Gottfried Schatz

Six years later, he returned to Europe in order to join the newly created Biozentrum[1] at the University of Basel, which he chaired from 1983 to 1985, From 1984 to 1989 he was Secretary General of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO).

[3] Schatz played a leading role in elucidating the biogenesis of mitochondria and in discovering mitochondrial DNA.

This system comprises two protein complexes, TOM and TIM, which are localized in the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes respectively.

Mutations in these complexes can disrupt protein import and cause illnesses such as the neurodegenerative Mohr-Tranebjaerg syndrome, which leads to deafness.

Schatz also demonstrated that the energy-requiring protease Lon regulates protein turnover within the mitochondria, thus maintaining the integrity and the proper functioning of mitochondrial DNA.