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Dr. Olaf Heidenreich
Heidemarie Riehle
Reinhard Wähler
We are interested in the control of transcription by signal transduction, particularly by protein kinase cascades. Since such signaling networks are very complex, tools specifically inhibiting one member of such a network are extremly valuable. We are currently developing antisense and ribozyme approaches to modulate sequence-specifically the expression of transcription factors such as serum response factor (important for e.g. mesoderm development and muscle diffentiation) or aml-1 (essential for hematopoiesis).
Ribozymes are RNA molecules which cleave other RNAs in a sequence specific manner. An intensively studied ribozyme is the hammerhead ribozyme. This ribozyme type has been successfully used for the inhibition of gene expression in cell culture as well as in animal models. It may be therefore a useful tool to investigate the function of gene products by transient or permanent downregulation of their expression. For the same reason, hammerhead ribozymes hold great promise as therapeutical agents against certain cancers and viral diseases such as AIDS.
Heidenreich, O. and Eckstein, F. Ribozyme in der Molekularen Medizin. in: Handbuch der Molekularen Medizin. pp. 242-265, Ganten, D. and Ruckpaul, K. (eds.) Springer, Berlin 1997.
Thomson, J.B., Tuschl, T. and Eckstein, F. The Hammerhead Ribozyme. in: Catalytic RNA. pp.173-196, Eckstein, F. and Lilley, D.M.J. (eds.) Springer, Berlin 1996.