We investigate how genes, proteins, and environmental factors interact to control cellular function and disease. By combining network-based findings and AI-driven predictions with targeted experimental validation, we analyse the causal molecular mechanisms that connect genetic variation and environmental perturbations to biological phenotypes. This approach validates protein-protein interactions generated by our HT Y2H pipeline and turns computational discoveries into mechanistic insight and identifies opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

Our publications validating large scale / AI analysis

Tofaute, M. J., Weller, B., Graß, C., Halder, H., Dohai, B., Falter-Braun, P. & Krappmann, D. SARS-CoV-2 NSP14 MTase activity is critical for inducing canonical NF-κB activation. Biosci. Rep. 44, BSR20231418 (2024).

Boes, M. & Falter-Braun, P. Long-COVID-19: the persisting imprint of SARS-CoV-2 infections on the innate immune system. Signal Transduct. Target. Ther. 8, 460 (2023).

Wiese, C., Abele, M., Al, B., Altmann, M., Steiner, A., Kalbfuß, N., Strohmayr, A., Ravikumar, R., Park, C. H., Brunschweiger, B., Meng, C., Facher, E., Ehrhardt, D. W., Falter-Braun, P., Wang, Z. Y., Ludwig, C. & Assaad, F. F. Regulation of adaptive growth decisions via phosphorylation of the TRAPPII complex in Arabidopsis. J. Cell Biol. 223, e202311125 (2024).

Bohn, L., Huang, J., Weidig, S., Yang, Z., Heidersberger, C., Genty, B., Falter-Braun, P., Christmann, A. & Grill, E. The temperature sensor TWA1 is required for thermotolerance in Arabidopsis. Nature 629, 1126–1132 (2024).

Gruner, K., Leissing, F., Sinitski, D., Thieron, H., Axstmann, C., Baumgarten, K., Reinstädler, A., Winkler, P., Altmann, M., Flatley, A., Jaouannet, M., Zienkiewicz, K., Feussner, I., Keller, H., Coustau, C., Falter-Braun, P., Feederle, R., Bernhagen, J. & Panstruga, R. Chemokine-like MDL proteins modulate flowering time and innate immunity in plants. J. Biol. Chem. 296, 100611 (2021).

Kulich, I., Vogler, F., Bleckmann, A., Cyprys, P., Lindemeier, M., Fuchs, I., Krassini, L., Schubert, T., Steinbrenner, J., Beynon, J., Falter-Braun, P., Längst, G., Dresselhaus, T. & Sprunck, S.^* ARMADILLO REPEAT ONLY proteins confine Rho GTPase signalling to polar growth sites. Nat. Plants (2020).

Garcia, V. J., Xu, S. L., Ravikumar, R., Wang, W., Elliott, L., Gonzalez, E., Fesenko, M., Altmann, M., Brunschweiger, B., Falter-Braun, P., Moore, I., Burlingame, A., Assaad, F. F. & Wang, Z. Y. TRIPP is a plant-specific component of the Arabidopsis TRAPPII membrane trafficking complex with important roles in plant development. Plant Cell 32, 2424–2443 (2020).

Lantzouni, O., Alkofer, A., Falter-Braun, P. & Schwechheimer, C.^* GROWTH-REGULATING FACTORS interact with DELLAs and regulate growth in cold stress. Plant Cell 32, 1018–1034 (2020).

Garcia, V. J., Xu, S., Ravikumar, R., Wang, W., Elliott, L., Gonzalez, E., Fesenko, M., Altmann, M., Brunschweiger, B., Falter-Braun, P., Moore, I., Burlingame, A., Assaad, F. F. & Wang, Z. TRIPP is a plant-specific component of the Arabidopsis TRAPPII membrane trafficking complex with important roles in plant development. Plant Cell 32, 2424–2443 (2020).

Kalde, M.^†, Elliott, L.^*†, Ravikumar, R.^†, Rybak, K., Altmann, M., Klaeger, S., Wiese, C., Abele, M., Al, B., Kalbfuß, N., Qi, X., Steiner, A., Meng, C., Zheng, H., Kuster, B., Falter-Braun, P., Ludwig, C., Moore, I. & Assaad, F. F.^* Interactions between Transport Protein Particle (TRAPP) complexes and Rab GTPases in Arabidopsis. Plant J. 100, 279–297 (2019).

Garcia-Molina, A., Altmann, M., Alkofer, A., Epple, P. M., Dangl, J. L. & Falter-Braun, P.^* LSU network hubs integrate abiotic and biotic stress responses via interaction with the superoxide dismutase FSD2. J. Exp. Bot.68, 1185–1197 (2017).

Steiner, A., Rybak, K., Altmann, M., McFarlane, H. E., Klaeger, S., Nguyen, N., Facher, E., Ivakov, A., Wanner, G., Kuster, B., Braun, P., Hauser, M. T. & Assaad, F. F. Cell cycle-regulated PLEIADE/AtMAP65-3 links membrane and microtubule dynamics during plant cytokinesis. Plant J. (2016).

Kalinowska, K., Nagel, M. K., Goodman, K., Cuyas, L., Anzenberger, F., Alkofer, A., Paz-Ares, J., Braun, P., Rubio, V., Otegui, M. S. & Isono, E.^* Arabidopsis ALIX is required for the endosomal localization of the deubiquitinating enzyme AMSH3. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 112, E5543–E5551 (2015).

Podgrabinska, S., Braun, P., Velasco, P., Kloos, B., Pepper, M. S., Jackson, D. G. & Skobe, M.^* Molecular characterization of lymphatic endothelial cells. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 99, 16069–16074 (2002).

Classon, M., Salama, S., Gorka, C., Mulloy, R., Braun, P. & Harlow, E.^* Combinatorial roles for pRb, p107, and p130 in E2F-mediated cell cycle control. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 97, 10820–10825 (2000).