Böttger Group

miRNA in the cardiovascular system

Scientific focus

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are established as a class of small, non-coding RNAs that modulate protein synthesis by modifying mRNA translation or stability. Hundreds of miRNAs are encoded in the genome. These miRNAs are tissue specificly transcribed by RNA polymerase II as a primary transcript. The primary transcripts are processed to precursor miRNAs within the nucleus. Mature miRNAs are generated by the cytoplasmic enzyme Dicer. Loss of Dicer in mice leads to early embryonic lethality. Some specific miRNAs have already been implicated in different developmental and physiological processes. We are interested to understand the molecular function of miRNAs in the cardiovascular system (see Boettger et al., 2009 and Boettger & Braun 2012). Currently we expand our work to molecular functions of other non-coding RNAs.

Ion transporters have essential functions in all biological processes. To understand the role of ion transporters in physiology and human disease we are currently analyzing knock-out mouse models for specific transporters with functions in kidney, inner ear and eye (see Frank et al., 2008, Groeger et al., 2010 or Groeger et al, 2011).

Group members

Johannes Besser, Christian Schutt, Judith Schweisgut, Sylvia Thomas, Stas Wüst, Katharina Wystub

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