Telomeres are defined DNA - protein structures at the end of the chromosomes that protect them against degradation, recombination and end-to-end fusions. Telomeres are tightly linked to cellular aging and carcinogenesis. The maintenance of a physiological telomere length is crucial for the life of the cell. Failures in telomere length regulation result in premature aging and tumor growth in humans. Telomeres can be considered as an efficient indicator for cancer and premature aging and are therefore of increasing interest for therapeutic strategies against these diseases.
The mechanism of telomere length regulation is evolutionarily conserved. In the proposed project, compounds from natural compound libraries will be screened for activities that affect telomere length in vivo. To this end, genetic and biochemical approaches using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae will be used. The screen will identify small molecules that change telomere length and thus will be promising candidates for developing drugs against cancer and premature aging.
Furthermore, by genetic approaches, the molecular targets of the identified substances will be determined. The characterization of the compounds and their targets will allow insights into the mode of action of the identified compounds. Also, the function of the targets within a molecular pathway will be characterized. This will open up the possibility to understand the relationship between telomeres, aging and cancer.

• Prof. Dr. Jacqueline Franke (Projektleitung)

Jürgen Manchot Stiftung

ZMB EssenFMP Berlin