Redox Biology on the rise

Abstract

Redox reactions are at the heart of bioenergetics, yet their biological role is not restricted to metabolism. One specific focus of contemporary Redox Biology is the study of how the folding, stability, activity, and interactivity of proteins are subject to redox control. Key questions pertain to the chemical nature of physiological redox changes and their exact location inside the cell, the nature and distribution of protein redox modifications, and their meaning for cellular physiology. In recent years, Redox Biology has developed novel methodological directions, for example, the proteomic profiling of protein redox modifications and the noninvasive monitoring of redox processes in vivo. These and other approaches allow asking new questions for which the answers are almost completely unknown. To stimulate exchange of technical knowledge and the appreciation of Redox Biology in general, the German Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (GBM) recently founded a Study Group for Redox Biology.