Göttingen Graduate Center for Neurosciences, Biophysics, and Molecular Biosciences

Doenecke, Detlef, Prof. Dr.

Professor of Biochemistry


  • MD, 1967, University Saarland Medical School
  • Postdoc at the Universities of San Francisco (UCSF) and Marburg
  • Professor of Biochemistry, 1987, University of Göttingen
  • Head of the Department of Molecular Biology at the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology



Major Research Interests

The main interest of the laboratory is in the structure, function and regulation of synthesis of nuclear proteins including chromosomal proteins and other protein factors involved in the control of transcription. DNA replication during the S-phase of the cell cycle requires the coordinate synthesis of histones in stoichiometric amounts for the assembly of chromatin on replicated DNA. The major human histone gene cluster has been mapped to chromosome 6p21.1-6p22.2, and more than 50 histone genes were identified and sequenced within that gene cluster. Several S-phase independent histone genes map as solitary genes to other chromsomes. Current work in this project area deals with the function of individual H1 histone subtype genes. A second major project deals with the factors mediating the transport of histone-related transcriptional regulators from the cytoplasm to the cell nucleus. This work concentrates on the differential role of nuclear import receptors and specific protein-protein interactions during the nuclear transport of these proteins. The third topic of research deals with the structural transitions of chromatin during programmed cell death and with the regulation of factors involved in apoptotic chromatin cleavage and histone modification.


Homepage Department/Research Group





Selected Recent Publications


  • Happel N, Warneboldt J, Hänecke K, Haller F, Doenecke D (2009) H1 subtype expression during cell proliferation and cell type arrest. Cell Cycle 15: 2226-2232
  • Walker P, Doenecke D, Kahle J (2009) Importin 13 mediates nuclear import of histone fold-containing chromatin accessibility complex heterodimers. J Biol Chem 284: 11652-11662
  • Kahle J, Piaia E, Neimanis S, Meisterernst M, Doenecke D (2009) Regulation of nuclear import and export of negative cofactor 2. J Biol Chem 284: 9382-9393
  • Happel N, Stoldt S, Schmidt B, Doenecke D (2009) M phase-specific phosphorylation of histone H1.5 at threonine 10 by GSK-3. J Mol Biol 386: 339-350
  • Neimanis S, Albig W, Doenecke D, Kahle J (2007) Sequence elements in both subunits of the DNA fragmentation factor are essential for nuclear transport. J Biol Chem 282: 35821-35830
  • Stoldt S, Wenzel D, Schulze E, Doenecke D, Happel N (2007) G1 phase-dependent nucleolar accumulation of human histone H1x. Biol Cell 99: 541-552
  • Kahle J, Baake M, Doenecke D, Albig W (2005) Subunits of the hetrotrimeric transcription factor NF-Y are imported into the nucleus by distinct pathways involving importin beta and importin 13. Mol Cell Biol 25: 5339-5354
  • Schliephacke T, Meinl A, Kratzmeier M, Doenecke D, Albig W (2004) The telomeric region is excluded from nucleosomal fragmentation during apoptosis, but the bulk nuclear chromatin is randomly degraded. Cell Death Differ 11: 693-703