Biol Chem, 294:16604–16619 Link

Schmalen I, Reischl S, Wallach T, Klemz R, Grudziecki A, Prabu JR, Benda C, Kramer A and Wolf E (2014) Interaction of circadian clock proteins CRY1 and PER2 is modulated by zinc binding and disulfide bond formation. Cell, 157:1203–1215 Link

Witosch J, Wolf E and Mizuno N (2014) Architecture and ssDNA interaction of the Timeless-Tipin-RPA complex. Nucleic Acids Res, 42:12912–12927 Link

Czarna A, Berndt A, Singh HR, Grudziecki A, Ladurner AG, Timinszky G, Kramer A and Wolf E (2013) Structures of Drosophila cryptochrome and mouse cryptochrome1 provide insight into circadian function. Cell, 153:1394–1405 Link

Kucera N, Schmalen I, Hennig S, Ollinger R, Strauss HM, Grudziecki A, Wieczorek C, Kramer A and Wolf E (2012) Unwinding the differences of the mammalian PERIOD clock proteins from crystal structure to cellular function. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 109:3311–3316 Link