Ari Helenius, a Finnish scientist, has received the Otto-Warburg-Medal of the German Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (GBM).
Helenius explored how viruses change the programming of their host cells to their own benefit.
In doing so he also discovered the basic principles of biological quality control for the folding and assembly of protein molecules.
Qiagen, a provider of sample and assay technologies, exclusively sponsors the Otto-Warburg-Medal with a grant of EUR25,000 (GBP22,000) Viruses proliferate by entering living cells and replicating there - generally to the disadvantage of the infected cell.
Prof Helenius explored the molecular processes of how influenza viruses manipulate their host cells, in particular by studying the synthesis and folding of Hemagglutinin.
This protein molecule is being built into the virus membrane.
Helenius discovered that the attacked cell not only produces more Hemagglutinin and transports it to the membrane surface - it also checks it with a quality-control system, which is actually in place for normal host-cell proteins.
Only functional proteins that are folded accurately and have the right structure will be processed by this biochemical 'sorting machine'.
Special enzymes recognise misfolded proteins and then a sugar molecule is added as an attachment to them.
Proteins having this marker cannot leave the endoplasmic reticulum, the location where they have been assembled.
This testing of newly synthesised proteins is said to be of vital importance, as a faulty molecular quality control can be the cause for diseases such as cystic fibrosis and diabetes.
