Dr Christoph Goebl, Contact us, Centre for Redox Biology and Medicine

Principal Investigator
Senior Research Fellow

PhD (Graz)

Email christoph.goebl@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 364 1559

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.(1) 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 (2) 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.

(1) Göbl et al., Redox Biol. 2020:101316
(2) Kubli et al., PNAS 2019, 2019 116 (9) 3604-3613

Affiliations

Publications

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

Du Toit, S., De Cordovez, P., Dickerhof, N., & Göbl, C. (2023). Characterising the substrate binding protein of a glutathione transporter from Streptococcus pneumoniae. 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

Schwartfeger, A., Bozonet, S. M., Magon, N. J., Göbl, C., Morris, V. K., & Hampton, M. B. (2023). Oxidation triggered amyloid assembly of the cell death regulator caspase-8. 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

2023

Journal - Research Article

Pulido, S., Rückert, H., Falsone, S. F., Göbl, C., Meyer, N. H., & Zangger, K. (2023). The membrane-binding bacterial toxin long direct repeat D inhibits protein translation. Biophysical Chemistry, 298, 107040. doi: 10.1016/j.bpc.2023.107040

Bozonet, S. M., Magon, N. J., Schwartfeger, A. J., Konigstorfer, A., Heath, S. G., Vissers, M. C. M., … Göbl, C., … Hampton, M. B. (2023). Oxidation of caspase-8 by hypothiocyanous acid enables TNF-mediated necroptosis. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 104792. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104792

Nechanitzky, R., Nechanitzky, D., Ramachandran, P., Duncan, G. S., Zheng, C., Göbl, C., … Mak, T. W. (2023). Cholinergic control of Th17 cell pathogenicity in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Cell Death & Differentiation, 30, 407-416. doi: 10.1038/s41418-022-01092-y

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Reddington, C., Walsh, A., Kleffmann, T., Goebl, C., Hinde, E., Day, C., & Mace, P. (2023). Redefining the ASXL PHD domain as a DNA damage recognition factor. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NZSBMB) 50th Anniversary Conference. Retrieved from https://www.nzsbmb.org/conference

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Goebl, C., Heath, S., O'Connor, K. M., Bozonet, S., Botha, A., Smith, B., Hamzah, E., … Sethi, A., & Morris, V. K. (2023, August). A novel amyloid formation mechanism: Oxidation-induced transition of the tumour suppressor protein p16 into amyloid fibrils. Verbal presentation at the 33rd Queenstown Molecular Biology Meeting (QMB), Queenstown, New Zealand.

2022

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Morris, V. K., Heath, S. G., O'Connor, K. M., Bozonnet, S., Gray, S. G., Naughton, J. D., Magon, N. J., Smith, B. R., Botha, A. D., … Göbl, C. (2022, August). The tumour suppressor protein p16 forms amyloid structures. Verbal presentation at the Cancer Satellite Meeting: Queenstown Research Week, Queenstown, New Zealand.

2021

Journal - Research Article

Gubensäk, N., Schrank, E., Hartlmüller, C., Göbl, C., Falsone, F. S., Becker, W., … Zangger, K. (2021). Structural and DNA binding properties of the cytoplasmic domain of Vibrio cholerae transcription factor ToxR. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 297(4), 101167. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101167

Crowther, J. M., Gilmour, L. H., Porebski, B. T., Heath, S. G., Pattinson, N. R., Owen, M. C., … Göbl, C., & Dobson, R. C. J. (2021). Molecular basis of a redox switch: Molecular dynamics simulations and surface plasmon resonance provide insight into reduced and oxidised angiotensinogen. Biochemical Journal, 478, 3319-3330. doi: 10.1042/bcj20210476

Peskin, A. V., Meotti, F. C., Kean, K. M., Göbl, C., Peixoto, A. S., Pace, P. E., … Winterbourn, C. C. (2021). Modifying the resolving cysteine affects the structure and hydrogen peroxide reactivity of peroxiredoxin 2. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 296, 100494. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100494

Harjes, E., Jameson, G. B., Tu, Y.-H., Burr, N., Loo, T., Goroncy, A. K., … Göbl, C., … Norris, G. E. (2021). Experimentally based structural model of Yih1 provides insight into its function in controlling the key translational regulator Gcn2. FEBS Letters, 595, 324-340. doi: 10.1002/1873-3468.13990

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Goldsmith, D., Göbl, C., & Morris, V. (2021). Insights into the molecular mechanism of TREM2: A major factor for Alzheimer's disease. Proceedings of the 16th Congress of the Federation of Asian & Oceanic Biochemists & Molecular Biologists (FAOBMB). (pp. 108). Retrieved from https://www.faobmb2021.org

Heath, S. G., Magon, N. J., Winterbourn, C. C., Hampton, M., Morris, V. K., & Göbl, C. (2021). Oxidation induced amyloid formation of the tumour suppressor protein p16. Proceedings of the 16th Congress of the Federation of Asian & Oceanic Biochemists & Molecular Biologists (FAOBMB). (pp. 33). Retrieved from https://www.faobmb2021.org

Morris, V., & Göbl, C. (2021). How oxidation induces rapid amyloid formation of the tumour suppressor protein p16. Proceedings of the 16th Congress of the Federation of Asian & Oceanic Biochemists & Molecular Biologists (FAOBMB). (pp. 140). Retrieved from https://www.faobmb2021.org

Other Research Output

Goebl, C. (2021, August). The Southern BioNMR Centre: Establishing a new resource for measuring metabolites. UOC Research Seminar Series, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand. [Research Presentation].

2020

Journal - Research Article

Göbl, C., Morris, V. K., van Dam, L., Visscher, M., Polderman, P. E., Hartlmüller, C., … Dansen, T. B. (2020). Cysteine oxidation triggers amyloid fibril formation of the tumor suppressor p16^INK4A. Redox Biology, 28, 101316. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2019.101316

Other Research Output

Goebl, C. (2020, April). Protein amyloids and cancer. UOC Research Seminar Series, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand. [Research Presentation].

2019

Journal - Research Article

Hartlmüller, C., Spreitzer, E., Göbl, C., Falsone, F., & Madl, T. (2019). NMR characterization of solvent accessibility and transient structure in intrinsically disordered proteins. Journal of Biomolecular NMR, 73(6-7), 305-317. doi: 10.1007/s10858-019-00248-2

Kubli, S. P., Bassin, C., Roux, C., Wakeham, A., Göbl, C., Zhou, W., … Gorrini, C. (2019). AhR controls redox homeostasis and shapes the tumor microenvironment in BRCA1-associated breast cancer. PNAS, 116(9), 3604-3613. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1815126116

2018

Journal - Research Article

Cristóvão, J. S., Morris, V. K., Cardoso, I., Leal, S. S., Martínez, J. M., Botelho, H. M., Göbl, C., … Gomes, C. M. (2018). The neuronal S100B protein is a calcium-tuned suppressor of amyloid-β aggregation. Science Advances, 4(6), eaaq1702. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aaq1702

Göbl, C., & Madl, T. (2018). Entspannte Moleküle: NMR-Ober- flächen daten zur Strukturbestimmung. Biospektrum, 24(2), 161-163. doi: 10.1007/s12268-018-0898-5

Weber, B., Hora, M., Kazman, P., Göbl, C., Camilloni, C., Reif, B., & Buchner, J. (2018). The antibody light-chain linker regulates domain orientation and amyloidogenicity. Journal of Molecular Biology, 430(24), 4925-4940. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2018.10.024

2017

Journal - Research Article

Gourinchas, G., Etzl, S., Göbl, C., Vide, U., Madl, T., & Winkler, A. (2017). Long-range allosteric signaling in red light–regulated diguanylyl cyclases. Science Advances, 3(3), e1602498. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1602498

Rodriquez Camargo, D. C., Tripsianes, K., Buday, K., Franko, A., Göbl, C., Hartlmüller, C., … Reif, B. (2017). The redox environment triggers conformational changes and aggregation of hIAPP in Type II Diabetes. Scientific Reports, 7, 44041. doi: 10.1038/srep44041

Journal - Research Other

Göbl, C., Focke-Teikl, M., Najafi, N., Schrank, E., Madl, T., Kosol, S., … Tjandra, N. (2017). Flexible IgE epitope-containing domains of Phl p 5 cause high allergenic activity. Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology, 140(4), 1187-1191. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.05.005

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Cristóvão, J. S., Morris, V., Cardoso, I., Leal, S. S., Botelho, H. M., Göbl, C., … Gomes, C. M. (2017). The neuronal S100B cytokine targeting amyloid-β aggregation in Alzheimer's disease. FEBS Journal, 284(Suppl. 1), (pp. 184). doi: 10.1111/febs.14174

2016

Journal - Research Article

Göbl, C., Resch, M., Strickland, M., Hartlmüller, C., Viertler, M., Tjandra, N., & Madl, T. (2016). Increasing the chemical-shift dispersion of unstructured proteins with a covalent lanthanide shift reagent [Communication]. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 55(47), 14847-14851. doi: 10.1002/anie.201607261

Strickland, M., Schwieters, C. D., Göbl, C., Opina, A. C. L., Strub, M.-P., Swenson, R. E., … Tjandra, N. (2016). Characterizing the magnetic susceptibility tensor of lanthanide-containing polymethylated-DOTA complexes. Journal of Biomolecular NMR, 66(2), 125-139. doi: 10.1007/s10858-016-0061-x

Suárez-Calvet, M., Neumann, M., Arzberger, T., Abou-Ajram, C., Funk, E., Hartmann, H., … Göbl, C., … Haass, C. (2016). Monomethylated and unmethylated FUS exhibit increased binding to Transportin and distinguish FTLD-FUS from ALS-FUS. Acta Neuropathologica, 131(4), 587-604. doi: 10.1007/s00401-016-1544-2

Journal - Research Other

Hartlmüller, C., Göbl, C., & Madl, T. (2016). Prediction of protein structure using surface accessibility data [Communication]. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 55(39), 11970-11974. doi: 10.1002/anie.201604788

2015

Journal - Research Article

Chromikova, V., Mader, A., Hofbauer, S., Göbl, C., Madl, T., Gach, J. S., … Kunert, R. (2015). Introduction of germline residues improves the stability of anti-HIV mAb 2G12-IgM. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Proteins & Proteomics, 1854(10, Pt A), 1536-1544. doi: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2015.02.018

Gersch, M., Famulla, K., Dahmen, M., Göbl, C., Malik, I., Richter, K., … Sieber, S. A. (2015). AAA+ chaperones and acyldepsipeptides activate the ClpP protease via conformational control. Nature Communications, 6, 6320. doi: 10.1038/ncomms7320

Hacker, C., Christ, N. A., Duchardt-Ferner, E., Korn, S., Göbl, C., Berninger, L., … Wöhnert, J. (2015). The solution structure of the lantibiotic immunity protein NisI and its interactions with nisin. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 290(48), 28869-28886. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M115.679969

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Göbl, C., Wolf, M., Pröll, T., Woss, D., & Schumergruber, A. (2015). Waste heat utilization in refrigerating plants with the aid of high-temperature heat pumps. BWK, 67(10), 44-48. [Review].

2014

Journal - Research Article

Göbl, C., Madl, T., Simon, B., & Sattler, M. (2014). NMR approaches for structural analysis of multidomain proteins and complexes in solution. Progress in Nuclear Medicine Resonance Spectroscopy, 80, 26-63. doi: 10.1016/j.pnmrs.2014.05.003

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Pulido, S. A., Rückert, H. M., Göbl, C., Falsone, F., Meyer, H., & Zangger, K. (2014). Functional and structural studies of the bacterial toxin ldrD. FEBS Journal, 281(Suppl. 1), (pp. 284). doi: 10.1111/febs.12919

2012

Journal - Research Article

Kosol, S., Schrank, E., Bukvić Krajačić, M., Wagner, G. E., Meyer, N. H., Göbl, C., … Novak, P. (2012). Probing the interactions of macrolide antibiotics with membrane-mimetics by NMR spectroscopy. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 55(11), 5632-5636. doi: 10.1021/jm300647f

Journal - Research Other

Göbl, C., & Tjandra, N. (2012). Application of solution NMR spectroscopy to study protein dynamics. Entropy, 14(3), 581-598. doi: 10.3390/e14030581

Awarded Doctoral Degree

Göbl, C. (2012). Paramagnetic relaxation enhancements in structure determination of proteins by NMR spectroscopy (PhD). Universität Graz, Graz, Austria. 97p. Retrieved from http://inis.iaea.org/search/search.aspx?orig_q=RN:44111672

2011

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Schrank, E., Kosol, S., Čuljak, K., Göbl, C., Zangger, K., & Novak, P. (2011). Deciphering interactions of macrolide antibiotics with membrane- mimetics by NMR spectroscopy. Proceedings of the Second World Conference on Physico-Chemical Methods in Drug Discovery and Development. Retrieved from https://www.bib.irb.hr/527071?rad=527071

Kosol, S., Göbl, C., Čuljak, K., Hohlweg, W., Novak, P., & Zangger, K. (2011). Determining the orientation of drugs in receptors by solvent paramagnetic relaxation NMR spectroscopy. Proceedings of the Second World Conference on Physico-Chemical Methods in Drug Discovery and Development. Retrieved from https://www.bib.irb.hr/527060?rad=527060

2010

Journal - Research Article

Göbl, C., Dulle, M., Hohlweg, W., Grossauer, J., Falsone, S. F., Glatter, O., & Zangger, K. (2010). Influence of phosphocholine alkyl Chain length on peptide—micelle interactions and micellar size and shape. Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 114(13), 4717-4724. doi: 10.1021/jp9114089

Göbl, C., Kosol, S., Stockner, T., Rückert, H. M., & Zangger, K. (2010). Solution structure and membrane binding of the toxin Fst of the par addiction module. Biochemistry, 49(31), 6567-6575. doi: 10.1021/bi1005128

Pieber, B., Schober, S., Goebl, C., & Mittelbach, M. (2010). Novel sensitive determination of steryl glycosides in biodiesel by gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy. Journal of Chromatography A, 1217(42), 6555-6561. doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2010.08.006

2009

Journal - Research Article

Zangger, K., Respondek, M., Göbl, C., Hohlweg, W., Rasmussen, K., Grampp, G., & Madl, T. (2009). Positioning of micelle-bound peptides by paramagnetic relaxation enhancements. Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 113(13), 4400-4406. doi: 10.1021/jp808501x

2007

Journal - Research Article

Respondek, M., Madl, T., Göbl, C., Golser, R., & Zangger, K. (2007). Mapping the orientation of helices in micelle-bound peptides by paramagnetic relaxation waves. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 129(16), 5228-5234. doi: 10.1021/ja069004f