Alternative splicing regulation in the cardiac system by CTCF and lncRNA interaction (A08)

• Subject Area: Cell Biology ; Developmental Biology ; Cardiology, Angiology
• Term: since 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 403584255

During organ development the heart is in particular requirement of a sophisticated interplay between gene expression programs and alternative splicing regulation. LncRNAs have been shown to play important roles in both processes as well as 3D genome organization factors such as CTCF. We discovered a direct link between lncRNAs and CTCF in regulating alternative splicing in the heart. We will determine this new interplay in early human and mouse heart development and will extrapolate to what extent such a new mechanism contributes to congenital heart diseases to unravel molecular mechanisms how the non-coding genome instructs cardiogenesis during development and disease.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 267: Non-coding RNA in the cardiovascular system
• Applicant Institution: Technische Universität München (TUM)
• Project Heads: Dr. Phillip Grote; Professor Dr. Karl-Ludwig Laugwitz