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Principal Investigator
Senior Research FellowChristoph Goebl image 2019

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

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

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.

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].

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