Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB)

Roopesh Anand Joan Barau Petra Beli Ulrich Hohmann Claudia Keller Valsecchi René Ketting Anton Khmelinskii Julian König Katja Luck Laura Lorenzo-Orts Christof Niehrs Jan Padeken Stamatis Papathanasiou Katharina Papsdorf Sandra Schick Helle Ulrich Siyao Wang Sina Wittmann

Mechanisms of translation in early development

Every animal life begins with a fundamental challenge: transitioning from a maternally programmed oocyte to an embryo driven by its own genome. To support this critical phase, oocytes are equipped with a toolkit of maternal molecules, including mRNAs. Maternal mRNAs regulate protein production and guide early development before the embryo takes control of its own gene expression. But timing is crucial: if maternal mRNAs are translated too early, development can be disrupted. To prevent this, embryos have evolved sophisticated strategies to keep these transcripts silent until the right moment.

While much is known about how translation is repressed in early embryos, the mechanisms that govern activation and timely translation of maternal mRNAs remain less understood. Our lab is dedicated to uncovering these processes. Using a combination of in vivo and in vitro tools, we investigate how these regulatory systems function, why they are essential, and how their molecular architecture ensures proper embryonic development.

Positions held

Since 2026: Group Leader, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany
2019 - 2026: Postdoctoral Researcher, Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna, Austria

Education

2019: PhD in Life Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland
2013: MSc in Biology and Plant Biotechnology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain
2012: BSc in Biology, University of Valencia, Spain

Selected publications by Laura Lorenzo-Orts

Lorenzo-Orts, L^#, Strobl M, Steinmetz B, Leesch F, Pribitzer C, Roehsner J, Schutzbier M, Dürnberger G, Pauli A^#. 2023. eIF4E1b is a non-canonical eIF4E protecting maternal dormant mRNAs. EMBO reports 25, 404–427. (^#indicates joint correspondence). Link

Leesch F*, Lorenzo-Orts L*^#, Pribitzer C, Grishkovskaya I, Roehsner J, Chugunova A, Matzinger M, Roitinger E, Belačić K, Kandolf S, Lin T-Y, Mechtler K, Meinhart A, Haselbach D^#, Pauli A^#. 2023. A molecular network of conserved factors keeps ribosomes dormant in the egg. Nature 613: 712-720. (*indicates joint contribution; ^#indicates joint correspondence). Link

Lorenzo-Orts L^# and Pauli A. 2024. The molecular mechanisms underpinning maternal mRNA dormancy. Biochemical Society Transactions 52:861-871. (^#correspondence). Link