Minor splicing generates tumorigenic Rac variants in prostate cancer (C02)

• Subject Area: Public Health, Healthcare Research, Social and Occupational Medicine
• Term: from 2010 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 89986987

Splicing errors are the underlying mechanism of a growing number of human diseases including cancer. In C2 the applicant found that a mutation of the minor spliceosome protein component RNPC3 is sufficient to generate oncogenic Rac (G12V). The project aims to clarify whether generation of Rac (G12V) exclusively occurs in cancer cells or if splicing by the minor spliceosome is up-regulated during specific cellular physiological and/or pathophysiological processes. Based on the results of this first aim the project aims to target the formation of the Rac variants by inhibiting minor splicing.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 850: Control of Cell Motility in Morphogenesis, Cancer Invasion and Metastasis
• Applicant Institution: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Klaus Aktories, until 12/2017; Professorin Dr. Gudula Schmidt