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Principal Investigator
Senior Research FellowChristoph Goebl image 2019

PhD (Graz)

Email christoph.goebl@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 244 1053

Research interests

Our team is interested in the molecular details of oxidation events. We study structures and interactions of human proteins and aim to understand the underlying mechanisms upon oxidation.

We recently discovered that the tumour suppressor protein p16 can form amyloid structures (Göbl et al., Redox Biol. 2020:101316). This transition is sparked by an oxidation event and leads to formation of an inter-molecular disulfide-bonded dimeric species that subsequently folds into amyloid.

We currently are investigating the amyloid formation mechanism using recombinant protein and biophysical methods such as fluorescence assays. In parallel, we are studying the p16 state and its functional consequences in different human model and cancer cell lines.

We are further interested in the ligand-activated transcription factor Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR). This protein senses small molecules while in complex with heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90) and AhR-interacting protein (AIP). Upon activation, AhR migrates from the cytosol into the nucleus and is capable of activating a large number of different genes.

We recently described the function of AhR in cancer cells (Kubli et al., PNAS 2019, 2019 116 (9) 3604-3613) and we are currently investigating the molecular mechanism of small molecule binding impacted by oxidation events.

Our work is currently supported by a Sir Charles Hercus Fellowship from the Health Research Council and a Marsden project grant.

We are always seeking highly motivated students to work with us, please contact us if you are interested.

Affiliations

Publications

Heath, S. G., Naughton, J. D., Magon, N. J., Gray, S. G., Smith, B. R., Morris, V. K., & Göbl, C. (2024). Characterizing the amyloid core region of the tumor suppressor protein p16INK4a using a limited proteolysis and peptide-based approach. Journal of Biological Chemistry. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107590 Journal - Research Article

Heath, S. G., Gray, S. G., Hamzah, E., O'Connor, K. M., Bozonet, S. M., Botha, A. D., de Cordovez, P., Magon, N. J., Naughton, J. D., … Göbl, C. (2024). Amyloid formation and depolymerization of tumor suppressor p16INK4a are regulated by a thiol-dependent redox mechanism. Nature Communications, 15(1), 5535. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-49581-7 Journal - Research Article

Faville, S., Hampton, M. B., Pace, P., Goebl, C., & Helem, S. (2023). Chemoproteomic analyses of the anti-cancer effects of portimines. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NZSBMB) 50th Anniversary Conference. Retrieved from https://www.nzsbmb.org/conference Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Austad, S., Pace, P., Goebl, C., & Hampton, M. (2023). Unravelling the functional role of peroxiredoxin oligomeric conformations. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NZSBMB) 50th Anniversary Conference. Retrieved from https://www.nzsbmb.org/conference Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Sethi, A., Darroch, H., Horsfield, J., Morris, V., & Göbl, C. (2023). Unravelling the functional impact of the p16INK4a transition into amyloid fibrils using zebrafish recombinant protein. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NZSBMB) 50th Anniversary Conference. Retrieved from https://www.nzsbmb.org/conference Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

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