Simon Elsässer

Project summary

Short peptides and disease

Cells contain large numbers of short peptides, yet despite their abundance, the functions of these peptides remain a mystery. Recent genome-wide analyses have shown that there are more than a thousand different short peptides in mammalian cells. Simon Elsässer’s research project aims to systematically map these short peptides.

 

Cells contain an abundance of short peptides (sPEPs) translated from short open reading frames (sORFs). Despite their prevalence, the functions of these peptides remain largely unknown. Recent genome-wide analyses and mass spectrometry studies have revealed more than a thousand different sPEPs in mammalian cells. Studies of a small number of sPEPs indicate that many are involved in human biology and may be associated with disease.

 

The aim of Simon Elsässer’s research project is to systematically map and classify the short peptides encoded by sORFs, determine their location within the cell, assess their stability, and establish their molecular functions. The research project is the first of its kind: previous research has not attempted to understand the functions of the full diversity of human sPEPs or to identify potential biomarkers and peptides that could serve as targets for drug therapies.