Dr. Jochen Schwenk

The way neurons are connected to each other is important for the regulation of information processes in our brain. Synapses are specialized contact sites where signals are propagated from cell to cell. Neurotransmitter-activated receptors are important players in synaptic signaling. Applying proteomic approaches we unravel the molecular composition of native receptors, e.g. ionotropic Glutamate and G-protein coupled GABA receptors. Further, we will use a set of biochemical and biophysical techniques to analyze the assembly of receptor complexes and to characterize the role of newly identified components and protein protein interactions.

Selected publications

• Regional Diversity and Developmental Dynamics of the AMPA-Receptor Proteome in the Mammalian Brain.
  Schwenk J, Baehrens D, Haupt A, Bildl W, Boudkkazi S, Roeper J, Fakler B, Schulte U (2014).
  Neuron 84(1):41-54.
• Cornichon2 dictates the time course of excitatory transmission at individual hippocampal synapses.
  Boudkkazi S, Brechet A, Schwenk J, Fakler B (2014).
  Neuron 82(4):848-58.
• Auxiliary GABAB receptor subunits uncouple G protein ?? subunits from effector channels to induce desensitization.
  Turecek R, Schwenk J, Fritzius T, Ivankova K, Zolles G, Adelfinger L, Jacquier V, Besseyrias V, Gassmann M, Schulte U, Fakler B, Bettler B (2014).
  Neuron 82(5):1032-44.
• High-resolution quantitative analysis of the subunit composition of native AMPA receptor complexes.
  Schwenk J, Harmel N, Brechet A, Zolles G, Berkefeld H, Müller C, Bildl W,  Baehrens D, Hüber B, Kulik A, Klöcker N, Schulte U, Fakler B (2012).
  Neuron. 74(4):621-33.
• Native GABA(B) receptors are heteromultimers with a family of auxiliary subunits.
  Schwenk J, Metz M, Zolles G, Turecek R, Fritzius T, Bildl W, Tarusawa E, Kulik A, Unger A, Ivankova K, Seddik R, Tiao JY, Rajalu M, Trojanova J, Rohde V, Gassmann M, Schulte U, Fakler B, Bettler B (2010).  
  Nature 465(7295):231-5.
• Functional proteomics identify cornichon proteins as auxiliary subunits of AMPA receptors.
  Schwenk J, Harmel N, Zolles G, Bildl W, Kulik A, Heimrich B, Chisaka O, Jonas P, Schulte U, Fakler B, Klöcker N (2009).
  Science 323(5919):1313-9.
• NMR analysis of KChIP4a reveals structural basis for control of surface expression of Kv4 channel complexes.
  Schwenk J, Zolles G, Kandias NG, Neubauer I, Kalbacher H, Covarrubias M, Fakler B, Bentrop D (2008).
  J Biol Chem. 283(27):18937-46.
• Getting in touch with Candida albicans: the cell wall of a fungal pathogen.
  Sohn K, Schwenk J, Urban C, Lechner J, Schweikert M, Rupp S (2006).
  Curr Drug Targets 7(4):505-12.