A peptide journey through the scientific discoveries of David Craik – a personal reflection
Christian W. Gruber
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Christian Gruber is research group leader and associate professor at the Medical University of Vienna (Austria). He studied biochemistry at the University of Tübingen (Germany) and received a PhD in molecular biosciences from The University of Queensland (Australia). His research focuses on studying biological function, structure–activity relationship and pharmacological mechanism of nature-derived peptides isolated from plants and invertebrates (e.g. peptide hormones, neuropeptides and peptide toxins), and the development of novel peptide therapeutics, especially as ligands of G protein-coupled receptors. |
Abstract
Prof. David Craik has profoundly influenced modern peptide science through his pioneering work on peptide cyclisation, structural biology, and the molecular logic behind nature’s own mechanisms for macrocyclisation. Best known for the discovery and characterisation of cyclotides – cyclic plant peptides stabilised by a cystine knot – David and team defined not only their topological features but also the enzymatic machinery underlying their biosynthesis. His work laid the biochemical and structural foundations for understanding how nature produces stabilised peptides and how this stability can be harnessed for practical applications.
Keywords: cyclisation, cyclotide, cystine knot, NMR, peptide, peptide engineering, plant, topology.
Christian Gruber is research group leader and associate professor at the Medical University of Vienna (Austria). He studied biochemistry at the University of Tübingen (Germany) and received a PhD in molecular biosciences from The University of Queensland (Australia). His research focuses on studying biological function, structure–activity relationship and pharmacological mechanism of nature-derived peptides isolated from plants and invertebrates (e.g. peptide hormones, neuropeptides and peptide toxins), and the development of novel peptide therapeutics, especially as ligands of G protein-coupled receptors. |
References
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